Try it for yourself
167Germany under Allied occupation

The four occupation powers were the USA, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France.

The question means the four powers administering occupation zones after Germany’s defeat in 1945. Check every name in the answer group.

About 4 min readReviewed: 20 October 2026
AI-generated scene of four unlabelled folders in navy, cream, gold and grey on a table.
House of HistoryAllied occupation
Abstract group of four as a learning symbol, not Allied files or official colours.
The short answer

USA, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France.

After World War II, the USA, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France exercised occupation authority in Germany. Their military governors administered the four zones; the Allied Control Council was intended to govern common matters.

Try it for yourselfExam question · No. 167
Which countries were called 'Allied Occupation Powers' in Germany after World War II?

Choose one answer. Your result stays on this page only.

Recognising a specific group of four.

“Allies” means states joined in an alliance. The term has a narrower meaning in this question: it asks for the four Allied occupation powers in Germany. Not every country involved in the war therefore belongs in this answer.

These names recur in questions about occupation zones and Berlin. The same four powers administered sectors of Berlin. An occupation zone and a Berlin sector are nevertheless different territorial divisions.

Three fictional adults with a shaved head, long brown curls and short silver hair study post-war history.
AI-generated present-day learning scene, not Allied representatives.

The other three answers

Each incorrect answer mixes matching and non-matching states.

Soviet Union, Great Britain, Poland, Sweden

The Soviet Union and Great Britain fit. Poland and Sweden do not belong to the four Allied occupation powers in Germany. The USA and France are missing.

France, Soviet Union, Italy, Japan

France and the Soviet Union fit; Italy and Japan do not. Italy and Japan were allied with Nazi Germany, not two of the four occupation powers sought here.

USA, Soviet Union, Spain, Portugal

The USA and Soviet Union fit. Spain and Portugal incorrectly replace Great Britain and France.

The four names do not explain the entire post-war order.

Their shared position as occupation powers did not mean permanently unified policies. Relations between the Western powers and the Soviet Union deteriorated; German division developed out of the occupation period.

The exam asks for the historical state names. The Soviet Union should not simply be replaced using a present-day list of countries. France also belongs to the four, even if depictions of particular conferences show only three leading powers.

Allied occupation · House of History ↗
Your memory cue

USA + Soviet Union + Great Britain + France = four occupation powers.

Learn all four names together. In the test, compare the whole answer instead of stopping at the first familiar country.

Three words for this question

alliiertallied
Joined in an alliance with other states.
die Besatzungsmachtoccupation power
A state whose military and administration control occupied territory.
der Kontrollratcontrol council
Here, the joint body of the four occupation powers.
Haus der Geschichte · Alliierte Besatzung ↗

The group of four helps answer the questions about Japan and the zones.

168Which country was NOT an 'Allied Occupation Power' in Germany?
Catalogue answer

Japan

Japan was not one of these occupation powers.

175How many occupation zones were there in Germany after World War II?
Catalogue answer

4

There were four occupation zones after 1945.

Put understanding into practice

One question understood. Ready for the next?

Practise all 310 questions for your state in our four free modes. No account needed. No advertising.

Keep practising for free Explore Plus

Optional: Plus for history, statistics and targeted revision. €4.99/month including VAT, renewing monthly.

Sources & context

An independently written study guide, not an official BAMF publication or advice for an individual case. The sources below were reviewed on 20 October 2026 for the claims explained here; the test question comes from the existing question bank.

The two editorial pictures are AI-generated illustrations. They do not document real events or official proceedings.