This book is a thought-provoking, engaging look at the few years after World War II that shaped the Cold War in Europe. 2.4 million people suffered, half-starving in West Berlin, in an unstable, post-conflict environment. Berliners were geographic and political hostages. This book is a useful contribution in understanding the breadth and depth of that humanitarian crisis, as well as the origins of the Cold War in Europe.

My thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Henry Holt and Company for an advanced copy of this new history book.

As a reader with a long time love of history and historical events I have read many a book about the Second World War and the Cold War that followed it. That is part of the reason why I enjoyed Mr. Milton's new book, as it acted as a bridge between the two events, with the city of Berlin trapped in the middle. I learned a lot of new things, and even more learned a lot more about things I thought I knew.

Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World by Giles Milton starts in Berlin as the Soviet army has begun to enter the capital, Hitler has decided on suicide, and the Allies start to divide the spoils. The book covers that atrocities committed by the soviet forces, with full backing of their leaders in Moscow, assaulting and taking anything that wasn't bolted down, art, scientists, machines, beds, back to Russia. The Allies eventually make their way to Berlin with the understanding that the Allies will share the capital, something no one told the Soviets, at least the pretend. The Allies almost lackadaisical, frankly naivety is not shared by some of the Allies, who become the heroes and leaders in this book. They understand that the war might be over for now, but there is no real peace, just maybe a delay.

Mr. Milton describes life in the capital, divided in four sections by the Soviets, Americans, French and British. He describes the hardships of the civilians, life in peace is almost as bad as life in wartime, with food shortages and a healthy blackmarket.

This all culminates in the Berlin Airlift, as the Soviets surround Berlin, blocking supplies and fuel in hopes for forcing the Allies out and securing more territory for themselves. I thought this was where the book truly took off with Mr. Milton describing the difficulty in feeding and providing fuel for both the citizens and Allies in some of the worst winters in a long time. The Herculean effort that made men and women deal and rise is fascinating and inspiring, as is the descriptions of how the airlift started and continued so successfully.

A great book, full of intrigue, derring-do an the will to survive and live. The book takes a bit in the beginning, I think its just there is so much a reader needs to know about the situation that there is a slight bit of data dumping, but once Mr. Milton finds his pace he and the reader are off and running. I learned quite a lot from this book, especially about things I thought I knew, but I can say that about all of Mr. MIlton's books, and that's why I enjoy them.

Historical nonfiction isn't normally my genre, but the premise of this book caught my eye and I decided to give it a try. For all the history classes I've taken over the years, I really hadn't heard that much about how Berlin came to be a little Western island behind the iron curtain. This novel focuses on how the situation in Berlin imploded following WWII and is written in a super accessible way. This is definitely worth a look if you're interested in pop history or the specific time period.

Giles Milton’s exciting narrative of Berlin rising from the ruins of 1945 to its rebirth as as the Soviets backed down and lifted the blockade should not be missed. Written in an accessible style of popular history , Mr.Milton begins his story as the Russians enter the devastated city and take control with an iron hand. As the Soviets strip Germany of everything form light bulbs to scientists, and the victorious Red Army rapes and pillages the populace, the reader gets a full picture of the horror of losing . From the point to when the Allies reach the city and learn how to deal with the justifiably proud Russians and their lies, treachery, cruelty and intransigence, to when the roar of Allied aircraft in the Berlin skies , laden with life giving supplies , gave life and hope to Berliners, Checkmate in Berlin is totally absorbing, often tense and ultimately satisfying.
Well written and researched it is a book for everyone who has an interest in a very good history.
I recommend it very highly
Note: I won a copy of Checkmate in Berlin from the author and publisher through Net Galley. My thanks to all.

Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown that Shaped the Modern World by Giles Milton
This is an excellent book for people who enjoy learning about the early days at the end of WW II, specifically in Berlin. The book essentially begins on the 4th of July 1945 when the 1st Americans enter Berlin ahead of the British but two months after the Soviets have entered and raped and pilfered almost everything they could take and ship to Russia. If I found one fault with Mr. Milton’s book, is he does not give a reason for why Eisenhower freezes the US troops for two months from entering Berlin. Perhaps Eisenhower at this point still wanted to believe the Soviets were our ally.
In the 1st group of Americans is Frank “Howlin Mad” Howely the leading American representative on the four powers group in charge of setting up and running the municipal government of Berlin. The main focus of this book is on the battles both procedural as well as occasionally with gunfire between the Americans, British and French on one side and the Soviets led by General Kotikov on the other. Howely and Kotikov seem to both have fiery but extremely sharp minds. So this book is less about the plight of the Berliner fighting for survival and instead about the western powers fighting for their survival vs. the Soviets trying to push the western allies out of Berlin. Given the isolation of Berlin surrounded by Soviet controlled territory it is amazing that the West held on and eventually almost 50 years later succeeded and won.
I looked through 4 books in my library that I have read enjoyed very much about these first few years after the war ended and did not find Howley or his British counterpart Brig. Robert “Looney” Hinde in them.
• The Unquiet Germans by Charles W. Thayer
• Before the Wall Berlin Days 1946-1948 by George Clare
• Battle Ground Berlin by David E. Murphy, Sergei Kondrashev and George Bailey
• Between Containment and Rollback by Christian F. Ostermann
I take this as important as it shows the amount of primary research done by Mr. Milton in creating this book.
The western allies are not always good guys in this book. Mr. Milton does go into detail about the Black Market and pilfering done by western ally troops as well as the outlandish banquets hosted by the four power leaders while the people survived on 1300 calories a day.
The end of the book is about the incredible airlift to bring in supplies to Berlin when the Soviets closed the road and train lines into Berlin. Even here I learned much I did not know. Such as Tegal Airfield which recently closed and I have flown into many times was built in a very short time during the siege of Berlin to add a third airfield to Berlin.
Since I am reading a pre-publication e-book I assume the published version will have maps and photographs. This means I will buy a hard copy once the book come out.

Checkmate in Berlin tells the story of the city of Berlin in the four-year period following Germany’s surrender in WW2. At it’s core, it’s a story of three power intrigue occurring at two levels. There is the broad political jockeying for position that occurred between the United States, UK, and The Soviet Union and the on the ground jockeying for control of the city that occurred between US/European allies and Communist/Soviet forces.

Checkmate in Berlin is primarily focused on the ground stuff between the three powers who saw a democratic Berlin and the Soviets who wanted a Communist city. There are no real angels here as the Soviets plotted to covertly install their own government led by Walter Ulbricht as two pliable puppets played the front men. The Americans and British in the sector countered with a targeted campaign of propaganda that drowned out the Soviet attempts at propaganda. All of this culminated in the Berlin Airlift-the final dramatic showdown in the quest to control Berlin and in a broader sense—Western Europe.

I thought Milton did a really good job capturing the chess match between Frank Howley and Alexander Kotikov as a broader match between the American and Soviet political systems as they became to embody the policies of Truman and Stalin. Milton succeeds in telling this story because he draws everyone as these three-dimensional figures—their virtues and their flaws are clear for the reader to see, even if one does get a sense of admiration for Frank Howley and others who would not let Berlin be lost.

A great tale of political and moral intrigue of how Berlin was eventually won.