On June 24, 1948, the Soviet Union blocked all rail, road, and canal access to the Western sectors of Berlin, cutting off all supplies to an estimated 2 million people. The American and British response to the blockade was the Berlin Airlift, which is widely regarded as one of the most successful humanitarian efforts in history.
The Berlin Blockade was lifted on May 12, 1949, after 11 months. During that time, the Western Allies had flown over 2 million tons of supplies to Berlin, including food, fuel, and machinery. The airlift was a major success and demonstrated the Western resolve to defend their position in Germany.