Review for First Closed-book Assessment

The First Closed-book Assessment is scheduled for Wednesday's class. Linked below is the review sheet. I will pass out review sheets in class on Friday morning, but I thought some of you might want to get a jump on studying.

Download review sheet for First Closed-book Assessment.

I am currently working on scheduling a review session during my typical office hours on Monday (3-4 PM). Once I do, I will inform you via class, blog and email.

Update: I have reserved 220 Buckman Hall from 3-4 PM on Monday, September 24 for our review session.

If you cannot participate in the review session due to a scheduling conflict, feel free to come to my office hours on Friday or schedule another time with me on Friday, Monday or Tuesday.

During review sessions, I will not typically answer questions directly. I will first ask you or your fellow classmates to try to answer your questions for you. I will fill in any gaps or correct any misconceptions that arise.

Operation: Little Vittles

Recently, in class, we read about the Berlin Blockade and the subsequent Berlin Airlift. The official code name for the Airlift was Operation: Vittles. But there was also a sub-mission that took place within the context of the Airlift called Operation: Little Vittles.

This post in Mental Floss depicts the operation. You should read the whole piece, but the short story is that a USAF pilot, Lt. Gail Halvorsen made the day for some young, starving West Berliners when he dropped a payload of American chocolate candy.

While in doing so he was technically violating regulations, Operation: Vittles' commanding officer recognized the psychological benefit of Halvorsen's mission and initiated a series of daily candy drops.

In the end, the Airlift thwarted Stalin's plans to isolate West Germany via blockade and demonstrated the American commitment to the welfare of West Berlin, thereby making credible the general US commitment to the welfare of all Western Europeans.

What do Operation: Vittles and Operation: Little Vittles say about the Cold War (in specific) and about the sources of power (in general)?