Home / World News / From Berlin Blockade to Strait of Hormuz: A history of wartime blockades

From Berlin Blockade to Strait of Hormuz: A history of wartime blockades

As the US plans a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after failed Iran talks, here's a look at how wartime blockades -- from world wars to today -- have disrupted trade and daily life globally

The US military will block Iranian Gulf ports from Monday, controlling ships linked to Iran. (Image: Bloomberg)

5 min read Last Updated : Apr 13 2026 | 12:05 PM IST

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President Donald Trump said the US will begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran failed. The US military will block Iranian Gulf ports from Monday, controlling ships linked to Iran, while allowing others to pass through this key oil route.

Blockades have long been used in wars to restrict supplies and pressure rivals, from Napoleon Bonaparte’s era to the restrictions in the Black Sea.

What is a blockade?

A blockade is a war tactic to stop goods, ships, supplies or people from entering or leaving an enemy's area.

Naval blockade: Using ships or submarines to stop maritime trade
Land blockade: Cutting off roads, railways or border access
Siege blockade: Surrounding a city or region to starve it of supplies
Economic blockade: Restricting trade and financial flows to weaken an enemy

Key wartime blockades in history

• Napoleon’s continental system (1806-1814)

Napoleon Bonaparte’s Continental System was an economic blockade meant to hurt Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. He ordered all European countries under his control or alliance to stop buying and selling British goods, hoping to weaken Britain’s trade and economy. The system was set up by the Berlin and Milan decrees, but it failed and also damaged French and European economies, helping to turn many states against Napoleon.

• Union blockade of the Confederacy (1861-1865)

The Union blockade of the Confederacy was a naval strategy by the Northern United States to stop Southern ports from trading during the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln ordered the Union Navy to block Southern ports so the Confederacy could not export cotton or import weapons and supplies. By slowly closing major ports and cutting off foreign trade, the blockade weakened the Confederate economy and helped the North win the war.

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• Allied blockade of Central Powers in World War I (1914-1919)

The Allied blockade of the Central Powers was a naval strategy by Britain and its allies to stop Germany and Austria-Hungary from receiving goods by sea. A large British fleet blocked enemy ports and intercepted ships carrying food, fuel and raw materials. This caused serious shortages in the Central Powers, weakened their armies and hurt civilian life. Historians see the blockade as one of the main reasons the Allies won World War I.

• Allied blockade of Axis Europe in World War II (1939-1945)

The Allied blockade of Axis Europe was a strategy by Britain, the US and their allies to cut off Nazi Germany and its partners from supplies. British and Allied navies blocked enemy ports and sank or stopped ships carrying food, fuel, and raw materials. This weakened Germany’s war economy and daily life, and it became a key part of the wider Battle of the Atlantic during World War II.

• Siege of Leningrad (1941-1944)

The Siege of Leningrad was a long blockade of the Russian city Leningrad (now St Petersburg) by German and Finnish forces during World War II. The city was surrounded for about 900 days, with roads and railways cut, so food and supplies could hardly reach it. Many people died from hunger, cold and bombing, but Leningrad never surrendered. The Red Army finally broke the siege in January 1944.

• Operation Starvation (1945)

In 1945, the US used a tight sea blockade to pressure Japan near the end of World War II. American ships and planes cut off Japan from food and oil. A key part of this was 'Operation Starvation', in which US B-29 bombers dropped sea mines into Japanese harbours and sea lanes. The mines sank or blocked hundreds of ships, almost stopped Japanese shipping and worsened shortages for both the army and civilians.

• Berlin blockade (1948-1949)

The Berlin blockade was an early Cold War crisis. The Soviet Union cut all road, rail and canal links to West Berlin to force Western powers out and oppose a new currency. In response, Allied planes flew in supplies during the Berlin Airlift until the blockade ended in 1949.

• Cuban Missile crisis (1962)

During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the US called its naval action around Cuba a “quarantine” instead of a blockade. President John F Kennedy announced this to stop Soviet ships from bringing more nuclear missiles and weapons to the island. American warships formed a ring around Cuba, checking or turning back ships that carried offensive arms. The quarantine helped pressure the Soviet Union to remove its missiles and avoid a direct war, while leaving room for diplomacy.

• Biafra blockade during Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)

The Biafra blockade during the Nigerian Civil War was a tight economic and military blockade imposed by the Nigerian federal government on the secessionist state of Biafra. Federal forces surrounded the region, closed its ports and airfields, and blocked food, medicine, weapons and money from entering. This blockade is said to have caused between 1 and 2 million civilian deaths.

• Black Sea restrictions during Russia-Ukraine war

During the Russia-Ukraine war from 2022 onwards, shipping in the Black Sea was heavily restricted due to fighting and blockades. Russia closed key routes, stopping many exports from Ukraine, especially grain. This led to rising global food prices and shortages. Some temporary deals allowed limited ship movement, but disruptions have continued.

Wartime blockades prove fights happen beyond gunshots -- in ports, sea routes, rails and straits. Stopping movement can topple economies, shift governments and change lives far from battlefields.