The Post-WW II World

After the War….

• United States• England• France• Italy • Germany • Japan• Soviet Union• China

United States

• Unprecedented wealth

• Strongest military power in the world

• No material damage (except Pearl Harbor)

• Confident

• Saw Communism as the major threat– Desire to spread capitalism

England

• Less material damage than France & Germany

• Economically broke

• No longer the world’s big power– Had been since 1700

France

• Devastated by the War

• Economy was a wreck

• Afraid of another German attack

• New and unstable government– Headed by Charles de Gaulle

Italy

• Defeated during the War

• Had a new government after mid-1944

• Economy was devastated

• Strong communist movement

Germany

• Defeated during the War

• Economy and society was totally destroyed– Remember WW I?

• Divided up and occupied by Allies after War– England, France, US each controlled a sector– USSR controlled another

Japan

• Completely defeated

• New government set up by US

• Completely dependent upon the US

Soviet Union (USSR) (Russia)

• 20 million dead during War

• Led by communist dictator Josef Stalin

• Felt like it had been used by other Allies during the War

• Concerned about protecting its borders

• Interested in spreading communism

China

• Brutalized by Japan during 14 years of war

• Corrupt & unpopular leader Chiang Kai-Shek

• Ongoing communist revolt since 1929

• Mao Tse-Tung and the Communists take over to the country in 1949