Unit 8 (Topic 8.1): Cold War and Decolonization Overview

Cold War Definition: A cold war is characterized by hostility between states based on ideology, not direct warfare.

Cold War Overview: The Cold War was primarily a standoff between the US and the Soviet Union that reshaped global politics for four decades after WWII.

Post-WWII Context: After WWII, both the US and USSR emerged as superpowers despite the destruction faced by other Allied nations.

Reasons for Superpower Emergence:

• Economic Advantages:
• United States: Post-Great Depression recovery during WWII led to economic prosperity.
• Marshall Plan: The US provided over $13 billion in economic aid for rebuilding Western Europe, shifting global balance towards the US.
• Soviet Union: State-controlled command economy recovered through natural resources and heavy industry investments, despite suffering in WWII.

Technological Advantages:

• US Technologies: Development of the atomic bomb established the US as a technological leader.
• Soviet Response: The USSR developed its atomic weapons by 1949, sparking an arms race between the two powers.

Decolonization:

• WWI and WWII created conditions for the decolonization process; colonial troops fought for their empires hoping for self-rule but often returned to unchanged oppressive systems.
• Post-WWII, weakened imperial powers had difficulty maintaining control over colonies, leading to a wave of anti-imperial movements and the creation of around 80 new states after 1945.