When did Germany split into East and West Germany?

Hello, I'm an expert in modern history with a particular focus on the geopolitical events of the 20th century. I'm here to provide you with an accurate and detailed account of the division of Germany into East and West Germany. The division of Germany into East and West Germany was a pivotal moment in the post-World War II era. It was a direct result of the ideological and political rift between the Allied powers, particularly the United States and the Soviet Union. The process was gradual and complex, involving several key events and decisions. The Potsdam Conference, as you mentioned, was a significant event in this process. Held from 17 July to 2 August 1945, it was a meeting of the three major Allied powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union. The conference took place after **Germany's unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945**. The Allies decided to divide Germany into four military occupation zones, each controlled by a different Allied power: France in the southwest, Britain in the northwest, the United States in the south, and the Soviet Union in the east. The Soviet zone was bounded eastwards by the Oder and Neisse rivers. However, the formal division of Germany into East and West was not immediate. The Berlin Blockade in 1948-1949 was a critical turning point. The Soviet Union, controlling the eastern zone, blocked all access to the western sectors of Berlin, which were under the control of the United States, Britain, and France. This led to the Berlin Airlift, where the western Allies supplied the city by air to bypass the blockade. The blockade and airlift further solidified the division between the eastern and western zones. The formal establishment of East and West Germany occurred in two steps. First, the **Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)** was created on 23 May 1949, with a democratic government and a capitalist economy. This was followed by the creation of the **German Democratic Republic (East Germany)** on 7 October 1949, which was a socialist state under the influence of the Soviet Union. The division was not just political but also physical. The Berlin Wall, constructed in 1961, was a stark symbol of this division. It separated East and West Berlin until its fall on 9 November 1989, which marked the beginning of the end for the division of Germany. The reunification of Germany was officially completed on 3 October 1990, when the five re-established states of the former German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany. This event was a significant milestone in the end of the Cold War era. In conclusion, the division of Germany into East and West was a complex process that began with the Potsdam Conference and the establishment of occupation zones, was exacerbated by events like the Berlin Blockade, and culminated in the creation of two separate states in 1949. The division lasted until the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany in 1990.

At the Potsdam Conference (17 July to 2 August 1945), after Germany's unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945, the Allies divided Germany into four military occupation zones -- France in the southwest, Britain in the northwest, the United States in the south, and the Soviet Union in the east, bounded eastwards by the Oder ...