The Berlin Blockade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Berlin Blockade - Research Paper Example During World War ii, Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union banded together to form the allied powers in order to fight and overcome Germany.   The war was brutal and left devastation in its wake.   After the war, the main question was what to do with conquered Germany.   The Soviet Union, Britain, and the United States convened at Potsdam in Berlin for a conference which lasted from 16 July until 2 August. 1945.   This was the third conference held by the allies after the war in which decisions were taken as how to restore Europe and deal with Germany.   The leaders who attended were: Stalin of the Soviet Union, Truman of the United States and Churchill of Britain who was replaced by Attlee who had become the new Prime Minister of Britain.   Already, the tension was displayed between the Soviet Union who practiced Communism and the Western powers who had adopted Capitalism.   The Potsdam Agreement was signed during the conference, which led to the cre ation of a four-power allied control council [ACC] to govern Germany.   The allied council was made up of Britain, The Soviet Union, The United States, and France.   They were each given a zone in Germany to govern.   Berlin, the capital of Germany, fell within the Soviet Union’s zone; fearing that The Soviet Union would gain an advantage by this, the other three powers insisted that Berlin is divided into four separate sections. The Soviet Union’s zone was mainly made up of fertile agricultural land that produced most of Germany’s food; while, the British and the United States’ zones were more industrial in nature and had to rely on foodstuff from The Soviet Union.   The allies planned to limit Germany’s industrial capacity in order to ensure that it would never again be able to achieve remilitarization.   Britain, who occupied the zone least capable of conducting agriculture, disagreed with this resolution and fought for a greater indus trial output by Germany, tightly controlled by the allies, so that Germany may become a major trading partner.   Due to the lack of an agreement on this matter, each country administered its zone as it saw fit.