The Berlin Blockade, which occurred from June 1948 to May 1949, was a significant event during the early stages of the Cold War. It involved the Soviet Union blocking all ground access to West Berlin in an effort to force the Allies to abandon the city. In response, the United States and its allies initiated the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berliners with essential goods via air for nearly a year. This event underscored the rising tensions between the Soviet Union and Western powers, symbolized the division of Europe, and affirmed the West's commitment to countering Soviet expansionism.