I was stationed in Berlin with the US Army from 1976-1982 (2/6 INF) and it always amazed me how many older Berliners would attend our parades, applauding and cheering as we marched past in review. While riding the U-bahn to visit friends in Steglitz one evening, an elderly lady smiled and threw me a salute (we could ride the U-bahn for free in uniform) and I asked her why. She said (in flawless English) that the Airlift saved her family from starvation and the entire city from becoming occupied by the Soviets. I had no idea. "Americans will always be welcome in my city..." That's something I will never forget.
If Russia ever tries that again, we need to pump up the manufacturing. 4,000 F-16's produced? Make that 40,000. We're sending those commies back to hell, locking the door, incinerating the key, and welding it shut. Down with communism. Don't bomb the civilians, bomb the factories and airfields. Make sure they don't get a chance to get anymore planes in the air than Communists we've been happy to let into power.
The sheer amount of coordination needed for this to work was insane, as a German citizen I'm deeply thankful for what the USAF and RAF and all the others pulled off back then... great video!
My Dad was a crew chief and flight engineer on C-47s, and C-54's. He flew "Kinder Lift" flights to take Berliner kids to visit their West German relatives Kinda like short R&R flights to give the German kids a break from the huge rationing and shortages of living in Berlin. On my Dad's ribbon bars he wore the European Occupation ribbon, with the Berlin Airlift device. Dad was proud of his part in the Berlin Airlift. Dad's gone now, I have his flight wings and ribbons. My little sister has Dad's burial flag to keep for our family. Love you Dad. eeued
As any serviceman who served in the “Old” pre-unification West Berlin will tell you, the city was continually buzzing. Being surrounded, as it was, by the USSR and East Germany, the ethos was; “Well, if they decide to invade West Berlin we’ve got about 12 hours to live so let’s party!” The bars and clubs never seemed to close and the atmosphere was terrific. UK, US and French personnel were allowed limited access to the East through Checkpoint Charlie with a strict curfew imposed. With only 10 or 15 Deutschmarks you could live like a king for the day in the East. Of course while “over the wall” you had to remember that 1 in 4 of the people you saw were Stasi agents or informers. Despite that I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
The children would break off tiny pieces and share the chocolate with others, later they would pass the wrapper around to smell the chocolate and look at the writing on the packaging
I was born in Berlin in the late 1960’s with my dad being posted there with the British Army. The Berliners were so grateful and always remembered. We developed great friendships with the local Berliners which continues to this day with my children being friends with their children.
My father was one of the pilots who flew the airlift. He said it was one of the more interesting missions he could talk about. Very proud of his contributions.
My father was a child in Berlin during the war and survived because of the airlift. At the conclusion of the airlift there were two flights out of Berlin. My father was on one of them which is how he came to Australia
You should mention the heroic show of support by General Clay for Berlin. The people of Berlin were afraid. They thought the Americans would not come to their aid. Why would America risk themselves for their old enemy? Good question. General Lucius D Clay was the Governor of then Quadripartite Germany. He flew in an unarmed transport to Berlin, to show the Berliners that they would not be abandoned. Many wondered if the Soviets would shoot his plane down and kill him. It was a real concern. That show of strength and resolve encouraged the Berliners, and inspired the leaders of US and Britain. Clay was not the only one committed to saving Berlin, but he was the one at the point of the spear. His story should be told.
It was Lt (later Col) Gail Halvorsen who first started dropping candy to the children of Berlin. In 1970 he commanded the air base group at Templehoff. Also Thank you for posting this story today.
Nice. I have actually met the Berlin Candy Bomber - Col Halverson. There is a little airport in Oklahoma called Miami. During the war it was a training facility for British pilots. Each year the local community hold a remembrance ceremony there for the 15 trainees who died. A few years back I attended the ceremony and met Col Halverson. It is to the great credit of the Oklahomans that they continue to remember us Brits.
I had the pleasure of being inside one of the American planes used in Berlin airlift in a museum in florida many years ago which was being restored at the time
My Father-in-law flew C-47's over the "Hump" of the Himalaya mountains, then C-54's in the Berlin Airlift. He always said the Hump was nerve-racking, but flying into Berlin barely over the tops of the buildings in an over-loaded airplane scared the crap out of him.
I remember my professor talking about this in World History. He mentioned the use of the Sunderland aircraft being used to airlift supplies in. Almost immediately I knew that the Sunderland was an amphibious aircraft without landing gear. I asked my professor about this and they managed to land them in the Havel River with a very very sketchy approach. Those magnificent men and their flying machines...
My Dad was in the RAF and took part in the Berlin Airlift, flying in Lancaster's, this plane type was not mentioned, so maybe only a few were used, but I thought I would mention that this iconic aircraft also took part, and my Dad was very proud to have been part of this effort to help the people of Berlin, during these hard times. a Great video and one I enjoyed watching, I found by chance, and brought back fond memories of my late father, thank you.
