“If the Soviet Union let another political party into existence they would still be one state party state because everybody would join the other party,” is a quote by Ronald Reagan about the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union(USSR) is a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1999. It's fall resulted from its government-run economy not working very well. Soviet Union was run by Vladimir Lenin, dictator who overthrew Russian monarchy, and Bolshevik communist. At first USSR aligned with the US to defeat the Nazi Germany. But the countries soon turn against each other due to the difference in perspective about how government should run in 1945. Their clash was a major part of cold war. Now with all this information …show more content…
Document B informs about that economical and social improvement of the Soviet union, which allows people to look at positive affects of the Soviet Union. In the literacy rate category of document B, Soviet Union had 25% literacy rate in 1915 and 99% literacy rate in 1980. This shows an enormous improvement in education. This also serves as an example that the formation of Soviet Union did not result in a complete negative outcome. Document B also states that in 1980 Soviet Union was the first or second in the world in the production of steel, cotton, wheat, sugar, aluminium, gold and oil. This shows a huge economical advancement both locally and internationally. The area category of the document also states that Soviet Union had 8649000 mi.² of land which portrays how big it actually was. Using that information, Soviet Union’s influence can be found. Therefore it is very important to include this information in textbook because it shows the growth of countries during the Soviets …show more content…
Now this part of their history serves as both a positive and a negative side. On the good side, it shows that they have developed military and nuclear weapons, which adds to the national nation’s level of development. Though this subject, it can be proved that they had advanced in military power more rapidly than individual countries could have. Document F proves that Soviet Union spend 165 billion on military, which is 11% of the GNP. On other hand, the negative side shows, that this power could be used to intimidate the other countries. Document F also explains USSR had 7836 megaton of nuclear/arsenal compare 3253 that US had. It also they have 950 submarines launched, while US only has about 656. Document F and military power/spending of Soviet Union can be used to show influential and intimidating USSR actually was. This can then lead to many people having a better understanding about the history of USSR, its legacy and its
The Soviet Union, which was once a world superpower in the 19th century saw itself in chaos going into the 20th century. These chaoses were marked by the new ideas brought in by the new leaders who had emerged eventually into power. Almost every aspect of the Soviet Union was crumbling at this period both politically and socially, as well as the economy. There were underlying reasons for the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and eventually Eastern Europe. The economy is the most significant aspect of every government. The soviet economy was highly centralized with a “command economy” (p.1. fsmitha.com), which had been broken down due to its complexity and centrally controlled with corruption involved in it. A strong government
The industrial expansion of the Soviet Union resulted in one of the greatest economic growths for a single country that the modern world has ever seen. This economic growth ultimately led to the USSR becoming one of the world’s only two superpowers in the post-WWII era. Much of the country’s economic growth occurred because of the USSR’s use of a command economy, which is “an economy in which production, investment, prices, and incomes are determined centrally by a government” [1]. Using a command economy, the USSR was able to force industrialization in certain sectors in which pre-Soviet Russia highly struggled. One of these sectors was the Nuclear Power sector. Ultimately, Soviet successes in the nuclear power industry were highly evident
Soviet Union also called the USSR, emerged from World War I as one of the most powerful nations in the world. For 3 decades Joseph Stalin was in control and changed Soviet Union as a world superpower. After the 1920s they were becoming one of the most feared nations. There were many marks the Soviet Union did during the 20th century, but the textbooks should emphasize on economy/geography, militarism, and Joseph Stalin.
After World War two the two allies soon split. The United States and the Soviet Union were immediately against each other. This was the beginning of the Cold War. The three main causes of the Cold War were spheres of influence, ideology, and military factors. With my information, I believe that the Soviet Union was the most responsible for the Cold War.
During World War II the United States and the Soviet Union fought together as Allies against the Axis Powers, however the relationship between the two was tense. The Axis Powers were an alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan. The United States government was wary of the Soviets because they were communists and Americans were concerned about the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. The political systems of the two countries prevented them from reaching a mutual agreements such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, which then resulted in war. This nuclear war had a huge affect on the society, along with communism, education and even the Space Race. Hysteria was caused in result of the threat communism, which was later called the Red Scare. The Cold War impacted
The Cold War was a competition. The US and the Soviet Union raced to become the world’s number one superpower, building up their militaries, improving their arsenals, and developing more advanced weapons. However, weapons in the war were not limited to only nuclear warheads. The weapons used in the Cold War were nuclear warheads, and hope and terror caused by propaganda.
