CONTENT STATEMENT
The United States and the Soviet Union became superpowers and competed for global influence.
CONTENT ELABORATION
The United States and Soviet Union both emerged as superpowers following victories during World War II. Unlike most of Europe and parts of Asia, the United States had sustained little damage and had a strong economy at the end of World War II. The Soviet Union utilized its position to expand its territorial control of most of Eastern Europe.
The Cold War Era was a time of tension around the World. The United States and Soviet Union competed to assert political, economic, and social ideologies. The Cold War rivalry intensified around the world and Alliances were formed that reflected the tensions between the two major superpowers. Some of the factors that contributed to the tensions between the superpowers include:
- Berlin Airlift;
- NATO;
- Warsaw Pact;
- containment policy;
- domino theory; and
- growth of government intelligence services.
By the end of the 1940s there were several notable changes in the world. Communists gained control in China and the nuclear arms race between the United States and Soviet Union led to both sides developing and stockpiling more nuclear weapons.
Conflicts related to the Cold War rivalry, decolonization and national liberations provided opportunities for intervention by both sides. This rivalry impacted foreign policy in:
- Europe (e.g. East and West Germany, Greece);
- Asia (e.g., Korea, Vietnam, Turkey);
- Africa (e.g., Angola, Congo); and
- the Caribbean (e.g., Cuba).
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Analyze how the United States and the Soviet Union became superpowers.
Describe the causes and effects of their competition for global influence politically, economically, and socially.