Thank you for all your work. I was stationed in Berlin, mid '70, '71. I actually stayed with a girl that worked at the Old Eden Saloon, on Damaschkestrasse. My memory is that the Germans were kind to us, most were OK with us, but there were plenty of males that could not hide a German nationalist pride. I felt it was similar to the southern folks after the American Civil War. Many of the women tried to marry G.I.s for a ticket to the "big show." And, I know that many German males didn't like that; others were happy for them. But, all were grateful for the allies.
I like this channel, history I believe is an easy subject to learn, but its hard to master. What Mark Felton does here is the sort of granularity that I truly appreciate, coloring inside the broad strokes of events only heard in passing. Bravo.
As a young corporate pilot, flew several years with a retired US Air Force pilot that flew in the Berlin Air Lift. He had many flying stories and was a superb pilot and teacher to me. Thanks, "Chuck!"
THANK YOU! As an Australian I have always been aware of the Berlin Airlift but had no idea of the scale of the operation. IF ONLY all peoples on this beautiful planet would look after each as the Allies did in Berlin, at that time....it would be a WONDERFUL world. Peace from The Great South Land of The Holy Spirit.
Thank you for making this. I could recite maybe three or four sentences of what I knew of this colossal event. I had the chance encounter recently with the son of one of the few Canadian pilots who flew for the RAF during this mission. "My mother married my dad while they were in Canada and during the war she was stationed in the UK, along with me as a toddler. After the war, she was arrested by military police and held in custody under the suspicion that she collaborated with the Germans, as she was reported as being in German occupied France during the war. It turns out, her name was stolen from the church records in Scotland, when as a baby her and her family emigrated to Canada. Who would have expected them to return? Her name and birth records would never be missed. It took her husband, in full RAF dress uniform tearing a strip off the constable in charge of the investigation to get her released. I still have the letter certifying her innocence, stamped by the office of the Investigator General (?)." It was quite the story while we were both waiting to get our vehicles re-insured. :)
The main advantage the US had at the time of the Berlin Airlift was we had the bomb while the USSR didn't. Stalin knew he could only push the US so far before the threat of nuclear retaliation became a certainty. That was communicated to Stalin by multiple diplomatic and media sources as the situation became more tense. The USSR didn't know about the size of our nuclear arsenal, but they also knew the B-45 Tornado was coming online in increasing numbers, and that the B-45 was probably nuclear capable. The F-84G was also coming online. While it wasn't nuclear capable at the time of the airlift, the US spread the disinformation that it was, and we had developed a tactical nuclear weapon deliverable by single seat fighters. The Soviets also knew we were working on developing nuclear artillery. In fact, the "Atomic Annie" M65 cannon and thermonuclear rounds wouldn't be ready for another five years, but the Soviets didn't know that, and we made sure not to disabuse them of the notion it might be ready. In the end, Stalin blinked due to fears that any further pushing would result in an attack to which the Soviets didn't have a response. The nuclear ace up our sleeve probably saved the world from what would have become the start of a conventional WWIII.
My father was stationed in Berlin during the Airlift. He was a corporal in the AAF. There was a movie made called "The Big Lift." He said it was very realistic, omitting the love story.He did admit that elements of the love story may have been close to truth. He couldn't say from personal experience. Oh, my dad appears twice in "The Big Lift." In 2 scenes in the tower he is the corporal sitting at the end counter doing paper work. Just think of what they could've done with C-130 Hercules.
My trips to Berlin , and East Berlin as a young Soldier and later a young Officer were some of the most thrilling times early in my career. As a Historian, to walk the streets where the bloody street fighting took place, to see the famous landmarks, buildings, and of course the Wall were very exciting. I ate lunch often on Unter den Linden in a very elite Restaurant where the average DDR citizen would have to spend a years income to pay what we paid... I had drinks with 3 Soviet Generals and their Staff Officers there...things that would have had my S2 doing monkey flips if he'd found out. The History of the partition of Germany, and our efforts during the Airlift, our decades of patrols on the Iron Curtain, the only real world missions during the Cold War... seems like yesterday, and how the World has changed since then.
You are the first to mention the great General Lucius D Clay. You need to do a video on his life. Read his biography. What Clay should be known for is The Arsenal of Democracy. I was always amazed at how quickly the US was able to get war material produced in 1942 - planes, ships, ammunition, uniforms, and so much more. His biography tells how General Clay organized all that, and made it happen. IMO, His efforts shortened WW2 by at least one year.
Great video. I'm immensely proud to say my Grandad was there, a teenage Irish kid who ran away from home to join the RAF and ended up in a world crisis point. He worked on Yorks, and told me about a German friend he made who ended up backing into a running prop.
Should petition that this sort of history "vid" be mandatory listening in all US schools. Then the modern generation may think a bit more of capitalism and less of Socialism....as is proper and as wittnessed in fact, as here.
