The Berlin Airlift: Candy Bombers and Cold War Victory

In 1948, the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin, hoping to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead, the United States and Britain launched a massive airlift, code-named Operation Vittles. For nearly a year, cargo planes flew around the clock, delivering food, coal, and even candy to the stranded Berliners. This episode tells the story of the Berlin Airlift through the eyes of its key figures: General Lucius D. Clay, who pushed for the airlift against skeptical military advice; Curtis LeMay, who organized the initial fleet; William H. Tunner, the logistics genius who turned the operation into a conveyor belt; and Gail Halvorsen, the 'Candy Bomber' who dropped handkerchief parachutes of sweets to children. We explore the technical challenges, the political stakes, and the human drama of the first major crisis of the Cold War—a defeat for Stalin that cemented the division of Germany. Along the way, we touch on the Berlin Blockade's origins in currency reform, the Soviet miscalculation, and how the airlift transformed West Berlin into a symbol of freedom. A story of ingenuity, courage, and the power of everyday supplies. #BerlinAirlift #ColdWar #OperationVittles #LuciusClay #CurtisLeMay #WilliamTunner #GailHalvorsen #CandyBomber #BerlinBlockade #Stalin #WestBerlin #Tempelhof #RAF #USAF #History #FexingoHistory #Germany #1948 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo