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The Cold War: What We Saw · February 28, 2020 · 72m

Part 3: The Thing Begins

The Berlin Blockade and Airlift, the formation of NATO, and the hardening of Cold War lines. Whittle chronicles how the Western allies responded to Soviet aggression with the most ambitious logistical operation in peacetime history.

Canon

Airlift pilots landed every 90 seconds in fog, ice, and mechanical failure for 11 months. Their courage wasn't innate — it was trained through repetition and built through shared responsibility.

Highlights

The Berlin Airlift proved that resolve without violence can defeat aggression
When Stalin blockaded West Berlin, the Allies didn't fight their way through — they flew over the blockade, supplying an entire city by air for nearly a year. Creative problem-solving defeated brute force.