How Berlin was Divided After WW2? | The Berlin Airlift | Berlin Wall

After WW2, the German population and the capital city were divided into two separate occupation zones. Each zone was controlled by a different Allied power. American, British, and French forces controlled West Germany, while the Soviets controlled East Germany. The Soviets established a communist system in their zone and created a border between their zones and those of their former allies, thus creating the "Iron Curtain" stretching from the Baltic to the Balkans. Soon after, as communist control solidified in East Berlin, a continuous flow of refugees moved from east to west.
On June 24, 1948, the Soviets closed all roads, canals, and railroads leading to West Berlin. Two million people were effectively isolated, facing hunger, freezing temperatures, and unemployment. Instead of withdrawing, the United States and its allies provided air support to other parts of the city. This effort, known as the "Berlin Airlift," lasted for over a year and supplied West Berlin with more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel, and other necessities.

[@jcdisci]

In 1979 - 1982 I was serving at NATO HQ in Belgium. During that time my wife and I drove thru E. Germany to visit W. Berlin. This was a very convoluted process, involving 3 checkpoints. Checkpoint Alpha from W. Germany to the E German border crossing, Checkpoint Bravo at the border to enter E. Germany, and Checkpoint Charlie from E. Germany into W. Berlin. As my security clearance was high, this involved a ridiculous amount of paperwork, and this before computers. One curiosity was the border guards on the East side were Soviet soldiers as E. Germany security people usually defected. The drive was about 90 minutes. The scenery was identical to what you saw in W. Germany, as was road conditions, signage, weather....everything the same.
BUT IT WASN'T.
If oppression were a physical thing, like let's say water, we found ourselves submerged in a feeling of total suppression, as if drowning in an ocean. It was unbelievable, real and very overwhelming. I can't describe it any other way. At that moment the idea that I was serving at NATO 'defending America' was no longer an accepted concept. It was very real. If spending even one moment in Europe stopped that oppression from reaching America, IT WAS TIME WELL-SPENT and willing given.
Those to whom communism and the concept of a divided Germany at the time and the heartbreak it caused and perpetuated are vague concepts have absolutely NO IDEA of that which they speak!! They need to sit down, shut up, AND LEARN SOMETHING!!

[@user-bz3wt2ke3e]

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