Berlin Blockade

From June 24, 1948, to May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union blocked all road, rail, and canal access to West Berlin, triggered by the Western Allies' introduction of the deutsche mark in their occupation zones. The United States and United Kingdom responded with the Berlin Airlift, delivering over 2.3 million tons of supplies across more than 250,000 flights. At peak capacity, planes landed every 30 seconds. The blockade's failure accelerated the formation of NATO and two separate German states.