Final answer:
After World War II, the key issue in Berlin was the Soviet Union's imposition of the Berlin Blockailisting the ce, denying the Western Allies access and leading to the Berlin Airlift, which sustained West Berlin until the Soviets lifted the blockade. This resulted in the establishment of separate East and West Germany.
Step-by-step explanation:
Key Issue in Berlin After World War II
After World War II, the key issue in Berlin was that the Soviet Union denied access for the Western Allies to get into Berlin. This was evident through their implementation of the Berlin Blockade in June 1948, intending to prevent the reunification of Germany under a democratic, pro-capitalist government. The blockade cut off all land and water routes into West Berlin, creating a crisis that required the Western Allies, specifically the United States, Great Britain, and France, to respond with the Berlin Airlift, where they airlifted supplies into the city to sustain it during the blockade.
Eventually, after about a year, the Soviets lifted the blockade on May 12, 1949. This led to the establishment of two separate German states: the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in October 1949. The divided Berlin, with capitalist West Berlin and communist East Berlin, became a powerful symbol of the Cold War.
The Berlin Airlift demonstrated the determination of the Western Allies to maintain their presence in Berlin despite the Soviet blockade. Over 270,000 flights were made, carrying nearly 2.5 million tons of supplies into West Berlin. The success of the airlift was a significant defeat for the Soviet Union and a triumph for the Western Allies.