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September 4, 2025
From Impossible to Unstoppable: Leadership Lessons From the 1948 Berlin Airlift
Jim Benvie
In 1948, the Soviet Union cut off all land and water routes to Berlin, trying to force its surrender. The western allies’ mission: supply food, fuel, and necessities to 2.4 million West Berliners through a narrow air corridor. The logistics were deemed unfeasible. Military experts were skeptical. Political leaders feared escalation into armed conflict. Enter General William Tunner. Through revolutionary systems thinking and operational innovation, he created a supply chain so efficient that planes landed in Berlin every 30 seconds. This “impossible” mission became unstoppable. In today’s world of supply chain disruptions, climate disasters, geopolitical tensions, and logistical nightmares, . . .
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