submitted by : William T. Larkins - wtl@ccnet.com

On 23 June 1948, the Soviet occupation forces closed all rail, road and waterway supply routes from the Allied
Western Zones of Occupation in Berlin. There was less than one month's supply of fuel and food available for the
two-and-a-half million Berliners living in the Western Zones.
The Blockade of Germany had begun. A freezing winter was also on the side of the Russians who had the intention of starving and freezing Berlin into submission.
The Allies responded immediately with a miracle of logistics and in eleven months Allied aircraft made thousands of flights into three airfields located in the cramped airspace of West Berlin, carrying everything
needed to keep a modern city alive - food, clothing, coal, liquid fuel and raw materials. With the fiftieth anniversary of the ending of the humanitarian airlift soon to be celebrated, this fascinating book reveals many hitherto unpublished details of the operation, as well as an insight into the massive organization necessary, looking at among other subjects, the background, the airlift bases, air traffic control, maintenance, and the casualties.