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The balance of power shifts
The United States and The Soviet Union played the most decisive roles in defeating The Axis Powers and they emerged from the war strong and confident dominating the postwar world so good that they became known as superpowers. The United States was clearly stronger, by 1945 America was wealthy, powerful and confident. Except for pearl harbor they were not attacked and had the atomic Bomb. The Soviet Union even after suffering from the war fought on their soil had the worlds largest military force -
Allies Make Plans at Yalta
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Yalta on the Black Sea in february 1945 to discuss final strategy and crucial questions concerning postwar Germany, eastern Europe and Asia. In the Yalta conference they all agreed that Poland, Bulgaria and Romania would hold free elections, Stalin later broke the promise. Roosevelt and Churchill were not in position to press Stalin cause he occupied much of eastern Europe and Roosevelt wanted his help in the war with Japan. -
The world map changes
The war altered political realities around the world. Borders of Poland shifted to the west, Germany was divided in Communist East Germany and Noncommunist West Germany, Nearly all Eastern Europe nations became communist states under Soviet control, Japan sign a new constitution (which abolished armed forces use, gave women the right to vote, enacted democratic reforms and established the groundwork) and in places like China; interests provoked a civil war between nationalists and communists. -
The United Nations is formed and issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The United States led the charge for the United Nations hoping it won't fail as the League of Nations did. In 1945 delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco to write the charter for the UN. Over the next decade the UN aided the move away from colonialism, helped to create the jewish state of Israel, mediated regional conflicts, and provided food and other aid to much of the world. In 1948 they created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. -
The plans at Yalta video