June 24, 1948 · Europe Theater
June 24, 1948
On June 24, 1948, the Soviet Union severed all land and water routes into West Berlin, hoping to force the Western Allies to abandon the city or accept Soviet terms for Germany's future. Instead, the United States, Britain, and France launched a massive airlift that at its peak flew 1,398 sorties per day, delivering coal, food, and medicine to 2.2 million Berliners. After 318 days, the Soviets lifted the blockade on May 12, 1949 — a humiliating failure that had only stiffened Western resolve.
Commanders