This week in history: The Berlin Blockade

The Berlin Airlift illustrated how fruitless the Soviet attempt to pressure the West had been, and revealed to the world the true face of postwar Soviet aggression. Additionally, for Americans and Germans alike, an important psychological shift occurred. Where many Americans had viewed Germans as simply Nazis, now they viewed them as an oppressed people in need of American protection. The Germans went from viewing the Americans as the evil capitalists who bombed their cities into their guardians against Soviet communism.

Cody K. Carlson holds a master's degree in history from the University of Utah and currently teaches at Salt Lake Community College. He is also the codeveloper of the History Challenge iPhone/iPad apps. Email: ckcarlson76@gmail.com