Overview: The World Community from

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1 Overview: The World Community from By Encyclopaedia Britannica, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 462 Level 580L During the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Czechoslovakians carry their national flag past a burning tank in Prague. Photo by the CIA. The Soviet Union and the United States fought together in World War II against Germany. The war was fought by most of the countries of the world. It ended in The Soviet Union and the U.S. were friends during the war. But when the war ended, they did not trust each other. Each country wanted to be the strongest in the world. The U.S. and the Soviet Union had very different ways of living. The Soviet Union was communist. In communist countries, the leaders had all the power. People had few freedoms. Under communism, mines, factories and farms did not belong to citizens. They were owned by the government. The government was supposed to give goods to people who need them. The U.S. didn't want communism to take over the world The U.S. is a capitalist country. Under capitalism, people make and sell goods for money. Everyone can choose to buy the things he or she wants. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 The U.S. was worried that the Soviet Union would take over other countries. That is exactly what happened. The Soviet Union sent its army into countries in Eastern Europe. These countries became communist, and the Soviet Union controlled them. The Soviet Union had its own worries. The United States was the only country with atomic weapons. The Soviets thought the U.S. would try to destroy them. This situation was called the Cold War. This war was never fought with weapons. Instead, each country tried to get other countries on its side. The U.S. and the Soviet Union gave the countries money and sold them weapons. In 1949, the communists won a revolution in China. The U.S. worried the Soviets would get stronger. Then communism would spread. Many countries rebuilt after World War II Many other things were also happening in the world. Revolutions were breaking out all over. Also, the Soviet Union and other countries developed nuclear weapons. There were many poor countries in the 1950s. Parts of Latin America became democracies. Countries in Asia, like China, also grew richer. Middle Eastern countries became rich if they had oil. The war destroyed many buildings and cities in Europe and Japan. The U.S. began a huge aid program called the Marshall Plan. It gave Western Europe more than $17 billion to rebuild its cities after World War II. Japan also was helped. Many wars broke out during this time. The Soviet Union and the U.S. competed for power in different countries. In the early 1980s, there were many revolutions in Central America. The Soviet Union and Cuba sent soldiers to join the revolutionaries. The U.S. armed and trained government soldiers. The United Nations began after World War II. It is the world government of nations. The U.N. was started to stop wars in the future. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 Quiz 1 Read the paragraph from the section "Many countries rebuilt after World War II." The war destroyed many buildings and cities in Europe and Japan. The U.S. began a huge aid program called the Marshall Plan. It gave Western Europe more than $17 billion to rebuild its cities after World War II. Japan also was helped. Based on the information in this paragraph, what is "aid"? city planning help with money a European plan a place in Japan 2 Which question is answered by the introduction [paragraphs 1-2]? Why did the U.S. fight in World War II? Why didn't the U.S. and the Soviet Union fight together? Why is the U.S. communist? Why didn't the U.S. and Soviet Union stay friends? 3 Read the section "The U.S. didn't want communism to take over the world." Which paragraph BEST explains WHY the Soviet Union was scared of the U.S.? 4 Read the paragraph from the section "The U.S. didn't want communism to take over the world." The Soviet Union had its own worries. The United States was the only country with atomic weapons. The Soviets thought the U.S. would try to destroy them. Which word could replace "destroy" in the sentence above WITHOUT changing its meaning? end help change spy on This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 Answer Key 1 Read the paragraph from the section "Many countries rebuilt after World War II." The war destroyed many buildings and cities in Europe and Japan. The U.S. began a huge aid program called the Marshall Plan. It gave Western Europe more than $17 billion to rebuild its cities after World War II. Japan also was helped. Based on the information in this paragraph, what is "aid"? city planning help with money a European plan a place in Japan 2 Which question is answered by the introduction [paragraphs 1-2]? Why did the U.S. fight in World War II? Why didn't the U.S. and the Soviet Union fight together? Why is the U.S. communist? Why didn't the U.S. and Soviet Union stay friends? 3 Read the section "The U.S. didn't want communism to take over the world." Which paragraph BEST explains WHY the Soviet Union was scared of the U.S.? Paragraph 4: The Soviet Union had its own worries. The United States was the only country with atomic weapons. The Soviets thought the U.S. would try to destroy them. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 4 Read the paragraph from the section "The U.S. didn't want communism to take over the world." The Soviet Union had its own worries. The United States was the only country with atomic weapons. The Soviets thought the U.S. would try to destroy them. Which word could replace "destroy" in the sentence above WITHOUT changing its meaning? end help change spy on This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5