How did the Berlin Airlift show both resolve and restraint in the Cold War?

Correct answer: Air supply continued but direct military war was avoided

The direct answer is A: air supply continued, but direct military war was avoided. The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to restrict access to West Berlin. The Western powers did not simply surrender the city. Instead, they organized the Berlin Airlift and flew food, fuel, and other necessities into West Berlin. Step by step: access by land was blocked; aircraft supplied the population; the Western side maintained its position; yet it did not attack Soviet forces directly, which reduced the danger of a larger war. A is correct because it shows resolve and restraint together. B is wrong because West Berlin was not abandoned. C is wrong because NATO was created by Western countries, not by the Soviet Union; it was formed later in the same Cold War context. D is wrong because Germany was divided and occupied after the Second World War, but the airlift was not colonization. Exam cue: Berlin Blockade produced the Berlin Airlift—firm response without direct combat.