I was born and raised in Hungary in Eastern Europe, during the communist era. In 2001, I arrived in the United States, where I cherish democracy and freedom.
Let me tell you a story… I was twenty years old when I went to a tourist trip to Austria, the neighboring country of Hungary. It was the first time in my life that I had traveled outside communism. My head was full of pre-suggested ideas.
In the small baroque town of Gmunden, in the youth hostel, I met a young American. We discussed the United States and he explained me with proud how open the American society is. I did not understand the meaning. I answered with self-assurance: "The American society was open one hundred years ago! Nowadays, the classes are settled, and it is as all the others!"
The young man watched me with seriousness. He answered with the same certainty and self-assurance: "America is still a country of opportunity, where all is possible!" I was dazzled. This simple sentence shook all the twenty years of instruction and education, everything I had heard and knew about America. The young man was same age. For him, everything was possible…
I went back to Hungary, but in my spirit, this encounter changed something that I could not even express at this time.
Thirty years are gone… Today, I live in Los Angeles and the smiling face of that young American haunts my thoughts. How right he was! With my book, I would like to remember my readers of the Berlin Airlift, when Americans and Europeans were side by side, protecting democracy and freedom.
12,6 percent of the American population (more than 35 millions) is over 65. Among them, there are 4.7 million veterans from the World War II. They lived this period in person and remember of the events and the amazement from their young years.
46 million Americans are from foreign origins; among them, 3.7 million Americans are foreign born German, British, French and Hungarian. The events related in the book concern them directly. By that alone, this book has an important international impact.
In the sixty years passed since the end of World War II, a new generation has grown up and for them, the sufferings of the war and its aftermath are only subjects of action movies.
Considering its historical and general aspects, this book is marketable to a wide audience including different generations with different motivation.
We listen to the Iron Curtain speech of Winston Churchill…
Through the thoughts of Marshal Zhukov, we learn about the politics of the Soviet Union…
We witness President Harry Truman and General George Marshall defining the principle of the Economic Recovery Program known as Marshall Plan…
We meet General Clay, Military Governor of Germany and General William Tunner, Commander of the Berlin Airlift…
We are going to Paris to the United Nation Headquarters and observe the preparative for the NATO treaty…
We are taking part on a meeting in the study of Joseph Stalin, the Man of Steel, when he decides with anger the levy of the blockade…
And many more...
In the present time of terrorism and war, when we are permanently questioning our actions and looking for the best solution, the historic lessons of that period are clear:
Firm determination and tenacity could bring military victory without bloodshed.
There is no shame to export such values as freedom, democracy, civil rights and progress.
In 1948, the Allied Powers were able to create a strong unity and stopped the advance of dictatorship. Without that determination, the map of Europe would be different today.
History shows us that wherever the Americans have arrived, democracy, freedom, civil rights and progress flourished in their footsteps. These are the basic principles of mankind! I hope this book will help to create a new alliance against another, even more terrifying enemy — terrorism by highlighting our common values.
The 2000 pages of research material in German, English and Hungarian originated in Websites from CNN, Berlin Airlift Veteran Association, Harry Truman Presidential Library, George Bush Presidential Library, U.S. Air Force Europe, Air Force Magazine, Library of Congress Country Studies, Biographies, the Pan European Picnic and the Website of various cities related in the book.
Spies In Red
The central character is Dr. Sorge, the legendary Soviet spy, who informed Stalin that the Japanese will not open the Eastern front against the Soviet Union, but in contrary, by attacking the Americans in Pearl Harbor. Stalin believed the information and ordered the well equipped and rested Siberian Army under Stalingrad. This decision changed the course of World War II.
Beside Dr Sorge, we will discover the intelligence network established by the Soviets exploiting their allied status and the cooperation during World War II.
Red Star: The Almighty
While McCarthyism ravages the United States, the nations behind the Iron Curtain struggle for their independence. Stalin is dead. General Secretary Khrushchev denounces the Stalinism. Is this the beginning of a new era in Eastern Europe?
1956… The end of the dream. In a bloodbath, the Soviet tanks crush the Hungarian Revolution. The almighty red star remains immobile and everlasting.
The Berlin Airlift occurred after World War 2. When Germany surrendered, the four major countries of the Allies were placed in charge as occupation forces. The four countries were USA, Britain, France and Soviet Union. Germany was divided up into sectors and placed under the control of each country; the capitol city of Berlin was also divided in four sectors. Later, Russia began to isolate the territories under their rule, including other border countries. This division along the borders by the Soviet Unionl was known as the "Iron Curtain".
Since the city of Berlin was within the region occupied by the Soviet Union, the sectors of the city that was under the rule of US, Britain and France were cut off from the other regions of Germany to the west, which still had some freedom. The Soviet Prime Minister wanted to exert complete control, so he closed the only road that connected the part of Berlin that was free from the remaining West Germany. The US and the other allies didn't want to let the Soviet Union to take complete control over Berlin, so they sent food and all sort of supplies into Berlin by air---thus the Berlin Airlift.
Eventually, Russia gave in and re-opened the road.
276,926 flights representing over 124 million miles and executed by nearly 700 aircrafts delivered roughly 2.3 million tons of supplies. Sixty-five lives have been lost.
Airplane accidents were largely caused by operator errors or the marginal weather conditions, overloading, etc. Radar traffic-control was in its infancy and then under development. As far as known no planes were lost to ennemy fire in the Berlin Air Lift. An excellent film on the operaiton was called the Big Lift starring Montgomery Clift.
Stalin made the Berlin blockade (closing the land routes into the city) his open, provocative, and threatening repudiation of all the Allied agreements made during WWII.
It increased the tension between the USSR and the West as both parties showed through the Berlin Blockade that they were firm on their stand. Stalin would not lift the blockade until Berlin was under the full control of the USSR and the USA would not stop flying supplies into Berlin until the blockade was lifted.
The Airlift was then introduted by the US to ensure that food and other supplies could get to the three free sections of Berlin. The airlift was vital to ensure the survival of the citizens of West Berlin.
It was a non-violent conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union.
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