CS2 - The first Berlin crisis (23 June 1948 - 12 May 1949), a Cold War stalemate How was Berlin typical of Cold War confrontations?

1. The run-up to the Berlin crisis, 1945-1948
• Europe threatened:
Confrontation between the American model respecting the rule of law and Soviet totalitarian model
But communism expanding with the Soviet take over of Eastern Europe 1945-1948
• US reaction:
New US foreign policy called containment
- first stated by the Truman Doctrine (12 March 1947) political stand
- and implemented by the Marshall Plan (5 June 1947) economic help
• A new context:
US nuclear monopoly => USSR couldn’t risk direct military intervention.
But neither could the USA as the atomic bomb too dangerous => only used it as a deterrent.
=> If the USA wanted to resist Soviet expansion in Europe & Berlin, it had to do so without a 'hot' war.

2. The Berlin crisis, 23 June 1948 - 12 May 1949 -
• The Berlin blockade:
From 23-25 June 1948 to 12 May 1949, the USSR cut all communications to isolate western Berlin (located in the Soviet German occupation zone) and force the US, UK and France out. Stalin couldn’t invade because it would start a ’hot’ shooting war.
• The Berlin airlift:
From 25 June 1948 to 30 September 1949: US planes supplied fuel, food -everything the western Berliner needed. President Truman could neither fight back militarily nor use the atomic bomb as it was the Cold War
=> A stalemate:
Containment succeeded as Soviet expansion stopped but:
- Germany divided in 2 states following the occupation zones.
- Berlin divided too and a wall was built in 1961.
- Europe divided in 2 blocks separated by the iron curtain: Western block // US model and protected by NATO & Eastern bloc // Soviet model and controlled by Warsaw Pact.