My Dad was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force (Bomber Command) as a mechanic, mainly on the Lancaster engines. He even ""flew" the planes in test runs on the landing strips after maintenance was carried out giving his OK before combat operations. He told me that he, and other, Air Force crew members were not de-commisioned along with most of the other troops stationed in England in 1945, but were kept on active duty for almost a year. This active duty comprised of flying in supplies into Berlin in 1945 in what he called the first Berlin Air Lift of essential supplies. I was born in 1949, so I know that he was back home at least a year or two before that. That would make his RCAF & RAF air lift of supplies several years before the air lift known as the Berlin Air Lift. Has anyone else heard of this RAF/RCAF exercise in 1945?
Yeah, very much so... The first thing the allies had to do was to supply the Germans with food as most of the stocks had been destroyed in bombing. Also, you would need to massively supply your occupation forces
1/3rd of all aviation gas in the world was used to feed the Airlift. I was in Berlin in 1973, as a dependent. My father was stationed at HQ USAF Europe at the time, and we had a music festival in Berlin. VERY scary train trip through East Germany. We were told DO NOT open the train windows, or the VOPO's would shoot us. So..I get to Berlin, and the family I stayed with was Col. Halvorsen, and his family. Yep. THAT Halvorsen...the Candy Bomber of 25 years before. Imagine that...how brilliant was the USAF, to send this guy back to Berlin as the USAF Commander at Templehof! His son later became a C-130 pilot, as well.
Very interesting episode. My highschool principal was a pilot during the Berlin Airlift and he would tell stories about it Ivan Glasscock was his name and a great guy. Thanks for the great work, Dr Felton.
Easily the best history channel on TH-cam. I was getting so sick of the stripped down animated histories that are rife across the platform - your channel is a godsend! Thank you.
My mom was born in 1943 Berlin and raised in West Berlin. Without the excellent leadership and work from everyone involved, I would not be here. I owe a debt to those part of the airlift that can never be repaid.
The reason why the RAF used flying boats was to get the salt in as flying boats have their control cables in the ceiling/roof of the aircraft whereas other planes traditionally have them lower. After a few crashes, it was found that the salt was rotting through the cables so the Sunderlands were ordered in to deal with it
Never wait more than a minute before clicking on another one of Mr. Felton's videos Also 17 minutes, oh boy. What did we do to deserve such a blessing? Edit: Excellent work as always Mr. Felton, hopefully one day we'll see a bit more indepth on Operation "Little" Vittles
My father took part in the Berlin airlift while he was in the US Air Force. I got to see the Berlin Airlift Memorial in Frankfurt-am-Main while stationed in Germany in the 1980s. Also, got to visit Berlin in 1982 when the only way to get to Berlin was by either: air; single train route; or single autobahn, Got to see/touch the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and even got to go into East Berlin - was being "eyeballed" the entire time by Soviet & East German guards. Berlin was still being re-built at that time.
And somewhere in the middle of all this was my great grandfather using his posting in west Germany to steal things to sell on the back market, just goes to show you can take the man out of East London but you cant take East London out of the man.
frankcastle498 my unit fought in the chosin 3/5 Marines I’m a infantry men and our unit killed many Chinese and North Koreans - 3/5 Lima company I did 14 years as a grunt CHOSIN WOULD BE AMAZING
Great ! My wife's family are from the French Sector of Berlin and this is just so up lifting and informative (I'm from the UK). The air lift is still remembered by her parents as a great act of kindness after the war. During the fall of Berlin when everybody (in Berlin) knew the war was lost. But as they were starving my family have stories of "stealing" potato pealing from compost heaps to make soup to survive. That generation on both side have suffered so much it is astonishing that (in my experience) I was brought up not hating the Germans. Sorry for a long post
Thanks for covering this. One of my relatives took part in the Berlin Airlift and he took pride in the lives saved by the Allies. He had started in the USAAC, 8th Air Force and was part of the Red Ball Express, then occupation of Germany. After marrying a war bride, he decided to become career USAF serviceman, serving mostly at various European posts.
I thought you might have missed mentioning the Australian, NZ, SA and Canadian involvement in the airlift, but I should have known better! Always thorough and complete in all relevant details. Love your work Dr Felton!
Excellent job, Mark! Enjoyed watching this while having a lunchtime cuppa. The airlift was very impressive ... but I was very impressed with many of the individual figures, and especially a German team of 12 unloading 10 tons of coal in 5 minutes and 45 seconds, and a French team building Tegel airport in under 90 days! Dropping chocolate bars to the kids was a great idea. :)
What a great effort by the allies & hats off to the post war German people who just got on with things with out complaint and rebuilt their shattered country
I knew of this story all my life and love hearing it again. It is one of the most beautiful and sincere clashes between the two superpowers. Thank you Doctor Felton for telling it again!
When I was in Berlin around 2000 the red signal lights were still switched on on the top of the high buildings, church towers, etc. It was said it's a memorial for the Berlin Airlift.
What an excellent video, I find it so extremely amazing that it lasted a whole year and 3 months. This story of the Berlin airlift is so moving and stunning on so many levels.
This immediate post-war weeks and months are some of the most fascinating to see, especially through hindsight. Thanks for shining a light on some of these oft-overlooked gems of history!
