- Causes
- WWII left two polar powers standing: U.S. and Russia
- destroyed the old balance of power
- U.S., Britain, France thought Russia was trying to take the continent
- Russia thought Western-style capitalist countries were surrounding Soviet Union
- thought Europe would become dependent on the American economic empire
- Effects
- Arms race
- Radical separatist movements
- Dissolving of the USSR
- Anti-American feeling in Europe
2. How would you support that in many ways the Cold War was an ideological war: which ideologies were involved and how were they perpetuated?
- Communism vs. Capitalism
- Marshal plan
- didn't want to be dependent on America
- Mutually Assured Destruction
- Arms race
3. What were the economic effects of the post war and cold war period in Europe?
- Unemployment and discontent
- Sense of dependence on the state
- Goods in short supply
- Marshal plan created as a result
- Common Market established free-trade area
- Oil Crisis
- Massive amounts of money spent on military
4. What was the welfare state? Give examples to support your claims.
- centrally planned economies
- minimal healthcare and education
- full employment for citizens
5. Why were Europeans so much readier than Americans to accept socialism?
- Land and property confiscated by state
- Eastern bloc countries established welfare states
- sense of dependence on state
6. Did the Soviet system fail because of its own internal contradictions or because of pressure from the West?
- The Soviet system failed because of its own internal contradictions. One of these was Stalin's death which brought Nikita Khrushchev to power and he caused many contradictions to the Soviet Plan such as sending tanks into Hungary. It however, was in part due to Western pressures because the arms raced forced the Soviets to spend money they couldn't afford on military, which collapsed them.
7. Identify the reasons for and the steps toward a more integrated Europe in this period. How would you categorize this alliance of European states (European Union) in the context of previous pre-world war alliances? Is is economic, political, cultural...all? Give evidence to support your claims.
