1. Superpower Tensions and Rivalries
The Cold war
Superpower Tensions and Rivalries

2. Rivalry, mistrust, and accord

3. The consequences of WWII
Human Cost
Holocaust, displacement, civilian bombing, military death
Post-war movement
Economic Cost
Worse than WWI-Eur (whole continent impacted)
Aerial bombing, transport/comm systems disrupted, industry destroyed, farmland ruined
Political Effects
Post-WWI: movement of borders
Post-WWII: borders stay (except Poland), people move

4. Political Effects, con. No big treaty
1945: Yalta (Feb), Potsdam (July) determine post-war map, Germany
E. Eur = one-party regime loyal to Stalin
Free elections?
Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech.

5. New superpowers emerge
Post-WWII = US & USSR
MILITARY
US- largest air force, large standing army, high number of naval vessels, ATOMIC BOMB
USSR- largest land army in world, no military challenge from neighbors  regional power
FR/GB- not able to defeat Germany w/o US/USSR  change in balance of power
Second rank powers

6. ECONOMIC US econ grow during/after war E. Eur nations
Out-produce all others
Committed to open trade
Push market competition, trade between nations vs. pre-war pattern of trade-blocs, tarrifs
Lead role in int’l collaboration
Ex: IMF, GATT (Gen. Agreement on Tarrifs and Trade)
Ability to keep Europe from returning to econ. instability
E. Eur nations
Not eco. Independent
USSR replace Germany as dominant power

7. POLITICAL West: democracy, int’l collaboration  defeat of fascism
Political system of US = future
East: communism  defeat of fascism
Comm. Party renewed, respected for resistance to Germans
Parties in W. Eur nations, Asian nations (collapse of colonial empires)
USSR: huge loss of life, importance of Red Army in defeating Germans  Stalin increased role in post-war world
Political strength + military strength = stability in E. Europe (via communism)

8. Breakdown of the grand alliance

9. perspectives
Orthodox
Revisionist
Post-Revisionist
Post-1991