The 1948 Berlin Airlift was a mercy errand by the United States of America brought on by the closing of all borders between the West and Berlin. No rail, truck, auto corridors as had been in the Yalta agrements: Stalin had broken his word. What to do? Plenty. The Allies, that is, America, responded immediately. America's up to now retired wartime aircraft bombers were soon loaded and flying to Berlin with mercy shipments of all a civilization needed to survive.



In this case, that meant to survive what was predicted to be a very harsh winter- and it was - America geared into a post war intensity not seen since since April 1945. After the death of Hitler, surely the poor dear world could have a breath of fresh air and somem peace. Joe Stalin decided three years of quiet was enough so he said of his agreements, Nyet. America could not afford this after a decade of depression and then half decade of war. But Harry Truman reached down into his own soul.

So, taking a large breath, President Harry S. Truman named this after the General who urged it on him. Supreme Military Commander General George Marshall, General Eisenhower's boss said we must do an immense saving action, it will cost us billions that they will likely never pay back, or Europe would collapse. In that case, old uncle Joe Stalins Communists would soon be at the Atlantic Ocean, facing off directly against America. That would be too many slave captives to allow to go under than knife.

Never mind whether America cannot afford to save the world. If it must be done to save civilization we must do that. How? Frighten them our of their skins, Mr. President. And given the situation, Truman introduced the Marshall Act to channel billions to rebuild war torn Europe. He did this simply and honestly merely by calmly describing the realities to the American people. This allowed them to hunker down and accept this as just another period of sacrifice. Depression to Hitler to Stalin all in a flow. These are the times that try a souls soul.

However, the American people once more could and did shoulder impossible burdens if given the harsh honest realities. Truman did that: Bush has not. Enough of that. Harry Truman was a tough little man, and within a short time Harry had introduced the Marshall Plan in response to this brazen cruel attempt by the Evil Empire to show its true nature. And how better than the most vulnerable link of the west between them and free West Berlin, that is the French, British and American sectors.

The Soviet sector was not so free, not by a long stretch of any propagandists imagination. It took the American Chocolate Bomber to make all clear what this was really about about. I recall feeling so free of doubt if I had ever any: this not a philosophy class this was life. East meets West. These twains seemed destined to surely never meet. Except as collisions on the twack. I was on that twack. It was an exciting place, but I first noticed how frantic our landlady was, and she rejected why people should only rush to Berlin by airplanes - this was October 1961 - and then so in a hurry to leave.

I silently vowed we would not do that. I vowed wrong. After so many days in Berlin, we broke down and realized that was destined as she had said, the case. Git. Gone. We were excited, involved, gone. But to have gone to Berlin when they needed a sense of support from even a foolish well meaning civilian - seemed to us the right thing to do. How you find yourself some times when you are far from home changed the course of our lives. I know it did mine. Hope yours also, and always for the better, so you can pass that on.

You do not go into that situation with your eyes wide open and return to what you knew unchanged. Nyet. Is not possible. And that is good. How you explore your inner and exterior Joe Stalins and blank eyed soldiers with guns is your journey. Choose wisely, rabbit. Enjoy. Be good. Do good, make your footprint tiny, your briulliance and goodness shine in the darkness of the forests of your life. It may not be written. But it is so. Your heart will show you the way. It is not always wrong.