Question

Why was the city of berlin vulnerable to soviet influence? a. the allies had promised it to the soviets after world war ii. b. it was located within the soviet zone of germany. c. the soviets had lost their own capital city in the war. d. the country of germany is highlighted to show how it was divided among other countries. e. green is great britain, blue is france, orange is united states, and purple is soviet union. f. a close up of berlin, in purple shading, shows how the city was divided among those countries.

Answer 1

Berlin was vulnerable to Soviet influence as it was located within the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. Post-World War II geopolitical divisions made Berlin a focal point of global power tensions. The Soviet Union's attempts to extend control over the city led to conflicts such as the Berlin Blockade but ultimately were not successful in the long term.

Step-by-step explanation:

The city of Berlin was vulnerable to Soviet influence primarily because it was located within the Soviet zone of Germany, post-World War II. Following the end of the war, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, controlled by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union respectively. The city of Berlin was similarly split among these countries, but geographically, it was situated entirely within the Soviet sector. This unique situation laid the groundwork for Cold War era conflict and tension.

The Soviet Union saw the integration of the western occupation zones of Germany and the creation of a pro-capitalist, democratic government as a threat. They also feared a unified West Berlin, further inflaming tensions between the Allies. The introduction of a new currency, Deutsche Mark, in the western zones of Germany was seen as an attempt to bolster capitalist influence and was met with resistance by the Soviets. Consequently, in June 1948, Stalin ordered all land and water routes to West Berlin to be cut off, initiating the Berlin Blockade.

The blockade aimed to starve the western parts of the city into submission, thereby extending Soviet control over the entirety of Berlin. However, the subsequent Berlin Airlift operation by the United States, Great Britain, and France foiled this attempt. After nearly a year of providing supplies via air routes to West Berlin, the Soviets ended the blockade in May 1949. Despite these events, the divide between East (Soviet-controlled) and West (Allies-controlled) Berlin persisted until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, symbolizing the end of Soviet influence over the city.

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