POST-WAR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS The Rise of the Superpowers and the Cold War

SUPERPOWERS After World War II Germany, Italy and Japan were defeated and Britain and France were deeply in debt. Only two really powerful countries remained – the United States and the Soviet Union. These became known as the Superpowers and they became involved in what became known as the Cold War.

THE COLD WAR The Cold War was a time of hostility and tension between the two superpowers – the USA and USSR – without actual fighting. Both superpowers had different ideas about how countries should be run and hoped to spread their system to the rest of the world.

THE COLD WAR USA USSR/Soviet Union GOVERNMENT ECONOMY/ INDUSTRY Democracy with elected President and Congress. Citizens had rights including free speech, freedom of religion and fair trial. A dictatorship – one man and one party. Citizens had few rights. Secret police. Punishment without trial. ECONOMY/ INDUSTRY Capitalist system where ordinary people could start businesses and own property. Communist system where all property and business belonged to the government. Ordinary people could not own property or start a business.

THE COLD WAR Name the two superpowers after World War II. You do not have to write the questions but answer in full sentences. E.G. 1. The USA and the USSR/ Soviet Union were the two superpowers after World War II. Name the two superpowers after World War II. Why were these regarded as superpowers? What was the Cold War? What did the two superpowers fear about each other?

DIVISIONS AFTER WWII During WWII, the Western Allies joined with Stalin and the Soviet Union to defeat Hitler. America did not share the secrets of the Atomic bomb. Europe was divided between Communist East and Capitalist West after WWII. Germany marked the divide and the country itself was divided between East Germany and West Germany. Even its capital city, Berlin, was divided. Stalin used force to set up Communist dictatorships in Eastern European countries (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria). He controlled these puppet dictatorships. Winston Churchill described it as an ‘iron curtain’ across Europe.

AMERICA AND EUROPE Following WWII Europe was in ruins and America feared that these conditions might encourage Communism. America promised financial aid to countries who had a Capitalist system. This was known as the Marshall Plan (after George Marshall, US Secretary of State). President Truman offered to support any government fighting a Communist take-over. This was known as the Truman Docterine. Stalin was suspicious of this and set up Comecon to aid Communist countries in Europe.

TASKS: How did Stalin build a buffer zone between himself and the west of Russia? What was the ‘iron curtain’? Why were Western European countries unable to help counties like Greece and Turkey who were threatened by Communism? What help was given to countries under Communist threat? What was the Russian reaction to America’s actions?