Decision Making in the Cold War: The Berlin Blockade Crisis

Divide the class into two groups, one representing the Western Allies led by the USA and the other representing the USSR.

The Western Group will have to produce arguments for and against the following options:

1. The Lucius Clay option of driving a heavily armed convoy from the western zones to Berlin as a way of breaking the Blockade
2. Airlifting supplies even though in May 1948 the western Allies had a shortage of transport aircraft
3. Doing nothing and accepting the abandonment of West Berlin

The USSR group will produce arguments for and against the following options:

1. Taking no action following the creation of Bizonia
2. Invading West Berlin
3. Blockading West Berlin even though this will lead to the Western blockade of East Berlin

The two groups will then report back to the class with their own views on each option.

Then the class will decide on what they regard as the most sensible and most reckless options, with reasons to support their case.