The Berlin Blockade and Airlift

1. What is Source 37 (p. 75) saying about Josip Tito, leader of Yugoslavia?     
  Source 37 is saying that Josip Tito is betraying Yugoslavia by accepting money from Americans. However when he is accepting the money he is under a cloak because does not want to be seen by anybody from Yugoslavia or the Soviet Union because he is not supposed to be taking money from Americans so he is therefore betraying Stalin and the Soviet Union.


2. Why do you think Stalin was so hostile to Tito?        
 I think that Stalin was so hostile to Tito because he was suspicious that Tito would not follow his ways and that he knew that he would do anything for his country even if it meant betraying Stalin by taking money from America. 


3. Look back at the map in Source 27 on page 71. How does the geographical position of Yugoslavia help to explain why Stalin did not take any direct action (such as sending in troops) against Tito?     
 The geographical position of Yugoslavia helps to explain why Stalin did not take any direct actions towards Tito because right next to Yugoslavia is Albania and he knew that Albania would help Yugoslavia if they needed it and also Yugoslavia is right near the ocean so if they had to the people of Yugoslavia could run away on boats.
 


4. Read Source 40 (p. 77). What reasons did the Soviet Union give for cutting off West Berlin?       
 The reasons that the Soviet Union gave for cutting off West Berlin were that they it was deep in the Soviet zone and was linked to the Soviet zones of western Germany by vital roads, canals and railroads.
5. Why do you think the USA did not believe these were genuine reasons?           
 The U.S did not believe that they were genuine reasons because they saw it as a test case and if they gave in to Stalin on this issue western Germany might of been next and Truman wanted to show that he was serious about his policy of containment.
 


6. How do Sources 41–43 differ in their interpretation of the blockade?            
 Sources 41-43 differ in the interpretation of the blockade by source 41 says that the blockade was considerable achievement but that neither side gained. Source 42 says that it brought the people of western Europe closer to the Americans and that it was a move to test our ability and our will to resist. Also source 43 says that the blockade the U.S was forced to yield and that their war plans had come to nothing because of the U.S.S.R.


7.  Which do you think is the most useful source for a historian studying the Berlin Blockade?       
 I think that source 43 is the most useful source because it showed both the U.S.S.R and the U.S view on the blockade.



8.  Which source do you think gives the most reliable view of the blockade?   
 I think that source 42 gives us the most reliable view of the blockade because it shows how the blockade gave Western Europe and America a closer relationship.