After World War II, the Allies partitioned the defeated Germany into four zones, controlled by the Soviet Union, the U.S., Britain and France. The capital of Berlin was located deep in the Soviet zone but was also divided into four zones. In June 1948, the Soviets closed all highways, railroads and canals from western-occupied Germany into Berlin, hoping to force Britain, France, and the U.S. out of city. Instead of retreating, however, the U.S. and its allies decided to supply the city by air,

After the end of the Second World War in 1945, Germany lay in ruins. The country was divided into four occupation zones, controlled by the USA, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. This division led to the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in the West and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the East. In the Federal Republic, the Basic Law was passed in 1949, which laid the foundation for the country's democratic development. The Cold War characterised the development of both