Post-World War II Germany

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones controlled by the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. The country faced widespread destruction and was occupied by Allied forces, leading to political, economic, and social restructuring. In 1949, West Germany was established as a democratic state, while East Germany became a communist socialist republic under Soviet influence. The division symbolized Cold War tensions, culminating in the Berlin Wall's construction in 1961. Germany gradually recovered through rebuilding and integration, ultimately reunifying in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall.