The immediate feeling that people experienced in Germany after the World II was over in 1945 was exhaustion. They were done. They were pleased now that the bombs had ceased but they were in a literal heap of rubble--piles upon piles of rubble.
The first couple of years were a desperate struggle to live. Whole cities were flattened. It was cold and there were not enough food during winter. Upon arrival of the Allies American, British, Soviets, people did not see heroes; they saw conquerors to be avoided. Children could run and scream in Berlin when they saw a soldier. It was like some black playground and it revealed the extent of fear and mistrust.
The very situation changed in 1948 during the Berlin Airlift. The Soviets attempted to close all roads and trains in the city of West Berlin in the hope that West Berlin would starve. They believed it would be so, but the Western Allies stripped off something savage: they continued to bring in supplies - food, medicine, coal - day and night.
It was a huge shock. The fact that they saw planes come every few minutes, dropping assistance rather than bombs, shifted people. Famous became the so-called Candy Bombers, American pilots who gave out sweets to children. That charity, and an express pledge to remain and assist, transformed the opponents of the Allies into saviors. It brought West Germans hope in future and they felt close to the West.
