My Struggle with Joseph Stalin: The Siege of Berlin, 1948-9

This is a first-hand account of the Berlin Airlift written by someone whose period of national service coincided with this extraordinary historical event. After initial training in Britain C A Latimer was sent to Berlin in 1948, just as the airlift operation was entering its critical phase.

He describes the momentous efforts of the following winter and spring through his own experiences of working alongside army colleagues and ordinary Berliners engaged in the Herculean task of bringing enough food and fuel to keep the city functioning under the extreme duress of the Soviet blockade.

The people he met are lovingly recalled, with even the tiniest incidents being portrayed in vivid detail after almost sixty years. Latimer combines his memories with reflection on the political events of the time, which put into context the underlying story of a young man's dawning political awareness.