Like the proverbial Solomon’s child, the defeated Germany was parted right down the middle. East Germany to the Soviets; West Germany to the Allies, split among America, Britain and France. Its capital was similarly divided, and much later walled off, between east and west. The only problem for the Allies was that Berlin in total lay squarely in the middle of Soviet-controlled East. And the Soviets, upset over the U.S. moves to build up West Germany and contain Russian expansion, decided to clamp down on traffic into Berlin, to test the Allied resolve.

On this day, May 12, 1949, after an 11-month Allied campaign supplying West Berlin by air, the Soviets announced the end of their blockade. The terms having been agreed to eight days before, a loaded supply convoy was standing by in the British zone, an hour’s ride from the city.

The Soviet move to lift the blockade came as they realized the Allies were able to supply the city entirely by air. This was the famous Berlin Airlift — 1,500 tons of food and water along with 3,500 tons of coal and gasoline were estimated to be needed daily to sustain the city. Thirty-two American transport planes took off the first day of lift, and 28 British planes the day after. They estimated the operation would last no more than three weeks, but from June of 1948 to May of 1949 some 200,000 flights took place to supply West Berlin.