The Berlin Airlift

The “History of the Berlin Airlift” is presented in this three volume set, in a very different manner than any previous books on the topic. 


Vol. 1- “The First Battle of the Cold War” presents a detailed history of the events leading up to the blockade of Berlin, the ensuing Airlift and the early results, which marked the beginning of the Cold War. (ISBN 0-945794-16-9) ibooks touch book


Vol. 2- “The Task Forces Times” was the daily newspaper which was printed to inform the Airmen of the events going on around them. In the appendix you will find a complete set of this mimeographed newspaper, so that one can read first hand the daily events of the Airlift. (ISBN 0-945794-17-7) ibooks touch book


Vol. 3- “The Men that made the Airlift work” contains a listing of all known individuals who were part of the U.S. Air Force involvement in the Berlin Airlift. This is intended to honor those who served. (ISBN 0-945794-18-5) e-book


At midnight on June 23, 1948, the Soviets began to cut electric power and at 6:00 a.m. the next day, they halted all road, rail, and barge traffic. Marshal Sokolowsky later announced that the Kommandatura (the joint military headquarters for the four powers in Berlin) no longer existed. The Berlin blockade had begun.  


The incident on April 5, 1948, in which a Soviet fighter collided with a British Viking 1B, killing 15, placed the safety of these corridors in question, but Clay had no other option but to use them. Gen. Clay had convinced President Truman of the necessity of defending and remaining in Berlin.


The Allies were unprepared. Since the end of World War Two, the armed forces had been greatly reduced. The Soviets, on the other hand, maintained their huge military force and were in a far better position for conflict. U.S.A.F.E. had only eleven operational groups, with 275 aircraft, mostly light bombers or fighters and the situation in Great Britain was not better. The Soviet Air Force had some 4,000 aircraft, two-thirds of which were in Germany. Although it is doubtful, that the Soviets intended to start a war, since ample opportunities occurred that would have justified a conflict.