After World War II the victors split up Germany. The United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union divided Germany into four zones, each controlled by one of the four countries. Berlin also was divided the same way. At first, Berlin's citizens could move freely between the zones to work or visit family and friends. Then the U.S., British and French zones then became capitalist and democratic. The Soviet zone on the other hand became a communist dictatorship. By 1948 the democratic Allies and the communist Soviet Union were fighting over on how to govern Berlin. Western nations assumed they would have free access to the city. However, Berlin was in the Soviet part of Germany so it was an island surrounded by capitalism. On April 1, 1948 the Soviet Union blockaded routes in and out of East Germany. They trapped 2 million West Berliners with little food and fuel. The U.S., Britain, and France countered with the Berlin Airlift. The allies flew planes with food and supplies into West Berlin for 462 straight days. The Soviets then lifted the blockade in 1949. Also in 1949, Western and Eastern Germany finally formed separate governments. Many attemps were made to get over, around, and through the wall and many succeeded. One such success was when truck carrying a group of East Berliners simply crashed through the wall. The driver was shot but kept going. He later died from his wounds. In the 1950s, the West-East gap continued to widen. In West Berlin and West Germany, rebuilding and economy boomed while in the East, food and housing were scarce. Finally on November 9, 1989 the Berlin wall fell. Web site http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/