Aftermath of WW2: America 'to the rescue'

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 3

Aftermath WW2: America 'to the rescue'

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you can:

• Describe the relationship between the USA and the USSR during WWII ​

• Explain the role America played in the rebuilding of Europe​

• Explain communism and captalism​

• List three differences between the two ideological systems ​

• Use critical thinking skills ​

A rich country gives billions to rebuild other countries.

Why would they do that?

Generosity?

Strategy?

Marshall Plan

Thought up by... George Marshall

(general, fought in both wars)

Offered to ALL European countries

Also to USSR, but Stalin refused

(so no help for eastern European countries)

Differences between east and west grew

Growing mistrust

During the war relationship was quite civil - remember Yalta

After the war, things changed

• Red Army occupied most of Eastern Europe

• New president in USA - anti-communist

• Atomic bomb

3 most important disagreements:

1. Who should run Germany?

2. Should Germany pay war reparations?

3. Postwar borders and Soviet policy in Eastern Europe

Why now?

• Both USA and USSR came out of the war as super powers

• Ideologies were very different

• USA decided to no longer be isolationist

• “America will have to take the responsibility for world collaboration or we shall have to bear the responsibilities for another world conflict.”

• Quick Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe scared the USA ​

"It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."

= Truman doctrine

• Stop the spreading of communism

• USSR is totalitarian, a threat to free people and international peace

• Keep the world divided between two ideologies

• If one country fell to communism, its neigbouring countries would also fall...

Europe

postwar Germany

Differences between the two super powers

USA

• Communist state ​

• One-party dictatorship , elections were held but everyone voted for the communist party ​

• Economic superpower, but a general lower standard of living than in the USA. Less unemployment and poverty though. ​

• The rights of individuals less important than the good of the society ​

• Belief that other countries should follow the communist way​

• Bittterly opposed capitalism

• Was a democracy. Its government was chosen in free democratic elections ​

• It was capitalist. Business and properties were privately owned ​

• The world’s wealthiest country ​

• Free of government control ​

• Belief that other countries should follow the American way ​

• Bitterly opposed communism

USSR

Which country and system do these freedoms belong to?

Create a similar poster for the USSR advertising its beliefs