Mark I so appreciate and love your videos. I feel you are in the top five of presenting a subject and letting it fall or stand on its own merit. Thank you for not being a revisionist. History is what it is.
This is a masterclass in Youtubing - thanks Dr Felton. The best video ever on the subject. Oh and well done to the US, Britain and our big pals from Canada, NZ, Australia and South Africa for keeping the torch of freedom alight in Germany. As for the French not being able to help much? Well they had Vietnam to fuck up as a greater priority. They really should not have been given a Berlin sector anyway and Potsdam (Churchill?) should be criticised for that. They did nothing to deserve it.
Such a great account, brought tears to my eyes. A really great video, thanks for making & posting. So much more enjoyable and easier to watch without the usual added-in dramatic music and wanky sound effects that you normally always see in these types of videos.
I had a co worker, that was a former USAF fighter pilot. He was given a temp assignment as a copilot on the supply flights!! He said being a copilot was not exciting, not much to do!! BUT he did enjoy the thought, that he was in some way, kicking Stalin in the nuts!!
Read the Berlin stories from history, but seeing the video clips really impressed: how blockade defeated by people who love freedom through never-ending & coordinated efforts. Great efforts, Mark!
Imagine the iron will, diligence, hard work, and proficiency to pull off such a task. And, the Berlin Air Lift; that was impressive too, Prof. Felton...
All your videos are great, excellent history in proper English, and excellent video and graphics. My dad was a U.S. Navy pilot in the Berlin airlift and I heard many of these stories from him. I will share this video link with all my friends and family. Thanks Mark.
So very much better than any narrative I have heard or read before. As an American, I have been mostly ignorant of the British and French involvement in the Airlift. Your reports always seem professional and balanced, as good news reporting should be. Bravo!
Thank you so much for the vivid reminder of what the Allies were capable of when they worked together. These days when those ties are deliberately being weakened by those who have no memory of what post-war Europe was like, America in particular needs to recall this historic event, and the goodwill and stronger nations which were (and still ought to be) the results of working together for the things in which we believe.
the interesting thing while the Axis where ideologically close, i.e Fascism and all that, the Allies particularly Churchill, a Pro Empire Militartist and Roosevelt, a left of centre, anti-Imperialist where far better bedfellows than the other lot. The Axis, in general, didn't work or operate at all well together and could never off pulled off combined operations like D-Day.
My father was a 12 year old boy in Berlin when the airlift started. He remembers pilots dropping candies for the kids.
so safe to assume that you were born in 1963.
I was stationed in Berlin with the US Army from 1976-1982 (2/6 INF) and it always amazed me how many older Berliners would attend our parades, applauding and cheering as we marched past in review. While riding the U-bahn to visit friends in Steglitz one evening, an elderly lady smiled and threw me a salute (we could ride the U-bahn for free in uniform) and I asked her why. She said (in flawless English) that the Airlift saved her family from starvation and the entire city from becoming occupied by the Soviets. I had no idea. "Americans will always be welcome in my city..." That's something I will never forget.
If Russia ever tries that again, we need to pump up the manufacturing. 4,000 F-16's produced? Make that 40,000. We're sending those commies back to hell, locking the door, incinerating the key, and welding it shut. Down with communism. Don't bomb the civilians, bomb the factories and airfields. Make sure they don't get a chance to get anymore planes in the air than Communists we've been happy to let into power.
The sheer amount of coordination needed for this to work was insane, as a German citizen I'm deeply thankful for what the USAF and RAF and all the others pulled off back then... great video!
My Dad was a crew chief and flight engineer on C-47s, and C-54's.
He flew "Kinder Lift" flights to take Berliner kids to visit their West German relatives
Kinda like short R&R flights to give the German kids a break from the huge rationing and shortages of living in Berlin.
On my Dad's ribbon bars he wore the European Occupation ribbon, with the Berlin Airlift device. Dad was proud of his part in the Berlin Airlift.
Dad's gone now, I have his flight wings and ribbons. My little sister has Dad's burial flag to keep for our family. Love you Dad.
eeued
As any serviceman who served in the “Old” pre-unification West Berlin will tell you, the city was continually buzzing. Being surrounded, as it was, by the USSR and East Germany, the ethos was; “Well, if they decide to invade West Berlin we’ve got about 12 hours to live so let’s party!”
The bars and clubs never seemed to close and the atmosphere was terrific. UK, US and French personnel were allowed limited access to the East through Checkpoint Charlie with a strict curfew imposed. With only 10 or 15 Deutschmarks you could live like a king for the day in the East. Of course while “over the wall” you had to remember that 1 in 4 of the people you saw were Stasi agents or informers.
Despite that I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
The children would break off tiny pieces and share the chocolate with others, later they would pass the wrapper around to smell the chocolate and look at the writing on the packaging
Tell Greta
I remember the Rosinenbombers very well. Picked up many of raisin packs myself.
Yes... I am that old.
Thank you for posting, Mark.
So amazing how they dropped chocolate bars with tiny parachutes for those kids,it's unbelievable.
