Germany, a country with a central location in Europe and immense military and economic potential, played a pivotal role in the Cold War. The USSR and the Western allies understood the significance of not allowing the other side to dominate Germany.

As tensions escalated, there was consideration on both sides of potentially enlisting Germany as an ally in a hypothetical East-West conflict. The "German question" emerged as a central issue in the Cold War, and Stalin understood its importance earlier than the Western allies did.