The primary purpose of the Berlin Blockade in 1948 was to restrict Western access to the sectors of Berlin controlled by the Allied powers, particularly affecting West Berlin. After World War II, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western allies escalated, leading the Soviets to impose the blockade in an effort to consolidate their control over the entire city. In response, the Western Allies initiated the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berlin with essential goods and resources from June 1948 until May 1949. This event marked a significant early confrontation in the Cold War, illustrating the division of Europe into East and West.