The Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift was a turning point in World History and the catalyst for the Cold War. From the end of World War Two the relationship between the 'Big Three', Britain, America and the Soviet Union, had steadily deteriorated. This culminated in a highly explosive standoff lasting nearly a year as the Soviets tried to 'encourage' the West to leave Berlin and abandon its plans for post-war Germany. This account traces the origins of the blockade from the destruction of Germany from the air and ground through to the political intrigues of the immediate post-war period. Previously under-researched areas are presented here, including the story of the RAF Sunderlands, the British Civil Operators and the fuel lift. Illustrated throughout with many previously unpublished pictures and brought to life by the personal accounts of men and women who were there, this is the story of the Berlin Airlift.