In 1949 the Soviet blockade of West Berlin was lifted.
After World War II tougher restrictions were put on Germany compared with the First World War. Part of the restrictions included the country being put under the control of the major powers of the ‘Allies’ (United Kingdom, United States, France and Russia) with each country controlling a section. Each of the four countries also controlled part of the German capital of Berlin which is situated deep within what was soviet controlled Germany. When the United States, the United Kingdom and France discussed merging their sections to form West Germany, the Soviet Union was outraged. This outrage grew when on the 20th of June 1948 they introduced the deutsche mark to their regions. By the 24th of June 1948 the Soviet Union set up a blockade preventing all supplies to the would be West Berlin. For eleven months the United Kingdom and the United States flew in supplies (mainly fuel). On this day the Soviet blockade was lifted and on the 23rd of May 1949 the Western areas were united as the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or BRD) and shortly after, on the 7th of October 1949, the Soviet controlled side or Eastern side became the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR) with control of the capital city of Berlin was also split accordingly.
In 1937 George VI and Lady Elizabeth are crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom.
On the 11th of December 1936 King Edward VIII abdicated the throne of the United Kingdom freeing him to marry American Divorce Wallis Simpson and live the normal live he’d longed for. Up on his abdication his brother and heir to the throne, Prince Albert, became King George VI and his consort, Lady Elizabeth became King and Queen of the United Kingdom. King George VI understood the role of a King and took to it extremely well. He became George VI to emphasise his father’s line and return peoples trust in the monarchy once more (much of which was lost when his older brother abdicated after just one year on the throne). He overcame a speech impediment and in 1939 he addressed the nation to declare that the United Kingdom was at war with Germany. He boosted the moral of his people during the Second World War, visiting bomb sites and visiting armies on the battle front. As King he could not fight but the bravery he showed, staying in Buckingham Palace in London during the blitz, gave the people of the London great strength in their hardest times. At the end of World War II King George remained a very dignified in the role, with the British Empire’s transformation from an empire to the commonwealth but his deteriorating health meant he had to reduce his duties. His daughter Princess Elizabeth took on most of his duties which help prepare her for her own success as monarch. On the 23rd of September 1951 the King was diagnosed with lung cancer and sadly on the 6th of February the following year King George VI passed away. His Daughter became Queen Elizabeth II and his wife became known as “The Queen Mother” to prevent confusion. King George VI will always be remembered as one of the Greatest Kings of the United Kingdom.
