Berlin Airlift
31 March 2026

Berlin Airlift

History Dispatches

About
There is an old adage that says infantry wins battles, but logistics win wars. And the Cold War was no different. When the Soviet Union cut off all land and river access to West Berlin, the Americans and British organized the Berlin Airlift. Over the course of 15 months over 278,000 flights delivered more than 2.3 million tons of cargo to keep the besieged city afloat. It is one of the greatest logistical achievements in history. This is the story of the Berlin Airlift.



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Sources



https://media.defense.gov/2012/Jun/27/2001330007/-1/-1/0/Report%20on%20the%20Airlift.pdf

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/197518/berlin-city-held-hostage/

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/berlin-airlift

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade#/media/File:C-54_landing_at_Tempelhof.jpg



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