xiv 321, [1] p. Illustrations. Notes. Index. 1998 was the fiftieth

xiv 321, [1] p. Illustrations. Notes. Index. 1998 was the fiftieth anniversary of the blockade and airlift-Author's sources include recently declassified documents and previously unpublished diaries of participants-Unites the political, military, and human aspects of a story packed with courage, intrigue, humor, and pathos At the close of World War II, the Soviet Union controlled all of eastern Germany except the Allied sectors of Berlin. In June 1948, Soviet authorities halted all rail traffic between the city and the outside world, effectively dooming the inhabitants of the Western sectors to starvation. American and British air forces immediately began a massive supply airlift. Flying 276, 926 dangerous missions and bringing in 2.3 million tons of food and coal, the Berlin Airlift cost the lives of 75 U.S. and British airmen but saved the besieged enclave. By focusing on the experiences of airmen, politicians, and ordinary Berliners, Michael Haydock tells the human story of a spectacular aviation and logistical accomplishment that has had lasting geopolitical significance.