I absolutely loved the vid, thanks Mark.
I was born in Berlin in the late 1960’s with my dad being posted there with the British Army.
The Berliners were so grateful and always remembered. We developed great friendships with the local Berliners which continues to this day with my children being friends with their children.
[X]
My father was one of the pilots who flew the airlift. He said it was one of the more interesting missions he could talk about. Very proud of his contributions.
Man you need to be on mainstream, so much better than the rubbish they put out on repeat. 😊😊😊
I feel MSM would screw up what he presents or add a political spin to it : (.
My father was a child in Berlin during the war and survived because of the airlift. At the conclusion of the airlift there were two flights out of Berlin. My father was on one of them which is how he came to Australia
You should mention the heroic show of support by General Clay for Berlin.
The people of Berlin were afraid. They thought the Americans would not come to their aid. Why would America risk themselves for their old enemy? Good question.
General Lucius D Clay was the Governor of then Quadripartite Germany. He flew in an unarmed transport to Berlin, to show the Berliners that they would not be abandoned. Many wondered if the Soviets would shoot his plane down and kill him. It was a real concern.
That show of strength and resolve encouraged the Berliners, and inspired the leaders of US and Britain. Clay was not the only one committed to saving Berlin, but he was the one at the point of the spear.
His story should be told.
It was Lt (later Col) Gail Halvorsen who first started dropping candy to the children of Berlin. In 1970 he commanded the air base group at Templehoff. Also Thank you for posting this story today.
Nice. I have actually met the Berlin Candy Bomber - Col Halverson. There is a little airport in Oklahoma called Miami. During the war it was a training facility for British pilots. Each year the local community hold a remembrance ceremony there for the 15 trainees who died. A few years back I attended the ceremony and met Col Halverson. It is to the great credit of the Oklahomans that they continue to remember us Brits.
I was stationed in Berlin 87-90. I flew the air corridors and flew the first helicopter after the fall of the wall. I love Berlin.
I had the pleasure of being inside one of the American planes used in Berlin airlift in a museum in florida many years ago which was being restored at the time
CTM where was that? Fantasy of flight?
There is an Avro York that was used in the Airlift at the museum at Duxford, near Cambridge, in England.
My Father-in-law flew C-47's over the "Hump" of the Himalaya mountains, then C-54's in the Berlin Airlift. He always said the Hump was nerve-racking, but flying into Berlin barely over the tops of the buildings in an over-loaded airplane scared the crap out of him.
Thank you for mentioning Canada and Australia.
*sad Kiwi noises in the distance*
I did not know Australia was involved.
I remember my professor talking about this in World History. He mentioned the use of the Sunderland aircraft being used to airlift supplies in. Almost immediately I knew that the Sunderland was an amphibious aircraft without landing gear. I asked my professor about this and they managed to land them in the Havel River with a very very sketchy approach.
Those magnificent men and their flying machines...
Because they were constructed for a marine environment, they carried all of the 38 tons of salt the city required each day.
My Dad was in the RAF and took part in the Berlin Airlift, flying in Lancaster's, this plane type was not mentioned, so maybe only a few were used, but I thought I would mention that this iconic aircraft also took part, and my Dad was very proud to have been part of this effort to help the people of Berlin, during these hard times. a Great video and one I enjoyed watching, I found by chance, and brought back fond memories of my late father, thank you.
Thank you for all your work. I was stationed in Berlin, mid '70, '71. I actually stayed with a girl that worked at the Old Eden Saloon, on Damaschkestrasse. My memory is that the Germans were kind to us, most were OK with us, but there were plenty of males that could not hide a German nationalist pride. I felt it was similar to the southern folks after the American Civil War. Many of the women tried to marry G.I.s for a ticket to the "big show." And, I know that many German males didn't like that; others were happy for them. But, all were grateful for the allies.
I like this channel, history I believe is an easy subject to learn, but its hard to master. What Mark Felton does here is the sort of granularity that I truly appreciate, coloring inside the broad strokes of events only heard in passing. Bravo.
10 Tons in 5 minutes, 45 seconds. 12 men in beast mode :D
German engineering is the best engineering. I'd say West Virginia provided a huge amount of the coal.
As a young corporate pilot, flew several years with a retired US Air Force pilot that flew in the Berlin Air Lift. He had many flying stories and was a superb pilot and teacher to me. Thanks, "Chuck!"
THANK YOU! As an Australian I have always been aware of the Berlin Airlift but had no idea of the scale of the operation. IF ONLY all peoples on this beautiful planet would look after each as the Allies did in Berlin, at that time....it would be a WONDERFUL world. Peace from The Great South Land of The Holy Spirit.
Thank you for making this. I could recite maybe three or four sentences of what I knew of this colossal event.
