The Berlin Airlift: How 277,000 Flights Saved a City

In June 1948, Stalin blockaded West Berlin, hoping to starve the Western allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, the United States and Britain launched an unprecedented airlift that would keep 2.5 million people alive for nearly a year. This episode traces the Berlin Airlift from start to finish: the Soviet calculation behind the blockade, General Lucius Clay's decision to test the air route, the legendary candy drops by pilot Gail Halvorsen (nicknamed 'the Chocolate Flyer'), the diplomatic standoff at the United Nations, and the quiet triumph on May 12, 1949, when the Soviets finally reopened the roads. Along the way we visit Tempelhof Airport, where planes landed every three minutes; meet the mechanics who kept the aircraft running in brutal winter conditions; and examine the long-term consequences for Germany's division. The airlift turned a defeat into a victory for the West and cemented Berlin as a symbol of Cold War resilience. #BerlinAirlift #ColdWar #BerlinBlockade #Stalin #LuciusClay #GailHalvorsen #Tempelhof #Rosinenbomber #OperationVittles #GDR #Luftbrücke #1948 #1949 #Germany #Berlin #History #FexingoHistory #AirPower Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo