Berlin Airlift

Berliners watching a C-54 land at Berlin Tempelhof Airport, 1948. Growing political differences between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union led the latter, which controlled the territory surrounding Berlin, to impose the Berlin Blockade, an economic blockade of West Berlin. The allies successfully overcame the Blockade by airlifting food and other supplies into the city from 24 June 1948 to 11 May 1949.

Tempelhof Airport, 1948

C-47s unloading at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin during the Berlin Airlift.

Berlin Wall 1961

East German construction workers building the Berlin Wall (November 20th 1961)

Checkpoint Charlie 1961

Soviet tanks face U.S. tanks at Checkpoint Charlie (October 27 1961)

Kennedy in Berlin

President Kennedy at the Berlin Wall on June 26 1963. On this day President Kennedy also made his famous speech that ended with the words: "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'"

Satellite image of Berlin

The yellow line marks where the Berlin Wall once stood. This simulated natural color ASTER image covers an area of 22.5 by 20.2 km, and was acquired August 22, 2002.

Reagan at the BerlinWall

Ronald Reagan speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987. It was here that United States President Ronald Reagan issued his famous challenge to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: "Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"