The Berlin Airlift's 75th Anniversary to commemorate its launch is also taking place in Hesse.

The Study of the Past - The Berlin Airlift's 75th Anniversary to commemorate its launch is also taking place in Hesse.

During the Cold War, a significant event unfolded that marked the beginning of the East-West confrontation. This was the time when the Allies had established an air bridge to West Berlin, which helped millions of people survive in the city. This was a remarkable moment of compassionate support from the Western occupiers after World War II.

The US Army commemorated this event with a recent public event, marking 75 years since the end of the air bridge. The celebrations took place in Wiesbaden, where the current location of the US Army Garrison was once an airfield of the US Air Force. Frankfurt am Main was also a crucial takeoff point for the aircraft at the time. Altogether, these airfields in the former Western occupation zones played a critical role in the aid operation, numbering as many as nine locations that were involved in this vital mission.

During its operation, the air bridge flew 277,000 flights to secure the supply of West Berlin, which was essentially an island surrounded by the Soviet zone. In response to the introduction of the Deutsche Mark in the West, the Soviets blocked the land and water routes and substantially reduced the electricity and gas supply. It was on May 12, 1949, that the Soviet Union called off its blockade. However, the air bridge continued to transport more than two million tons of essential items for a while longer. Regrettably, around 80 people lost their lives during these flights due to crashes and accidents.

Read also:

1. The Berlin Airlift, a crucial historical event during the Cold War, saw the Soviet Union blocking all land and water routes to West Berlin, prompting the US Army to establish an air bridge to ensure the city's survival.
2. The 75th anniversary commemoration of the Berlin Airlift was held in Hesse, a region in Germany that played a significant role in the operation, with Wiesbaden hosting a key public event.
3. The US Army Air Force used multiple airfields in the former Western occupation zones for the airlift operation, including Wiesbaden and Frankfurt am Main.
4. In response to the Soviet Union's blockade of West Berlin, the US Army flew 277,000 flights, delivering over two million tons of essential items to the city, thereby thwarting the Soviet Union's attempts to isolate West Berlin.
5. The Second World War had ended, but the tension between the Soviet Union and the US Army continued to escalate, eventually leading to the deployment of troops and the infamous Iron Curtain.
6. Remarkably, the historic Berlin Airlift was also a time when the US Army boasted a robust presence in Hesse and contributed significantly to the defense of West Berlin, a city that would later become a symbol of freedom and division until the fall of the Berlin Wall.

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