Get to Berlin! Soviet Operation to Stop US & British Forces Reaching Berlin

In June 1945, US and British forces prepared to drive to Berlin to take over their allotted occupation zones. However, they had reckoned without the objections of their Soviet ally, which did everything it could to prevent this from happening. The Cold War started even before WWII ended, and what happened over Berlin demonstrated this very clearly.

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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.

Sources:
- 'THE U.S. ARMY IN THE OCCUPATION OF GERMANY 1944-1946', Earl F. Ziemke (CHAPTER XVII: Zone and Sector: Access to Berlin), Washington
DC: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1990
- 'The Last 100 Days', John Toland, London: Orion Books, 1965

Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Imperial War Museum; Bundesarchiv

[TRAjim]

I recall reading that one of the reasons that Stalin wanted to keep the western forces out of the Berlin area was he wanted the Soviets to capture as much Uranium/German atomic research as possible. What he didn’t know was the Germans had already moved most of this material/personnel west, where Western forces captured most of it.

[mikeschillinger]

My dad's first overseas assignment in the army air corps was the Berlin airlift where he learned to speak German and kept in touch with the family he was billeted with until very late in his life, visiting them many times over the years. He went on to do tours in Korea and 2 in Vietnam. Until his last days he never really spoke about what he did other than to say he was in communications and had no idea how many people he'd put in harms way. Once he retired (27 years and as a msgt) he never wanted anything to do with the Veterans Administration, preferring to go to the local air base for everything from groceries (BX) to using the medical facilities. He was 92 when he died last year.

[tonylovesducks]

Thanks for the informative video dr Felton. I am from Germany and I learned on your channel more about world war 2 than in my school.

[SamUK]

I was just thinking that I fancy watching a Mark Felton video... and here we are! 🙂

[MightyMezzo]

In reading David McCullough’s biography of Truman, I recall that at the time of the Potsdam conference the President remarked that Stalin was “a man he could deal with.” His opinion of Stalin changed quickly on further acquaintance.

[edwardloomis]

I served in a U.S. infantry battalion in West Berlin 1984-1987. I guess the stalling failed, but it really pissed off Col. Frank Howley who earns a shout-out in this video. He was Lucius Clay's hammer when dealing with the Soviets at the local level in Berlin.

[jackieking]

My dad ended the war as a delivery test pilot for Dakotas. Went back to old job, instrument maker. Was asked to return to flying for the Air Lift but this time the factory wouldn't hold his job for him. So he stayed with what seemed more secure.

[mitchmatthews]

A great way to begin my weekend!My father fought in the first "battle" of the Cold War, the Berlin Airlift. Cheers, Mark!

[iancurtis]

I remember as a child in the mid 60’s (in New Zealand) playing a board game called “ Berlin or Bust”. Then later on in the mid 70’s there was a board game called “Hit the Beach” set in the Pacific theatre.

[mickwful]

In 1975 I was stationed in Kladow with 1 Para. We did a battalion move to the zone ( the British sector in Germany) I was in the back of a land rover signaling for a major who had jumped at Rhine crossing in the war. The young lieuy leading the convoy managed to get us lost I heard the major say, it took us four years to get over the Rhine in the war this bloke should have been in charge we have crossed it three times in the last few hours.

[TroyDowVanZandt]

In the late 80s, I was living in Germany and had a buddy who was an officer in the Berlin Brigade. He and his wife invited my German girlfriend and me to visit them. We took a train through East Germany. At some wee hour of the morning, the train stopped at the inter-German border so that an East German locomotive could take us to Berlin. You see, no stinkin' capitalist locomotive was gonna do that. Somewhere before Berlin, an East German customs official entered our compartment wearing a table (yes, you read that right). A Swiss girl in our compartment had a slightly expired passport (come on, it's Europe FFS). "Fünfzig Mark!" the official declared. Of course, he didn't want 50 East German marks--he wanted 50 West German marks. We arrived outside of Berlin early that morning. On the platform were heavily armed East Germans pacing about. They ran a dog underneath the train to ensure no one was hidden in one of the carriages. Fun behind the Iron Curtain. This trip included a drive through the still-functioning Checkpoint Charlie, but that's a tale for another Mark Felton video.

[bruceblackerby]

My father was a 28 year officer in the Signal Corps and was with the first American group to enter Berlin. He told me once that the Mitary Police would find a building that hadn't be bombed to pieces, and would give the residents 30 minutes to vacate before commandeering the property for military use, including living quarters or office use.

[bigantplowright]

My grandfather who was a WW1 veteran used to say "never trust a Bolshevik". This still applies!

[Geckobane]

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for putting such good content out there, despite a certain company making everything unnecessarily hard and a small minority of viewers choosing to be difficult unnecessarily.

Thank you again and I hope you have a terrific day.

[thegunslinger]

What better way to start the weekend than with a Mark Felton video!

[MBKindell]

With allies like that... who needs enemies?

[mutlugameofhalit]

This channel gives me good vibes, better than all TV history channels.

[hangin-in-thereawesome]

Please don't stop making videos! I've learned so much from them!

[mrhpijl]

Mark, can you do a video on the uprising of Georgian POW/officers against the German garrison on the Dutch island of Texel? It lasted from April 5 until May 20, well after the German capitulation and possibly the last battle fought in Europe. It ended when Canadians entered the island. Its a fascinating story that deserves attention

[hakimcameldriver]

My kids German heritage has Silesian & Sudatenland bloodlines. Visited our old family property in the late 1990s, still war damage..