Which airlift demonstrated Western resolve by supplying West Berlin in 1948–49?

• A. The Berlin Airlift
• B. Operation Vittles
• C. West Berlin Airlift
• D. Berlin Airlift Campaign

Answer: (A)

The main idea is recognizing the Berlin Airlift as the historical name for the Allied effort to keep West Berlin supplied during the Soviet blockade in 1948–49, and understanding why it mattered as a display of Western resolve. When the Soviets blocked land routes into West Berlin, the Allies organized a massive, sustained airlift to deliver food, fuel, and other essentials around the clock. This nonmilitary, persistent operation demonstrated determination to support West Berlin and uphold the city’s livelihood without escalating into open combat. Over roughly a year, hundreds of thousands of flights brought in the necessary goods, and eventually the blockade was lifted, reaffirming Allied resolve and preventing a concession to Soviet pressure.

Other terms exist in history, but they are less standard for naming the event. An American code name for the operation was used in some accounts, yet the widely used designation today is the Berlin Airlift, which captures the full scope and purpose of the effort. Descriptive labels like West Berlin Airlift or other campaign-sounding names aren’t the conventional historical label for this event.