The power struggle between the democracies (U.S., Britain and France) and Russia for control of Berlin resulted in a Soviet blockade of roads and railroad crossings from East Berlin to West Berlin. This meant that West Berliners would not be able to get the 4,000 tons of food, fuel, and other supplies that they needed. Further, the Russians shut off West Berlin’s electrical supply. Announcing that “We are going to stay—period,” Truman authorized the airlifting of food and other necessities to the people of West Berlin. For the next 11 months, American, British, and French pilots would make more than 277,000 flights to deliver more than two million tons of supplies to West Berlin. Stalin was not able to weaken West Berlin as he had hoped. The blockade ended in May 1949.