What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift (1948-49)?

The Berlin blockade and airlift was a major incident in the Cold War because it was the first case of direct conflict between the US and the USSR. Indeed, both the blockade and the airlift had the potential to spark war. Consequently, it greatly increased tensions between the two superpowers. The blockade had convinced the Western powers that they needed to cooperate militarily with other Western countries (Such as Britain and France) in order to protect themselves against the threat of the Soviet Union. Thus, a direct consequence of the blockade and airlift was the formation of NATO by the Western powers. In addition to this, in April 1949, the USA, Britain and France announced the formation of the German Federal Republic which officially divided Germany into Western and Eastern blocs as a result of the tensions caused by the blockade.Another important consequence of the blockade and airlift was the continuation of Western presence in Berlin. In the long term, this would ensure that Berlin continued to a be a hotspot in Cold War relations, facilitating another crisis with the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Likewise, the airlift was used as propaganda in the USA to claim victory over the East. This solidified the importance of Berlin in the propaganda war between East and West, which continued throughout the Cold War.

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