Final answer:
The division of Germany between the United States and Russia was influenced by tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, desires for reparations and territorial changes, and geopolitical rivalries and ideological differences during the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The division of Germany between the United States and Russia was influenced by several factors. One significant factor was the tensions that arose between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. The United States, Britain, and France planned to reunify their occupied zones in Germany to create a strong, capitalist Germany as a counterbalance to Soviet communism. This plan, however, conflicted with the Soviet Union's goal of maintaining control over its zone and spreading communism.
Another factor was the desire for reparations and territorial changes. The leaders of the Allied Powers, including the United States and the Soviet Union, agreed to divide Germany into four zones, each supervised by a leader of one of the Allied Powers. Additionally, Germany's war machine was to be dismantled, and some of its industries were to be utilized as reparations for the war.
The division of Germany was ultimately a result of the geopolitical rivalries and ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It established the foundation for the division of Germany into East Germany (under Soviet control) and West Germany (under the control of the United States, Britain, and France) for nearly five decades.