Berlin Airlift

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 food and fuel 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 Soviets 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 in 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of the ending of the humanitarian airlift soon to be celebrated, this fascinating book reveals many hitherto unpublished details of the operation, as well as an insight into the massive organisation necessary, looking at among other subjects, the background, the airlift bases, air traffic control, maintenance, and the casualties.


by Arthur Pearcy
Published by Airlife 1997 1st edition. 144pp profusely illustrated, appendices, bibliography. 22x27 mint, including d/j.
Well illustrated, with extensive appendices listing units involved, tonnages, casualties, aircraft etc. 3308 £14.00





Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.

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