Following the events of World War 2, a new conflict arose. Except this one didn’t involve actual fighting. The Cold War began after reciprocated feelings of distrust and conflicting ideas about which government was best between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. While the Cold War affected life in the United States and the Soviet Union, it also influenced life in countries all over the world.
The Cold war began due to political and military tension due to World War II. The Soviet Union and America were two world superpowers that fought for a change in government and world supremacy. America feared a communist expansion from the Soviet Union and created many policies, laws, legislations, and pacts to protect democracy on the home front as well as internationally. The Cold War stemmed from the Soviet Union’s failure to maintain their integrity to the group of nations in the Yalta and Potsdam Conference. Soviet leader, Stalin invaded Eastern Europe and started the communist expansion in regions that were promised to be untouched. The consequences of his actions resulted in the Cold War. American reactions to the Cold War were justified
After the events of World War II, there was growing tension between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1946. This growing tension developed into the Cold War, which would dominate American foreign policy. Foreign policy changed within the beginning years of the Cold War, as both the US and Soviet Union wanted to assert their power without creating international conflict and devastation.
The increase in military spending is another argument that caused stagnation in the Soviet Union during the period. Brezhnev spent huge amount of money in the defense sector and according to Blanchard & Froot et al. (1994) the share of defense spending in GNP was 12% in 1960-70, and increased by 4% in 1975-80 to 16%, even though the country was is deep economic crisis. Brezhnev increased military spending each year; even as the country needed the spending in other “important” sectors, to boots the growth of the country, and caused low-level of economic development. Brezhnev increased the spending specifically on nuclear materials production plants, compared to weapons. During this time in history both the superpower, USA and Soviet Union
The consequence of World War Two left the United States and Russia as the prevailing military forces on the planet, yet they had altogether different types of government and economy, the previous an industrialist majority rule government, the last a comrade tyranny. The two countries were adversaries who dreaded each other, each ideologically restricted.
In the future the Italians in the North Africa in the year 1944 enters in to the war in mainland Europe. In 1940 between the Soviet and the allied forces they were able to win the European front of wwii. The end of that year Japan was fighting still. The US develops the atomic bomb they use on over Hiroshima and a few days later one in Nagasaki, doing this ends wwii the outcome of wwii was two remaining super powers those two were The soviet Union and the US the cold war was next. Eastern Europe was falling under the Soviet sway the Us, With the Soviet Union being a communist country and was totalitarian. Communist and Democracy are not things that went are not things that went against each other the Soviet Union did not have a capitalist
However, the economy in the Soviet Union under both Brezhnev and Gorbachev was bad. According to Brezhnev, the government’s central planning led to a huge and complex bureaucracy, collective farmers had no incentive to work hard, and there were high standard of living. Also, under Gorbachev, the economic issues led to a slow-down in the arms race. It tripled the national debt in US and the cost of maintaining satellite states and an enormous military budget under communism were too high that they would not afford it.
The contributions and success of the Red Army during the war against fascism are undeniable and have strengthen the belief that communism is a viable alternative to democracy and capitalism; however, the actions taken by the United States these past few months say to the Soviet Union that they are not our equal. Stalin feels as though his own interests were ignored in the handing of post-war Japan and in dealing with German reunification. If we are going to improve relations in any way, the Soviet perspective must be taken into account despite what domestic opposition there may be. Policy cannot only function as an extension of an ideology, it must also be grounded in the reality of current political situation of all parties involved. The United States will not be harmed by letting the Soviet Union participate in forming provisional government in states along the Russian border or by comprising on territorial agreements that would provide the Soviet Union with a sense of security. Compromise is necessary in the name of stability.
Under Stalin the Soviet Union focused its economy on militaristic production. In fact, it accounted for approximately 30% of national production toward the end of Stalin’s regime. The economy even sustained growth for the next several decades. However, their military policies set a dangerous precedent for the nation as by the mid 1980s that number rose up to 70% under Gorbachev. Such a high number created a shortage of industrial goods for the rest of the economy which resulted in stagnation and eventual decline. On the opposite side of the world, the United States’ military spending sat at about half that of their Soviet counterparts. The Soviets’ goal of maintaining parity with their American rivals, resulted in massive shortages in the agricultural sector.