The Cold War A Look at Europe after World War II Ended
Objective By the end of the lesson, SWBAT be able to explain the economic differences between the Soviet Union and the United States. By the end of the lesson, SWBAT identify the term Iron Curtain.
LIGHTNING ROUND REVIEW! 1. Why was D-Day an important event in World War II? 2. What was VJ day? 3. Who was the leader of the Soviet Union at the end of the war? 4. Who was the leader of the United States at the end of the war?
The U.S.S.R. AND THE U.S. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II 1939-1945. The U.S. was fighting on the Western Front, while the Soviet Union was fighting on the Eastern Front. Who were the Allied Powers in Europe fighting against during World War II?
U.S. AND U.S.S.R.
Conditions After WWII After World War II much of Europe and parts of the world were destroyed. Many countries were suffering. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were the strongest countries to come out of the war. No part of the U.S. was destroyed; the U.S. didn t lose as many men as other countries; the U.S. was on the winning side of the war; the U.S. wasn t in terrible debt. The Soviet Union had a lot of its infrastructure; they were on the winning side of war; The Soviet Union was stronger than all the other countries in its region.
Conditions After WWII The U.S and the Soviet Union were the strongest countries in the world. They were the two super-powers to come out of World War II. However...
Friendship is over! After World War II ended (after 1945), the alliance between the U.S. and the Soviet Union ended. The Soviet Union and the U.S. had different ways to run their government and economy. The U.S. believed in Capitalism The Soviet Union believed in Communism
U.S. Economy Capitalism - an economy (a way of doing business) where producers and consumers make the decisions. The government stays out of business. Big companies such McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot, control how business is done. How do you play a role in capitalism?
Supply and Demand Supply and Demand - A business will make a certain amount and sell that item at a certain price that will allow them to make the most profit (amount of money)! The things made and the amount of that thing made is based on the demand for that item. Supply = businesses that make things or sell services. Demand = consumers or people that want and buy things.
You and Capitalism In a market, you are a consumer - someone that buys things. The market is decided by what the consumer demands, or wants. Usually, if enough consumers demand something, then suppliers (companies) will make it so they can make a profit (money). The more things a company sells, the more money they make, the more employees they have, etc.
Capitalism & the U.S. There are rich people and poor people in a country that has capitalism. Why are some people rich and some poor in a capitalist system? Business rules!
Capitalism Some people are rich and some people are poor because not all jobs pay the same in a capitalist system. Also, some businesses make more money than others so the people running those companies make more money. Big risks, but big opportunities!
SOVIET UNION (USSR) The U.S.S.R. was Communist - a system where the government controls and owns the nation s businesses. The government owns all the business and tells people where to live, and where to work. All people get paid the same amount of money no matter what job they are doing. Were there rich and poor people in the USSR?
Communism In a communist system, the government decides how much of something is made. For instance, the government may decide to make 2,000 washing machines for the years and a factory will make that many; this number is not affected by supply and demand. How is that different than a capitalist system? How do businesses determine the amount to make of something in a capitalist system versus a communist system?
U.S.S.R. The Communist government controlled everything including where you work, live, what you watch! The Government ruled all!
Europe after the war (1945) Europe was destroyed! The two powers that were still powerful were the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Since the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. were so different they tried really hard to influence the different countries in Europe to take up their economic system (either capitalism or communism). They tried to increase their sphere of influence - places where they could influence others to join their economic model.
Iron Curtain The U.S. was able to influence Western Europe. The U.S.S.R. was able to influence Eastern Europe. An Iron Curtain divided Europe!
What was Western Europe like? What was Eastern Europe like?
COLD WAR The Cold War was not a war where soldiers fought. It was a war to see who, the U.S. or the U.S.S.R., could influence more countries! If you were either the U.S. or the U.S.S.R. how would you try to influence a country to become a capitalist or communist country?
Stop Communism! The U.S. did a lot to try to stop the spread of communism! EXAMPLE: When Germany lost the war, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, split Germany in half The Western Europe was...? The Eastern Europe was...?
CONCLUSION The Cold War started after World War II. The U.S. was capitalist and was trying to influence other countries in Europe and around the world to be capitalist. The Soviet Union was communist and was trying to influence other countries in Europe and around the world to be communist. What is capitalism? What is communism?