I had the chance encounter recently with the son of one of the few Canadian pilots who flew for the RAF during this mission. "My mother married my dad while they were in Canada and during the war she was stationed in the UK, along with me as a toddler. After the war, she was arrested by military police and held in custody under the suspicion that she collaborated with the Germans, as she was reported as being in German occupied France during the war. It turns out, her name was stolen from the church records in Scotland, when as a baby her and her family emigrated to Canada. Who would have expected them to return? Her name and birth records would never be missed. It took her husband, in full RAF dress uniform tearing a strip off the constable in charge of the investigation to get her released. I still have the letter certifying her innocence, stamped by the office of the Investigator General (?)."
It was quite the story while we were both waiting to get our vehicles re-insured. :)
The main advantage the US had at the time of the Berlin Airlift was we had the bomb while the USSR didn't. Stalin knew he could only push the US so far before the threat of nuclear retaliation became a certainty. That was communicated to Stalin by multiple diplomatic and media sources as the situation became more tense. The USSR didn't know about the size of our nuclear arsenal, but they also knew the B-45 Tornado was coming online in increasing numbers, and that the B-45 was probably nuclear capable. The F-84G was also coming online. While it wasn't nuclear capable at the time of the airlift, the US spread the disinformation that it was, and we had developed a tactical nuclear weapon deliverable by single seat fighters. The Soviets also knew we were working on developing nuclear artillery. In fact, the "Atomic Annie" M65 cannon and thermonuclear rounds wouldn't be ready for another five years, but the Soviets didn't know that, and we made sure not to disabuse them of the notion it might be ready. In the end, Stalin blinked due to fears that any further pushing would result in an attack to which the Soviets didn't have a response. The nuclear ace up our sleeve probably saved the world from what would have become the start of a conventional WWIII.
That would have been lost most probably, given the imbalance in Europe at the time.
My father was stationed in Berlin during the Airlift. He was a corporal in the AAF. There was a movie made called "The Big Lift." He said it was very realistic, omitting the love story.He did admit that elements of the love story may have been close to truth. He couldn't say from personal experience. Oh, my dad appears twice in "The Big Lift." In 2 scenes in the tower he is the corporal sitting at the end counter doing paper work.
Just think of what they could've done with C-130 Hercules.
This is one of the most amazing logistical challenges I’ve ever seen, and they actually managed to overcome it
Your post notifications do spark joy.
is this a Marie Kondo meme?
My trips to Berlin , and East Berlin as a young Soldier and later a young Officer were some of the most thrilling times early in my career. As a Historian, to walk the streets where the bloody street fighting took place, to see the famous landmarks, buildings, and of course the Wall were very exciting. I ate lunch often on Unter den Linden in a very elite Restaurant where the average DDR citizen would have to spend a years income to pay what we paid... I had drinks with 3 Soviet Generals and their Staff Officers there...things that would have had my S2 doing monkey flips if he'd found out. The History of the partition of Germany, and our efforts during the Airlift, our decades of patrols on the Iron Curtain, the only real world missions during the Cold War... seems like yesterday, and how the World has changed since then.
You are the first to mention the great General Lucius D Clay. You need to do a video on his life. Read his biography.
What Clay should be known for is The Arsenal of Democracy. I was always amazed at how quickly the US was able to get war material produced in 1942 - planes, ships, ammunition, uniforms, and so much more.
His biography tells how General Clay organized all that, and made it happen.
IMO, His efforts shortened WW2 by at least one year.
Great video. I'm immensely proud to say my Grandad was there, a teenage Irish kid who ran away from home to join the RAF and ended up in a world crisis point. He worked on Yorks, and told me about a German friend he made who ended up backing into a running prop.
The amount of detail is astounding! Learned about the Berlin Airlift in high school, in name only!
Should petition that this sort of history "vid" be mandatory listening in all US schools. Then the modern generation may think a bit more of capitalism and less of Socialism....as is proper and as wittnessed in fact, as here.
Not going to sleep the next 17 minutes. Have to work in 6 hours, ill blame Mark (again).
Sorry!
My Dad was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force (Bomber Command) as a mechanic, mainly on the Lancaster engines. He even ""flew" the planes in test runs on the landing strips after maintenance was carried out giving his OK before combat operations.
He told me that he, and other, Air Force crew members were not de-commisioned along with most of the other troops stationed in England in 1945, but were kept on active duty for almost a year. This active duty comprised of flying in supplies into Berlin in 1945 in what he called the first Berlin Air Lift of essential supplies. I was born in 1949, so I know that he was back home at least a year or two before that. That would make his RCAF & RAF air lift of supplies several years before the air lift known as the Berlin Air Lift.
Has anyone else heard of this RAF/RCAF exercise in 1945?
Yeah, very much so... The first thing the allies had to do was to supply the Germans with food as most of the stocks had been destroyed in bombing. Also, you would need to massively supply your occupation forces
... Cool, my uncle was a pilot of the Berlin Airlift. This video has given me the most information about his service during that time. THX ...
