<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The day after the 18 June 1948 announcement of the new Deutsche Mark, Soviet guards halted all passenger trains and traffic on the autobahn to Berlin, delayed Western and German freight shipments and required that all water transport secure special Soviet permission . On 21 June, the day the Deutsche Mark was introduced, the Soviet military halted a United States military supply train to Berlin and sent it back to western Germany . On 22 June, the Soviets announced that they would introduce a new currency in their zone . </P> <P> That same day, a Soviet representative told the other three occupying powers that "We are warning both you and the population of Berlin that we shall apply economic and administrative sanctions that will lead to the circulation in Berlin exclusively of the currency of the Soviet occupation zone ." The Soviets launched a massive propaganda campaign condemning Britain, the United States and France by radio, newspaper and loudspeaker . The Soviets conducted well - advertised military maneuvers just outside the city . Rumors of a potential occupation by Soviet troops spread quickly . German communists demonstrated, rioted and attacked pro-West German leaders attending meetings for the municipal government in the Soviet sector . </P> <P> On 24 June, the Soviets severed land and water connections between the non-Soviet zones and Berlin . That same day, they halted all rail and barge traffic in and out of Berlin . The West answered by introducing a counter-blockade, stopping all rail traffic into East Germany from the British and US zones . Over the following months this counter-blockade would have a damaging impact on East Germany, as the drying up of coal and steel shipments seriously hindered industrial development in the Soviet zone . On 25 June, the Soviets stopped supplying food to the civilian population in the non-Soviet sectors of Berlin . Motor traffic from Berlin to the western zones was permitted, but this required a 23 - kilometer (14.3 - mile) detour to a ferry crossing because of alleged "repairs" to a bridge . They also cut off the electricity relied on by Berlin, using their control over the generating plants in the Soviet zone . </P>

What was the purpose of the berlin blockade