How did the allies divided Germany in 1945?

In 1945, following Germany's defeat in World War II, the Allies divided the country into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the major powers: the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. This division was formalized at the Yalta Conference and later confirmed at the Potsdam Conference. Berlin, although located entirely within the Soviet zone, was also divided into four sectors, reflecting the same division. The intention was to manage Germany's reconstruction and prevent future aggression, though tensions between the Allies eventually led to the division of Germany into East and West in 1949.