1/3rd of all aviation gas in the world was used to feed the Airlift. I was in Berlin in 1973, as a dependent. My father was stationed at HQ USAF Europe at the time, and we had a music festival in Berlin. VERY scary train trip through East Germany. We were told DO NOT open the train windows, or the VOPO's would shoot us. So..I get to Berlin, and the family I stayed with was Col. Halvorsen, and his family. Yep. THAT Halvorsen...the Candy Bomber of 25 years before. Imagine that...how brilliant was the USAF, to send this guy back to Berlin as the USAF Commander at Templehof! His son later became a C-130 pilot, as well.
Very interesting episode. My highschool principal was a pilot during the Berlin Airlift and he would tell stories about it Ivan Glasscock was his name and a great guy. Thanks for the great work, Dr Felton.
My Grandpa flew C-47s at the beginning of this effort. I learned more about it then he ever told me! Thank you. Keep up the great work!
It’s truly amazing what the allies could do. It’s insane to think about the Berlin airlift. Another great interesting video.
Easily the best history channel on TH-cam. I was getting so sick of the stripped down animated histories that are rife across the platform - your channel is a godsend! Thank you.
My mom was born in 1943 Berlin and raised in West Berlin. Without the excellent leadership and work from everyone involved, I would not be here. I owe a debt to those part of the airlift that can never be repaid.
The reason why the RAF used flying boats was to get the salt in as flying boats have their control cables in the ceiling/roof of the aircraft whereas other planes traditionally have them lower. After a few crashes, it was found that the salt was rotting through the cables so the Sunderlands were ordered in to deal with it
The numbers are staggering, just the plane fuel alone is overwhelming, along with the labor is mind blowing. Thanks Mark for another great video.
Never wait more than a minute before clicking on another one of Mr. Felton's videos
Also 17 minutes, oh boy. What did we do to deserve such a blessing?
Edit: Excellent work as always Mr. Felton, hopefully one day we'll see a bit more indepth on Operation "Little" Vittles
My father took part in the Berlin airlift while he was in the US Air Force. I got to see the Berlin Airlift Memorial in Frankfurt-am-Main while stationed in Germany in the 1980s. Also, got to visit Berlin in 1982 when the only way to get to Berlin was by either: air; single train route; or single autobahn, Got to see/touch the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and even got to go into East Berlin - was being "eyeballed" the entire time by Soviet & East German guards. Berlin was still being re-built at that time.
And somewhere in the middle of all this was my great grandfather using his posting in west Germany to steal things to sell on the back market, just goes to show you can take the man out of East London but you cant take East London out of the man.
what was wrong with east london?
I enjoy seeing your longer videos lately, and the Berlin Airlift is sure a subject than can occupy an even longer video. Good job.
Could you do a video on the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War?
frankcastle498 my unit fought in the chosin 3/5 Marines I’m a infantry men and our unit killed many Chinese and North Koreans - 3/5 Lima company I did 14 years as a grunt CHOSIN WOULD BE AMAZING
Or the Glorious Glosters, Korean War.
Great ! My wife's family are from the French Sector of Berlin and this is just so up lifting and informative (I'm from the UK). The air lift is still remembered by her parents as a great act of kindness after the war. During the fall of Berlin when everybody (in Berlin) knew the war was lost. But as they were starving my family have stories of "stealing" potato pealing from compost heaps to make soup to survive.
That generation on both side have suffered so much it is astonishing that (in my experience) I was brought up not hating the Germans.
Sorry for a long post
Thanks for covering this. One of my relatives took part in the Berlin Airlift and he took pride in the lives saved by the Allies. He had started in the USAAC, 8th Air Force and was part of the Red Ball Express, then occupation of Germany. After marrying a war bride, he decided to become career USAF serviceman, serving mostly at various European posts.
I thought you might have missed mentioning the Australian, NZ, SA and Canadian involvement in the airlift, but I should have known better! Always thorough and complete in all relevant details. Love your work Dr Felton!
I've talked about the Airlift countless times in class... the particulars are staggering.
Excellent job, Mark! Enjoyed watching this while having a lunchtime cuppa.
The airlift was very impressive ... but I was very impressed with many of the individual figures, and especially a German team of 12 unloading 10 tons of coal in 5 minutes and 45 seconds, and a French team building Tegel airport in under 90 days! Dropping chocolate bars to the kids was a great idea. :)
What a great effort by the allies & hats off to the post war German people who just got on with things with out complaint and rebuilt their shattered country
I knew of this story all my life and love hearing it again. It is one of the most beautiful and sincere clashes between the two superpowers. Thank you Doctor Felton for telling it again!
When I was in Berlin around 2000 the red signal lights were still switched on on the top of the high buildings, church towers, etc.
It was said it's a memorial for the Berlin Airlift.
Boycotting, protests, bullying tactics. Sounds familiar even today.
Communists seem to be quite fanatical. Ironic thing being, the alies should of kept going east, once Germany had fallen.
LA is the new East Germany. Anyone else feel like we gonna need to defend ourselves from the Left? I feel like we should start training with guns.
Yes,all coming from the liberal leftist's
Andrew Boehmer Sons of Liberty?
commies never change
A twenty minute video from Mr. Felton? On my birthday? TOP 3 birthdays ever? Maybe.
Happy Birthday!
