Two Super Powers Emerge Chapter Notes | AP European History - Grade 9 PDF Download

Introduction

Post-World War II, the global stage was dominated by two superpowers—the United States and the Soviet Union—whose opposing ideologies of capitalism and communism shaped the Cold War. Their rivalry divided Europe and fueled global tensions through economic, political, and military competition. This chapter notes examines the U.S.-led rise of Western Europe, Soviet control over the Eastern Bloc, and the resistance movements that foreshadowed the eventual collapse of the Soviet system.

The Rise of the West

The United States emerged from World War II with a robust economy, global military presence, and enhanced diplomatic influence. Committed to stabilizing Europe and curbing communism’s spread, the U.S. took a leading role in reconstructing Western Europe.

U.S. Influence in Western Europe

• Economic:

  • Marshall Plan (1948): Provided over $13 billion in aid to rebuild Western European economies, preventing communist insurgencies.
  • Bretton Woods System: Established the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to promote global financial stability.
  • General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and later the World Trade Organization (WTO): Encouraged free trade and the spread of global capitalism.

• Military:

  • NATO (1949): Formed as a collective defense alliance among Western nations.
  • The U.S. deployed forces to counter communist expansion in conflicts such as Greece (1947), Italy (late 1940s), the Korean War (1950–1953), and the Vietnam War (1955–1975).

• Political:

  • Truman Doctrine (1947): Pledged U.S. support to nations resisting communism, serving as the foundation of Cold War foreign policy.
  • Containment Strategy: Aimed to halt communism’s spread through aid, alliances, and, if necessary, military force.

Domino Theory: U.S. policymakers believed that the fall of one nation to communism would trigger neighboring countries to follow, justifying global interventions.

Behind the Iron Curtain

Under Joseph Stalin and subsequent leaders, the Soviet Union focused on consolidating control over Eastern Europe. Rejecting Western aid, the USSR developed its own economic and military frameworks to unify and dominate the Eastern Bloc.

Soviet Influence in Eastern Europe

• Economic:

  • Molotov Plan (1947): The Soviet counterpart to the Marshall Plan, providing aid to Eastern Bloc nations.
  • Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON): Coordinated economic activities among Eastern Bloc countries through centralized planning.
  • Prioritized heavy industry, military production, and collectivized agriculture, often neglecting consumer goods and economic efficiency.

• Military:

  • Warsaw Pact (1955): A military alliance ensuring Soviet dominance over Eastern European satellite states.
  • Soviet forces suppressed uprisings in Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968).

• Political:

  • Established puppet regimes in countries like Romania and Poland through manipulated elections and Soviet-supported coups.
  • Cominform (1947): Coordinated Communist parties under Moscow’s direction.

Berlin Wall (1961): Constructed by East Germany with Soviet backing to halt emigration to the West, symbolizing Eastern Bloc repression and communism’s inability to retain its population voluntarily.

Life in the Soviet Bloc

Residents of Eastern Europe experienced:

• Restricted political freedoms.
• State-controlled media and education systems.
• Limited emigration and widespread surveillance.
• Shortages of consumer goods and economic stagnation.

Discontent and Resistance in the Eastern Bloc

Despite stringent Soviet oversight, many Eastern Europeans grew frustrated with authoritarian governance and economic shortcomings, leading to periodic revolts.

Key Uprisings

• Hungarian Revolution (1956): A nationwide uprising against Soviet domination and economic difficulties, crushed by Soviet invasion, resulting in a more oppressive regime.
• Prague Spring (1968): Led by Alexander Dubček, Czechoslovakia pursued reforms like freedom of speech and decentralized planning, but Warsaw Pact forces intervened to restore Soviet control, reversing reforms.

Significance of Uprisings: These revolts highlighted the limits of reform within the Soviet bloc, with the USSR using military force to suppress demands for freedom.

Shifting Dynamics and Collapse

The Soviet Union’s strength underpinned the Eastern Bloc’s stability. As internal challenges grew—economic stagnation, lack of innovation, and resistance to reform—the USSR weakened, enabling nationalist movements in the 1980s, which led to:

• Peaceful revolutions in Poland, Hungary, and East Germany (1989).
• Violent conflicts in Yugoslavia and some former Soviet republics.
• The fall of the Berlin Wall (1989).
• The dissolution of the USSR (1991).

