Changes

The Soviet Union began the blockade because they thought the western half of Germany (controlled by the UK, USA and France) was becoming too strong, because one currency had recently been introduced throughout the entire western half - the [[Deutsche Mark]]. The Soviets were worried that a single currency would help the economy of the western half recovered quickly from the damage caused by the [[Second World War]], and that this stronger western half would eventually develop into a country (it eventually did, called [[West Germany]]). The Russians wanted one Germany, without an army, that they could easily control. The [[Operation Barbarossa|Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union]] had killed one in seven Soviet people, and the Soviets feared that Britain, France and America might try to launch their own invasion at some point in the future. They therefore wanted as much land between them and France as possible, so that any major war would be fought in central Europe, and not in the Soviet Union where Soviet civilians might be killed (which is what had happened during WWII).  

The Soviet Union began the blockade because they thought the western half of Germany (controlled by the UK, USA and France) was becoming too strong, because one currency had recently been introduced throughout the entire western half - the [[Deutsche Mark]]. The Soviets were worried that a single currency would help the economy of the western half recovered quickly from the damage caused by the [[Second World War]], and that this stronger western half would eventually develop into a country (it eventually did, called [[West Germany]]). The Russians wanted one Germany, without an army, that they could easily control. The [[Operation Barbarossa|Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union]] had killed one in seven Soviet people, and the Soviets feared that Britain, France and America might try to launch their own invasion at some point in the future. They therefore wanted as much land between them and France as possible, so that any major war would be fought in central Europe, and not in the Soviet Union where Soviet civilians might be killed (which is what had happened during WWII).  

Germany also has lots of coal and iron near its border with France. The Soviets wanted to use the coal and steel to help rebuild their own country, but these resources would be difficult to access if the western half of Germany turned into a capitalist country that was allied to Britain, France, and the USA. If Germany was a single neutral country, gaining access to these resources would be easier because Germany could be bullied by the Soviet Union.

Germany also had lots of coal and iron near its border with France. The Soviets wanted to use the coal and steel to help rebuild their own country, but these resources would be difficult to access if the western half of Germany turned into a capitalist country that was allied to Britain, France, and the USA. If Germany was a single neutral country, gaining access to these resources would be easier because Germany could be bullied by the Soviet Union.

== Berlin airlift ==

== Berlin airlift ==

[[Image:Berlin Blockade Milk.jpg|thumb|200px|Loading milk on a [[West Berlin]]-bound plane]]

[[Image:Berlin Blockade Milk.jpg|thumb|200px|Loading milk on a [[West Berlin]]-bound plane]]

== Berlin Blockade Media ==

== Berlin Blockade Media ==

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File:Map-Germany-1947.svg|The red area of Germany (above) is Soviet controlled [[East Germany]]. German territory east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] (light beige) was ceded to Poland, while a portion of the easternmost section of Germany [[East Prussia]], [[Königsberg]], was annexed by the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], as the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]].

File:Map-Germany-1947.svg|The red area of Germany (above) is Soviet-controlled [[East Germany]]. German territory east of the [[Oder-Neisse line]] (light beige) was ceded to Poland, while a portion of the easternmost section of Germany [[East Prussia]], [[Königsberg]], was annexed by the [[Soviet Union|USSR]], as the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]].

File:Berlin Blockade-map.svg|Map showing sectors of occupation of Berlin

File:Berlin Blockade-map.svg|Map showing sectors of occupation of Berlin