Measures and Countermeasures Taken To Accomplish Goals

    The first measure the Allies took was the airlift.  They did not believe the Soviets would stop all food supplies to Berlin because it would alienate the Germans, but they had anticipated a blockade.  In April, two months prior to the blockade, allied trains had been prevented from entering the Soviet sector.  General Clay had proposed sending an armed convoy through to Berlin to force the issue.  Clay attempted to enlist Sir Robertson, the head British Administrator in Germany, to support his plan, but Robertson realized a convoy could be hindered by detours, roadblocks, and destroyed bridges.  A miscalculation by either side could lead to war or, if unsuccessful in getting through, in being forced to withdraw under further humiliation.  Sir Robertson offered a different solution; supply the city by air.  This resulted in what has been called the “little lift” that lasted 10 days.  This little lift showed the allies that an airlift could successfully supply Berlin for a short time.  However, they were uncertain of their ability to support a population of 2.5 million over a long time.  They continued to explore other measures to end the blockade.

    On June 27, in an emergency meeting at the Pentagon, three possible courses of action were discussed: withdraw from Berlin, defend the US position by all possible means, including supplying Berlin by truck convoy or using force, and lastly to maintain the unprovocative but firm stand in Berlin by every local and diplomatic means.4   The following day Truman made a momentous decision. According to Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, when the question arose of whether or not the United States was going to stay in Berlin, Truman interrupted to say, "... there is no discussion on that point, we are going to stay - period."  The allies were committed to the airlift and exploration of other measures ceased.

Aircraft lined up for take-off during the Airlift.

Berlin's Tempelhof airport located in the American area.

4. Shlaim, Avi, The United States and the Berlin Blockade, 1948- 1949 (Berkeley, California, University of California Press, 1983), pp. 220