Conclusion

The emergence of the U.S. and USSR as superpowers reshaped Europe’s economic, political, and military landscapes. Western Europe, aligned with the U.S., thrived under capitalist democracies bolstered by trade, prosperity, and collective security. Eastern Europe, under Soviet domination, endured centralized economies, restricted freedoms, and repression until the Soviet collapse enabled new national identities and political systems to emerge.

Key Terms

• Alexander Dubček: A Slovak politician who led Czechoslovakia during the 1968 Prague Spring, advocating for “socialism with a human face” through political and economic reforms, challenging Soviet control.
• Berlin Wall: A 1961–1989 barrier dividing East and West Berlin, symbolizing the Cold War’s ideological and physical split between communism and democracy.
• Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON): A 1949 Soviet-led organization to promote economic cooperation among socialist states, coordinating trade and production in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
• Czechoslovakia: A Central European nation (1918–1993), significant in World War II, post-war reconstruction, and Cold War ideological struggles, later splitting into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): A 1947 treaty to reduce trade barriers, promoting global trade and economic recovery, influencing Cold War economic dynamics.
• Great Depression: A global economic crisis (1929–1930s) marked by unemployment and poverty, shaping pre-war politics and post-war superpower rivalries.
• Great War: World War I (1914–1918), a global conflict that altered geopolitical landscapes, setting the stage for superpower emergence and Cold War tensions.
• Hungarian Revolution of 1956: A 1956 uprising against Soviet control in Hungary, crushed by Soviet forces, highlighting Cold War repression in the Eastern Bloc.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): A 1944 organization promoting global financial stability, providing aid to nations in economic distress, shaping post-war economic recovery.
• Korean Conflict: The 1950–1953 Korean War, a Cold War proxy conflict between U.S.-backed South Korea and Soviet-backed North Korea, resulting in Korea’s division.
• Marshall Plan: A 1948 U.S. initiative providing over $13 billion to rebuild Western Europe, countering communism and fostering economic stability.
• Molotov Plan: A 1947 Soviet program offering aid to Eastern European nations, countering the Marshall Plan and reinforcing Soviet influence in the Eastern Bloc.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): A 1949 military alliance for collective defense, uniting Western nations against Soviet threats, shaping Cold War geopolitics.
• Poland: A Central European nation with a history of independence and occupation, pivotal in Cold War politics and post-war European dynamics.
• Prague Spring: A 1968 Czechoslovak reform movement for political liberalization, suppressed by Warsaw Pact intervention, exposing Soviet control limits.
• Romania: A Southeastern European nation with a complex 20th-century history, transitioning from monarchy to communism and democracy, reflecting Cold War trends.
• Soviet Bloc: A group of Eastern European communist states under Soviet influence during the Cold War, characterized by centralized economies and authoritarian regimes.
• Truman Doctrine: A 1947 U.S. policy to contain communism by aiding threatened nations, shaping Cold War foreign policy and global alliances.
• United Nations: A 1945 organization to promote global peace and cooperation, challenged by Cold War rivalries in resolving international conflicts.
• United States: A federal republic emerging as a Cold War superpower, promoting democracy and capitalism, shaping global politics.
• USSR: The Soviet Union (1922–1991), a communist superpower central to Cold War dynamics, marked by authoritarian rule and state-controlled economics.
• Vietnam War: A 1955–1975 Cold War proxy conflict between U.S.-backed South Vietnam and Soviet-backed North Vietnam, influencing global geopolitics.
• Warsaw Pact: A 1955 Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern European nations, countering NATO and reinforcing Soviet dominance during the Cold War.
• Western Europe: A region including France, Germany, and others, defined by democratic governance and economic growth, shaping Cold War European identity.
• World Bank: A 1944 institution providing loans for development projects, supporting post-war economic stability in the context of superpower rivalries.
• World Trade Organization (WTO): A 1995 organization regulating global trade, succeeding GATT, promoting free trade amid Cold War economic divisions.