|
OBJECTIVE
This lesson will serve as an
overview for Module 7. This will be valuable as a study aid in
preparing for your Module Test.
DISCUSSION
As the dust began to settle
from World War II two Superpowers emerged to dominate the global
landscape for the next 50 years. Even as the United States and the
Soviet Union meet to begin to negotiate peace at Potsdam, tension
between the two became clearly obvious. Without the presence of
Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin saw an
opportunity to try and bully his new adversaries. Roosevelt, who
felt he could work with Stalin, had succumbed to a stroke and in his
place Harry Truman decided to take a firm and unyielding stance with
Stalin. Both leaders were clearly concerned with the future of
their countries. As the first sparks of the Cold War began to fly
many European nations, too weak from the ravages of war, watched
helplessly as the Iron Curtain spread it’s way across Eastern
Europe. What would be the response of the United States? Motivated
by his understandable distrust for Germany, Stalin made it clear
that his goal was to annex as many nations as he could into the
Soviet empire…by whatever means necessary.
At the heart of the issue was the
struggle between two differing ideologies. Communism vs.
Capitalism. Totalitarian Government vs. Democratic Government.
Which side would win? Could one side win? Only time would tell.
TIME PERIOD: 1945-1989
|
