The Superpowers 1945 - 1948

What attitudes and motives shaped the development of hostility between the USA and the USSR at the start of the

Cold War?

The Japanese delegation prepare the Articles of

Surrender on board the USS Missouri. World War II was

over.

2 September 1945

American Attitudes at the start of

the Cold War

The USA was the world’s leading nation

Strong economy of the USA: One third of world’s exports came from the USA.

Economic strengthbrought confidence.

Leading Americans believed capitalism and free trade was the way forward.

The nuclear monopoly

USA had the strongest navy and airforce

In 1945 the USA believed it would take another country at least 20 years to develop an atomic bomb

Could the bomb be used as a threat?

Memories of the 1930s

USA isolationist foreign policy had allowed the European situation to get out of control

America needed to do more to stand up to dictators

The economic depression had contributed to the rise of the dictatorsCommunism was a threat to the world economy

Influence of George Kennan

‘The Long Telegram’ 1946

Kennan was a US diplomat in Moscow & sent a detailedview of Soviet motives that was widely accepted in the US.

Soviet government determined to expandMarxism encourages Soviet leaders to be ruthless. They can not be trustedThe USSR wants to smash Western Democracy

German Captured Banners are

brought down At the Great

Victory Parade in the Red Square in

Moscow

24 June 1945

Soviet Attitudes at the start of

the Cold War

The War was a triumph for Soviet Communism

• In the battle between communism and fascism, communism had triumphed

• The USSR had made the most important contribution in the defeat of Nazi Germany

Soviet Wartime Sacrifice

• 15 million Soviet soldiers and civilians had been killed by the Germans

• 25 million Soviet citizens died because of the war (food shortages, harsh conditions, disease)

USSR Strategic Thinking

• In 1914 and 1941 Germany had attacked Russia through Poland.

• Stalin was determined that the USSR’s neighbours in Eastern Europe would have leaders who were friendly towards the USSR.

A response to US imperialism?

• The USSR believed that US business leaders were planning to spread their power into other countries, and in this way the USA would build up a new kind of world empire.

• American troops would not conquer new lands: American capitalism would.

http://www.iancfriedman.com/?p=2930

Imprimerie Spéciale de Paix et Liberté, 1950

http://www.annefrankguide.net/en-us/bronnenbank.asp?oid=18803

http://www.homepagedaily.com/Pages/article7584-soviet-art-the-art-of-propaganda.aspx

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