The Berlin Blockade, which occurred from 1948 to 1949, emphasized the heightened tensions of the Cold War between the East and the West. In response to the introduction of a new currency in West Germany, the Soviet Union blocked all ground access to West Berlin, seeking to force the Allies out of the city. The U.S. and its allies responded by organizing the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berlin with essential goods via aircraft. This episode illustrated the deeply entrenched ideological divide, with the U.S. committed to containing communism and the USSR determined to expand its influence, marking a critical confrontation in Cold War history.