Who coordinated the Berlin Airlift?

The Berlin Airlift was a monumental operation that took place from June 1948 to September 1949, aimed at delivering vital supplies to the city of Berlin after the Soviet Union blocked all ground routes into the city. The coordination of this complex and critical effort was primarily led by General William H. Tunner.

General Tunner was responsible for overseeing the logistics of the airlift, which involved organizing and managing the large-scale aircraft operations necessary to deliver food, fuel, and other supplies to the West Berliners who were cut off from these essential resources. His strategic planning and innovative approaches to air transport helped establish an effective operation that successfully moved over 2.3 million tons of supplies into Berlin.

In contrast, the other individuals mentioned played different roles in military operations or leadership but did not specifically coordinate the Berlin Airlift. For example, General Marshall was instrumental in European recovery through the Marshall Plan but was not in charge of the airlift itself. General Smith and General Johnson did not have specific ties to the Berlin Airlift command structure either. Thus, General Tunner stands out as the key figure in ensuring the success of this significant humanitarian effort.