When President Joe Biden compared the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan to one of the most important moments in the Cold War, the 1948-49 Berlin Airlift, heads swiveled in surprise—many in indignation. And no wonder. The Berlin Airlift was a triumph of American power in the face of evil. While the airlift from Kabul was technically impressive—more than 100,000 people in less than two weeks—no one except Biden could possibly see the chaos that unfolded during those two weeks as anything less than a national defeat.
Arthur Herman is the author of Freedom’s Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II. His newest book, Founder’s Fire: From 1776 to the Age of Trump, will be published in April.