Aapo Kiuru happy birthday
I never knew the actual technical feat needed to make the Berlin airlift possible. My god, 5,000 tons a day for 1 city....
What an excellent video, I find it so extremely amazing that it lasted a whole year and 3 months. This story of the Berlin airlift is so moving and stunning on so many levels.
Absoubtley incredible.
The western people are blood, we fight every now and again but that's what families do!
Unloading of 10 Tons of coal, by 12 men in 5 minutes, 46 seconds - I had to replay that several times, to get a feel for what mark just said.
"Alright Truman, you win this round" - Josehp Stalin - Oversimplified
This immediate post-war weeks and months are some of the most fascinating to see, especially through hindsight. Thanks for shining a light on some of these oft-overlooked gems of history!
I love ur intro music dude. Gets me pumped every time :D
We just saw The Spirit of Freedom and had a little candy drop in Waynesburg. Its amazing to think how that plane helped keep a city alive.
Another great video!
No padding, no waffle, just a coherent, interesting summary of the airlift that is only as long as it needs to be. Time well spent, thank you.
Mark I so appreciate and love your videos. I feel you are in the top five of presenting a subject and letting it fall or stand on its own merit. Thank you for not being a revisionist. History is what it is.
Family of my mother was there. I did hear bits and pieces of this story from them but it is great to be able to see full picture of that operation.
This is a masterclass in Youtubing - thanks Dr Felton. The best video ever on the subject. Oh and well done to the US, Britain and our big pals from Canada, NZ, Australia and South Africa for keeping the torch of freedom alight in Germany. As for the French not being able to help much? Well they had Vietnam to fuck up as a greater priority. They really should not have been given a Berlin sector anyway and Potsdam (Churchill?) should be criticised for that. They did nothing to deserve it.
Churchill wanted to keep the Empire, and against US and Soviets he needed allies, so he bolstered the French, who also had an empire to defend.
Great video as always Mark!!
This is a fabulous channel. I'm learning so much
Such a great account, brought tears to my eyes. A really great video, thanks for making & posting. So much more enjoyable and easier to watch without the usual added-in dramatic music and wanky sound effects that you normally always see in these types of videos.
I had a co worker, that was a former USAF fighter pilot. He was given a temp assignment as a copilot on the supply flights!! He said being a copilot was not exciting, not much to do!! BUT he did enjoy the thought, that he was in some way, kicking Stalin in the nuts!!
15:53 imagine being the first jeep to drive to west Berlin after the lift and your one headlamp is broken
This is the best video I have found on this subject.
And I've been looking for awhile.
Read the Berlin stories from history, but seeing the video clips really impressed: how blockade defeated by people who love freedom through never-ending & coordinated efforts.
Great efforts, Mark!
Bravo Dr. Felton, Bravo!!! Best Channel by far on TH-cam!!!
Imagine the iron will, diligence, hard work, and proficiency to pull off such a task.
And, the Berlin Air Lift; that was impressive too, Prof. Felton...
That part about France not being able to help by donating planes due to their involvement in Vietnam blew me away.
All your videos are great, excellent history in proper English, and excellent video and graphics.
My dad was a U.S. Navy pilot in the Berlin airlift and I heard many of these stories from him.
I will share this video link with all my friends and family. Thanks Mark.
A video on the Hungarian Airlift would be interesting, also. Thanks again for the great work you do.
Oh my...God Bless America and Britainnia! Great vid. Ty!
God bless you and this amazing TH-cam channel, thank you so much for the history fix 😂
I really look up to you, Mark, you are my favourite historian of all time
I went through Checkpount Charlie when there was still the Wall. Dramatic!!!
Dude you’ve been putting out content nonstop!! I love you Mr. Felton!!
So very much better than any narrative I have heard or read before. As an American, I have been mostly ignorant of the British and French involvement in the Airlift. Your reports always seem professional and balanced, as good news reporting should be. Bravo!
Thank you so much for the vivid reminder of what the Allies were capable of when they worked together. These days when those ties are deliberately being weakened by those who have no memory of what post-war Europe was like, America in particular needs to recall this historic event, and the goodwill and stronger nations which were (and still ought to be) the results of working together for the things in which we believe.
the interesting thing while the Axis where ideologically close, i.e Fascism and all that, the Allies particularly Churchill, a Pro Empire Militartist and Roosevelt, a left of centre, anti-Imperialist where far better bedfellows than the other lot. The Axis, in general, didn't work or operate at all well together and could never off pulled off combined operations like D-Day.
excellent, best summary of the Berlin airlift I've seen. I like these longer format videos as well. Keep up the good work.
absolutely heartwarming cooperation
Hello Mark, From Sydney Australia.
Love your videos.
Could you do some Video's on Australians in WWII.
Another very interesting video by Mr. Felton. Thank you for producing such informative videos!!!
Extremly helpful for my school pruposes. Awesome Video and Overall channel
Mark this is superlative content and it tends to build bonds of goodwill between the US & The UK.
12:38 thumbs up for the former Luftwaffe crews!