The Following Shows the Differences Between Communism and Capitalism

D. Why did the end of the Second World War have an effect on starting a different kind of world conflict – the Cold War?

When World War II ended, the USA and the USSR were clearly the superpowers of the world, but then they became more and more suspicious of each other’s motives. There was hostility between them for the next 45 years. This long period of hostility was known as the Cold War, which did not finally end until the late 1980s.

Study Sources A, B and C.

Source A The following shows the differences between communism and capitalism.

Communism Capitalism  Usually a one-party state.  Free elections and more that one  Industry and agriculture owned by political party. the state. People encouraged to  Most industry and agriculture work for the common good. owned by private individuals.  Classless society with no individual  They employ workers and keep all profit-making profits made.  The government controlled most  Limits on government interference aspects of people’s lives. in people’s lives  Strong censorship with restrictions  Freedom of speech and movement on what could be said or written.

The above table shows a simple comparison between Communism and Capitalism. Try to find other definitions of them.

1 Source B The following shows why conflicts appeared between the capitalist bloc under the USA and the communist bloc under the USSR.

USA and democratic USSR and communist countries of Western countries of Eastern Europe Europe

Fear of Fear of communist attack from attack the West

Fear of Fear of communism FEAR capitalism

Fear of Fear of atomic atomic bomb bomb

MISTRUST

Mistrust of the Mistrust of the USSR’s intentions USA’s intentions

2 Source C The following was extracted from a conversation between Joseph Stalin and a fellow communist, Milovan Djilas in 1945.

PerhapsPerhaps you you think think that, that, because because we we are are allies allies of of the the English, English, wewe have have forgotten forgotten who who they they are are and and who who Churchill Churchill is. is. They They findfind nothing nothing sweeter sweeter than than to to trick trick their their allies. allies. And And Churchill? Churchill? ChurchillChurchill is is the the kind kind who, who, if if you you don’t don’t watch watch him, him, will will slip slip a a kopekkopek (USSR (USSR currency) currency) out out of of your your pocket…… pocket…… And And Roosevelt?Roosevelt? Roosevelt Roosevelt is is not not like like that. that. He He dips dips his his hand hand only only forfor bigger bigger coins. coins.

Source D The following was extracted from a commentary from US newsreel in 1946.

AcrossAcross the the vast vast expanse expanse of of the the globe globe there there was was famine, famine, natural natural ruin……ruin…… Without Without help,help, recoveryrecovery mightmight nevernever bebe achieved.achieved. InIn thethe background background was was the the growing growing struggle struggle between between two two great great powerspowers to to shape shape the the post-war post-war world. world. Looking Looking towards towards Europe Europe fromfrom Moscow, Moscow, Soviet Soviet Russia Russia was was expansively expansively stabbing stabbing westwards,westwards, knifing knifing into into nations nations left left empty empty by by war, war, with with misery misery andand chaos chaos as as allies. allies.

3 Source E The following shows the points of tension between the USA and the USSR at the end of World War II.

Points of Tension The Atomic bomb Eastern Europe East and WestGermany1

Stalin distrusted the USA The USSR did not allow  The Western Allies because: free elections in Eastern wanted to help Europe. The USSR began Germany to recover as  Truman, the US to impose Communist soon as possible so president, had not told rule on occupied zone in that Germany could him before using the Germany. The USA act as a buffer to atomic bomb. thought that the USSR Communist expansion.  The USA refused to wanted to control Eastern On the other hand, the share the secret of how Europe and consolidate its USSR wanted a weak to make the atomic influence there. Germany. bomb.  The Western Allies  Stalin thought that the wanted free elections USA would use the in the occupied zone in bomb to make herself a Germany. The USSR superpower did not want free elections to be held in the Russian occupied The USA distrusted Stalin zone. because:

 Stalin decided to develop the atomic bomb. The USA felt threatened by this.

1 East and West Germany: Before the end of the Second World War,the major Allied Powers, Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union, had held several meetings to sort out post-war arrangements. In the Potsdam Conference, 1945, it was confirmed that Germany was to be divided into four zones occupied by the Allied powers. In 1949, the US, British and French zones united as the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) with its capital in Bonn. It adopted a democratic government. The Soviet zone became the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) with its capital in Berlin. East Germany remained under the control of the communists.

4 5 Refer to Sources A to E

Which Causes of the source(s) Cite one evidence from the source(s) you Cold War is / are identified in the middle column of this table. related to this cause? Mutual mistrust B, C Evidence from the sources

Conflicting D Evidence from the sources aims in Central and Eastern Europe

Difference in A Evidence from the sources ideology

Soviet Russia’s D Evidence from the sources expansion in Eastern Europe

The atomic D Evidence from the sources bomb

6 You may like to study the following website to find more information about the Cold War. (Chinese version only)

Reference: Steven Waugh. Essential Modern World History. UK: Nelson Thornes, 2001. Christopher Culpin. Making History. London: Collins Educational, 1997.