After World War II, both Germany and its capital city, Berlin, were divided into four occupation zones controlled by the U.S., Britain, France, and the Soviet Union.

The city of Berlin was located deep inside the Soviet occupation zone of Germany.

In 1948, the Western powers introduced a new currency in their zones to help stabilize the German economy.

In response, the Soviet Union initiated the Berlin Blockade in June 1948, cutting off all road, rail, and canal access to the Western-controlled sectors of Berlin.

The goal of the blockade was to force the Western powers to abandon their sectors of the city.

Instead of retreating, the United States and its allies organized the Berlin Airlift to supply the city entirely by air.

For nearly a year, Allied planes flew around the clock, delivering food, fuel, and other vital supplies to the more than 2 million residents of West Berlin.

The airlift was a remarkable logistical achievement and a powerful symbol of Western resolve.

In May 1949, the Soviet Union, realizing the blockade had failed, lifted it.

The Berlin Airlift was the first major crisis of the Cold War and a significant propaganda victory for the West.