<text id=00he1301><title>The Geography of Berlin</title>
<history>US Air Force: Events History</history>
<article><hdr>The Geography of Berlin</hdr><body>
<p>Berlin stood alone, surrounded by the Russian-occupied zone of Germany. The Russians permitted only specified rail and auto routes for access, plus three air corridors 20 miles (32 km) wide that led westward to the British, French and US zones. Russian checkpoints marked every approach or exit route on the surface; Russian fighters patrolled the areas adjacent to the air corridors. A Russian air traffic controller was one of four, each from one occupying power in a joint air traffic center that monitored all plane movements in and out of Berlin.
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<p>Russian harassment of transportation had been a frequent occurrence since the occupation began. Early in 1948, it began to increase; the Russians were using it as a visible sign of their opposition to the proposed currency reform backed by the Western powers. On 31 March, the Russians announced that road and rail traffic to Berlin would be subject to inspection by their guards beginning the following day. The Western allies refused to submit, and cancelled their surface transportation with the exception of food trains.
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<p>Berlin, like most metropolitan centers, was dependent on outside food, fuel and supplies. There was no space in the city for farms, or even inadequate private gardens. Everything Berliners ate moved into the city by rail or road. The threat of blockade—siege, really—was potentially very dangerous to the existence of the city. France, Great Britain and the United States decided to proceed with currency reform; new Deutschmarks would be issued, one for every ten Reichsmarks. The Russians reacted immediately, with a proclamation that protested the reform and prohibited circulation of the new money in the Russian zone and in Berlin. Immediately afterward, the Russians ordered all passenger train and all motor vehicle traffic between Berlin and the West stopped at midnight on 18 June 1948.
