History Happy Hour with Archivist Randy Sowell “Showdown with the Soviets: The Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949”

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum
Independence, MO

Following World War II, Communist groups in Europe were gaining momentum because their message of hope and prosperity resonated with people suffering through the postwar recession. Intent on fostering a communist uprising in postwar Germany, the Soviet Union required all Western convoys travelling through Soviet Germany be searched. When the United States and its allies refused, the Soviet Union cut all surface traffic to West Berlin. Against the wishes of many of his closest advisors, President Truman supported the order to supply West Berlin with food and other critical necessities by air. Archivist Randy Sowell will talk about the airlift that became a symbol of the United States’ resolve to stand up to the Soviets. Free program, RSVPs capped at 75.