The Berlin Airlift: Candy Bombers and Cold War Victory

The History of Germany: Kingdoms, War, and Rebuilding Europe — Fexingo History · Jun 21, 2026 · 6m · transcript

In 1948, the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin, hoping to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead, the United States and Britain launched a massive airlift, code-named Operation Vittles. For nearly a year, cargo planes flew around the clock, delivering food, coal, and even candy to the stranded Berliners. This episode tells the story of the Berlin Airlift through the eyes of its key figures: General Lucius D. Clay, who pushed for the airlift against skeptical military advice; Curtis LeMay, who organized the initial fleet; William H. Tunner, the logistics genius who turned the…