Early tension between East and West
The USA entered World War Two against Germany and Japan in 1941, creating a Grand Alliance of the USA, Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - collection of states, also known as the Soviet Union.. This uneasy alliance would ultimately break down into the Cold War.
The alliance of the USA and the USSR brought together two sides that were divided by their political A set of ideas or thoughts that someone, or a group of people, believe in. The plural of this is 'ideologies'. The political and economic systems of the USA and Britain were based on An economic system based on privately owned, as opposed to state-controlled, businesses and the creation of profit., while since its foundation after the 1917 Russian Revolution the USSR had based its economy on A classless society where all property is owned publicly..
However, the actions of Nazi Germany is a common name of a period of history in Germany between 1933 to 1945, under the control of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. and its ally, Japan, in World War Two had driven these two political enemies together.
- Britain had been at war with Germany since Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939.
- Despite the fact that Stalin had carved up and invaded Poland in 1939 alongside Hitler, the USSR allied itself with Britain in 1941 when Germany began to invade its territories.
- In December 1941, Germany’s ally, Japan, launched a surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. This action brought the USA into World War Two on the same side as Britain and the USSR.
Revision tip
Understanding the differences between capitalism and communism:
| Capitalism | Communism |
| Several political parties representing different sectors of society | One-party state |
| Governments are chosen by democratic elections | No democratic elections and no opportunity to change the government by election |
| People are free to set up private businesses and make money for themselves | All businesses and factories are owned by the state |
| Individual rights and freedoms are important | Individual rights and freedoms are less important than obedience to the state |
| Freedom of speech and freedom of the press | Censorship and state controlled media |
| Capitalism | Several political parties representing different sectors of society |
|---|---|
| Communism | One-party state |
| Capitalism | Governments are chosen by democratic elections |
|---|---|
| Communism | No democratic elections and no opportunity to change the government by election |
| Capitalism | People are free to set up private businesses and make money for themselves |
|---|---|
| Communism | All businesses and factories are owned by the state |
| Capitalism | Individual rights and freedoms are important |
|---|---|
| Communism | Individual rights and freedoms are less important than obedience to the state |
| Capitalism | Freedom of speech and freedom of the press |
|---|---|
| Communism | Censorship and state controlled media |