Download The Western World: An Overview

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Europe: The Cold War and After

The Cold War divided Europe into 2 alliances.
 Communist nations in Eastern Europe (Warsaw Pact).
○ Led by the Soviet Union.
 Western Democracies (NATO).
○ Led by the United States of America.

The Berlin Wall
 Many Germans unhappy with communism traveled to
west Berlin, so Germans built a wall to stop this.
 Split Berlin in 2 (West-democratic)(East-communist).
 This was an embarrassment for the Soviet Union.
○ Showed that people had to be forcibly stopped from
fleeing.
Europe: The Cold War and After

The Nuclear Threat
 Cold War triggered an arms-race, both sides producing
huge arsenals of nuclear weapons.
 Both sides spent a very large amount of money on
weapons.

Disarmament and Détente
 To reduce the threat of nuclear war, both sides met at
disarmament talks.
 1970s, America and the Soviet Union promoted an era
of détente (relaxation of tension).
○ It ended after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979.
Europe: The Cold war and After

End of the Cold War
 By 1990, economic and foreign policy trouble threatened the
Soviet Union.
 Many communist governments collapsed, even in the Soviet
Union.
 The war ended and Western and Eastern Europe sought
normal relations.
 The Warsaw Pact dissolved an NATO had to redefine itself.

Troublesome Issues
 Russia and Eastern European nations turned to the West.
○ For loans and investments to build capitalist economies.
 Ethnic clashes created conflict.
 Still nuclear threat.
Europe: The Cold War and After

NATO’s New Role
 Former Eastern European communist nations joined
NATO.
 1990s, the Balkans posed new challenges to NATO.
 Bosnia and Kosovo tried to break away from
Yugoslavia.
○ War erupted, the worst one since WWII.
 NATO members finally sent military forces to the 2
countries to try and bring order to the area.
 This sparked debate on whether NATO should become
Europe’s peacekeeper and protector of human rights.
Economic and Political Trends

In 1950s, Western Europeans recovered quickly from
WWII.
 With the Marshall Plan aid, their economies boomed.
 They rebuilt industries, farms and transportation networks.

The Welfare State
 Leftist parties wanted to extend welfare state.
 Middle class and poor enjoyed increasing benefits.
○ National health care, unemployment insurance, and old-age
pensions.
 Socialists supported this and a larger role for the
government in the economy.
 Conservatives condemned the drift from the free enterprise
system toward socialism.
Economic and Political Trends

The Oil Shock
 1973, West suffered an economic shock.
○ OPEC cut oil production and raised prices.
 Higher prices led to inflation and slowed economic
growth.
 1979, OPEC raised prices again causing a severe
recession.

Economic Shifts
 Most manufactured goods came from the West.
 After WWII, Japan, China and India’s industrial
economy boomed.
 In the West many factories changed due to competition.
○ This resulted in more service industry jobs being created.
Toward European Unity


Six European countries set up the “European Coal and Steel
Community.
 This started economic growth across Western Europe.
The Common Market
 Same six countries formed the European Community.
○ Later a couple other countries joined.
○ Tried to expand free trade.

European Union
 1980s and 1990s, the Common Market expanded further
and took the name European Union.
○ Promoted regional prosperity, peace, and security.
○ Pushed for greater economic and political unity.
○ Replaced national passports with EU passports & ended most
tariffs.
○ Put in place the Euro currency for the member nations.
Social Trends

1945, the class lines in Europe blurred.
 More and more belonged to the middle class.
 Wages went up for the working class.
○ Provided more opportunists.

Ethnic Diversity
 Many immigrants settled in Europe.
○ Provided low-wage labor, caused the economy to boom.
 Many went to Western Europe to find work.

Women
 1940s, women in the West made much progress toward
legal and economic equality.
 More worked outside the home, but for less money than
men.
 They slowly narrowed the gap in hiring, promotion, and pay.
Social Trends

Family life in the West changed.
 Began having fewer children.
 Children stayed in school longer.
 Divorce rates went up.
 More children born to unwed parents.
○ Single parent families found themselves living in poverty.
Vocabulary

Berlin Wall: split Berlin into the democratic West and the communist
East. It was a huge wall barrier built by Germany.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: banned the testing of nuclear weapons in
the atmosphere.

NATO: alliance of western democracies led by the U.S.A. Later it
expanded and other nations joined.

Common Market: group of nations under a treaty; trying to expand
free trade.



European Union: the Common Market expanded.
Détente: relaxation of tensions.
Welfare State: keeps most features of a capitalist economy but takes
greater responsibility for social and economic needs.



Recession: business is slowed and unemployment rates rise.
Service Industry: provides a service rather than a product.
Euro: a single currency used among member nations of the EU.