The World War II changed the world order drastically. First of all, as it was agreed on the Potsdam Conference the Soviet Union legalized its aspiration to establish the world “Communism Camp”. Europe was divided according to the sphere of interests between the victors, the United States and the USSR. That was the greatest tragedy for the half of Europe. Defeated Germany was also divided into the German Democratic Republic under the Soviet influence and the Federal Republic of Germany.
The world entered into the unprecedented arms race known in the post WWII history as the Cold War. The global world order was defined as an arena of confrontation between two nuclear superpowers. The confrontation was so dangerous that almost exposed the world community to the threat of the devastating WWIII during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
America successfully introduced the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan (from its enactment, officially the European Recovery Program (ERP) was the primary plan of the United States for rebuilding the allied countries of Europe and repelling communism after World War II. The initiative was named for United States Secretary of State George Marshall and was largely the creation of State Department officials, especially William L. Clayton and George F. Kennan. (Wikipedia, 2006).
The Plan was suggested to the Soviet Union on condition it would make certain system political changes. It was understood from the very beginning the Soviet rulers would never accept the conditions suggested by the US Administration. Thus, the Soviets took the course for the future confrontation by creating pro-Soviet block in Europe; Europe was divided into two hostile military blocks.
The economy of Japan was completely ruined by the war and nuclear bombing. The United States participated actively in reconstruction of the post-War Japan. What is more, Japan was more important from the strategic point of view for the United States than for the USSR. This could explain the fact that Pacific region did not become the place of the sharp confrontation between the superpowers, though both fleets now and then had dangerous accidents which could lead to the military conflicts but the United States had the significant advantage in a number of nuclear warheads (though it could not be an unbeatable argument, both countries possessed nuclear arsenals able to demolish the entire humanity).
Germany experienced the most dramatic impact of the war. One country was divided by the frontier guarded by the armed soldiers killing anyone trying to cross the border. There is a remarkable place in Berlin called “Checkpoint Charlie” with the museum dedicated to those who were shot while attempting to cross the border.
This order existed up to late 80’s when the symbol of hostility, the Berlin Wall was destroyed and two parts of the country re-united.
Bibliography
· Marshall Plan, Wikipedia, available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan#searchInput, retrieved 13.11.2006
