Ever since the Yalta Conference, it had been clear that Berlin was going to be a crucial point in the Cold War, and this came to a head in 1948. The Grand Alliance could not agree on a permanent united German state, and so the temporary zones of occupation had been created. Stalin was concerned that the Western powers would force the creation of a single capitalist Germany, by joining their zones together and overpowering the East. As a result, the first major crisis of the Cold War was over the future of Germany.

The USA, Britain and France knew that Germany would have to be supported economically if communism was to be resisted. The allies wanted a strong, democratic Germany acting as a buffer against the communist states of Eastern Europe. In contrast, Stalin wanted to: weaken Germany as a punishment for the war; help rebuild the USSR by stealing German industrial technology; make communism seem more attractive to the Germans. These conflicting policies soon led to a crisis in international relations.

The Berlin Blockade was a significant moment in the early Cold War, and it had a profound impact on the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union's attempt to cut off Western access to Berlin was seen as an aggressive move and was met with a strong response from the United States and its allies. The Berlin Airlift, which was organized to bring supplies to the people of the city, was a dramatic demonstration of American resolve and helped to bolster support for the US position in Europe. The blockade also played a role in the eventual division of Germany, and it helped to solidify the divide between communist and capitalist countries in Europe.