Daily History Challenge · No. 94 · Wednesday 30 September 2026 · When?
Puzzle No. 94: When?
The event was Berlin Blockade and Airlift, in 24 June 1948 to 12 May 1949.
The answer
On 24 June 1948 the Soviet Union blockaded all rail, road and water routes into the Western-controlled sectors of Berlin, which lay deep inside the Soviet occupation zone of Germany. The blockade, a response to Western moves toward a separate West German state and currency reform, aimed to force the Western Allies out of the city or abandon plans for a unified western Germany. Rather than withdraw or use force, the United States and Britain organised a massive airlift, beginning 26 June 1948, that supplied West Berlin's roughly two million inhabitants with food, fuel and other essentials. At its peak, aircraft landed at intervals of a few minutes around the clock. The Soviets lifted the blockade on 12 May 1949, though flights continued into September to build reserves. The episode was the first major confrontation of the Cold War, demonstrated Western resolve, accelerated the founding of NATO and the Federal Republic of Germany, and cemented Berlin as a symbol of East-West division.