Berlin Airlift & formation of NATO

The Berlin Airlift (1948-1949) was a response to the Soviet Union's blockade of West Berlin, aiming to cut off supplies to the city after World War II. In an effort to sustain the city's residents, Western Allies (the U.S. and Britain) organized a massive airlift, delivering food and goods for almost a year. This event highlighted the tensions of the Cold War. In 1949, to counter the Soviet threat, the United States and several Western nations formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), a military alliance pledging mutual defense, which solidified the division between the Eastern and Western blocs during the Cold War.