The main purpose of the Berlin Airlift in 1948 was to provide vital supplies to West Berlin after the Soviet Union imposed a blockade, cutting off all ground routes to the city. In response to this aggressive action, the Western Allies initiated the airlift, which lasted from June 1948 to May 1949. During the operation, aircraft transported food, fuel, and other essential goods to sustain the population of West Berlin, demonstrating the Allies' commitment to countering Soviet expansionism. The airlift successfully upheld West Berlin's freedom and symbolized the larger ideological conflict of the Cold War.