The Berlin Blockade, which lasted from June 1948 to May 1949, was a significant event during the early Cold War that highlighted the growing tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. Responding to the introduction of a new currency in West Berlin, the Soviet Union blockaded the city, attempting to force the Allies to abandon their plans for a separate West German state. In response, the United States and its allies coordinated the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berliners with vital resources. The outcome reinforced the division of Europe, solidifying the Cold War divide and setting the stage for future confrontations between East and West.