Origins of the Cold War: The Emergence of the USSR and the US as Superpowers

Question 1

Why did the USA and USSR emerge as superpowers after 1945?

Answer 1

• After WWII, the whole world structure and order that had been inherited from the 19th century had gone
• The ‘Old World Powers’, Britain and France, not able to maintain peace on their own and owed their economic recovery to the US

Question 2

US: Economic Reasons

Answer 2

• The US had the economic strength to prevent a return to instability in Europe
• The US was committed to ‘open trade’ and was willing to play an active role in achieving this
• The US’ economy was strengthened by war - now able to outproduce all other small powers put together

Question 3

US: Military Reasons

Answer 3

• To defeat Japan, the US dominated air-power

Question 4

US: Political Reasons

Answer 4

• The West believed that Germany’s defeat showed the triumph of democracy over fascism

Question 5

USSR: Economic Reasons

Answer 5

• The small Eastern European countries created after WWI were not economically viable on their own and need the USSR’s support

Question 6

USSR: Military Reasons

Answer 6

• The USSR lacked any strong military neighbours and so it became the regional power
• To defeat Germany, the USSR had become the number one land-force power in the world

Question 7

USSR: Political Reasons

Answer 7

• The USSR believed that Germany’s defeat showed the triumph of communism over fascism
• The USSR had the political strength to stabilise Eastern Europe - communism could fill the political vacuum left after Nazi Germany’s defeat
• The huge losses experienced by the USSR during WWII and the role of the Red Army in defeating the Nazis gave Stalin a claim to great influence in forming the post-war world