Introduction to the Berlin Wall
By February 1945 leaders from the United States of America, (USA), the United Kingdom (UK) and the Soviet Union met in Yalta at which time they could already foresee the imminent defeat of Germany. It was here at the Yalta Conference that the Allies decided to divide Germany into four zones split between the USA, the UK, France and the Soviet Union until it was deemed safe and secure enough to be re-unified.
© Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Map of Cold War Berlin.
Following the surrender of Germany in May 1945, plans to divide the country were finalised at the Potsdam Conference in July of the same year. West Germany was split between the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom, and East Germany was to be under the control of the Soviet Union, later known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was also decided that the former German province, East Prussia, would be divided between Poland and the Soviet Union.
Berlin, Germany’s capital city, was also split into four sections – the Soviet Union had control of the East side of the city, whilst the Western part of the city was divided between the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom.
Although the Second World War was over - tensions throughout the world were still present. These tensions resulted in a war of ideologies, between Capitalism and Communism, known as the Cold War.
Capitalism: is an economic system where the production of goods is mostly owned by private companies and largely free from state control, and usually exists in societies where governments are democratically elected.
Communism: is a political and economic system that is controlled and administered by a government led by a Communist Party.