Prime Minister Attlee in Berlin

In early 1949, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee visits Berlin to get an idea of the Airlift for himself. Besides the British airbase Gatow, he also inspects the American airbase Tempelhof on 5 March.

Attlee was no the driving political force for the decision in favour of the Airlift. His foreign minister, Ernest Bevin, was. Attlee did, however, endorse all of his decisions.