The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1949 THE BERLIN BLOCKADE

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 April 1949, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1949 THE BERLIN BLOCKADE

EVIDENCE is accumulating that the Russians are contemplating “* lifting the blockade of Berlin. They will, in so doing, endeavour to exploit their recovery from this false step. It is clear that the blockade of the Capital City was never an objective of the Russians; it was a pawn in the game of securing a large share of the output of the Ruhr metal industries. Russia could do with as much steel as she can lay her hands on, but unfortunately for her, and very fortunately for Germany and the rest of Europe, the Ruhr was not within the Russian grasp.

Unable to take what she wanted the Soviet knew of no method of securing the steel she required. The blockh.de of Berlin seemed to her lo be ;i good means of forcing the issue. The outcome of that move was disastrous in that it brought about a consolidation of the Western Powers in respect to the German capital, encouraged the promotion of Ihe North. Atlantic Pact and removed difficulties for the setting-up of a German administration and Government in Western Germany. Such a harvest could hardly have been expected by the occupants of the Kremlin when they adopted the Berlin blockade policy. The blockade of Berlin proved to be an even greater fiasco than could have been imagined. The air-lift gave to the Berliners a daily demonstration of Western goodwill and of Soviet illwill. The results of these demonstrations were reinforced by the inability of the Soviet authorities to match the aid that was forthcoming to Western occiwied Berlin even under the handicaps of the air lift. Eastern Germany’s economy under Soviet rule failed to recover to the same extent that was noticeable in Western Germany under the Allied Powers, and this was made plain by the lowering value of the Soviet currency in its relation or exchange value with the Westmark. Then the German authorities in Berlin placed upon Russian shoulders the responsibility for the process of speedy deterioration in the transport’s services which were threatened with early collapse. The outlook in Berlin, therefore, was growing gloomier, the overall German situation was going against the Soviet, and the door was shut concerning negotiations regarding the Ruhr. If ever a change of front is called for it is called for in Germany today in Russia’s own interests. The Anglo-American anittide of ‘lift the blockade first and tallc afterwards” is sound tactics and will be respected by the Russians.