The once-powerful United States: In June 1948, the Soviet Union blocked land and water routes to West Berlin, attempting to force the Western Allies to withdraw. The U.S. and the U.K. quickly launched the 'Berlin Airlift,' a key event in the early Cold War confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR. The U.S. and British air forces carried out 278,000 flights, delivering over 2.3 million tons of supplies, including food, fuel, and coal—averaging thousands of tons daily. At its peak, planes were taking off and landing every minute, successfully sustaining 2.5 million West Berlin residents. They also implemented counter-blockade measures, cutting off East Germany's coal and steel supplies, which led to economic difficulties and potential political backlash in the Soviet-occupied zone. Meanwhile, the airlift embarrassed the Soviet Union's image, accelerated NATO's formation, and a year later, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade on West Berlin, marking the end of the 'Berlin Airlift.'