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IB History (HL): The Cold War Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the West in terms of the economy.
Ans: •Capitalism: Individuals should be able to compete w/
each other w/ a minimal state interference & make as much $ as
they wish
• Individuals thus encouraged to work hard by the promise of
individual reward
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the West in terms of politics.
Ans: liberal democracy:
• Individuals choose the gov't through voting. There is a range
of political parties to choose from
• Individuals have certain rights, such as freedom of speech &
freedom of press
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the USSR in terms of the economy.
Ans: Communism (extreme version of socialism): No desire to
produce a better good b/c government will do for you
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, Page |2
• Capitalism creates divisions between rich & poor ->all
businesses & farms should be owned by the state on behalf of
the people
• Goods will be distributed to individuals by the state ->
Everyone will get what is needed & will be working for the
collective good
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the USSR in terms of politics.
Ans: • There is no need for a range of political parties, as the
Communist Party truly represents the views of all the workers &
rules on behalf of the people
• Individual freedoms valued by the West aren't necessary
• This is a one-party state
Discuss the increasing hostility between the West and the USSR.
Ans: The mutual suspicion between the West and the USSR
manifested itself in various ways between the Bolshevik Rev
(1917) and the start of WWII (1939):
o The intervention of the West in the Russian Civil War (1918 -
1922)
o The fact that the USSR did not receive diplomatic recognition
nor join the League of Nations until the 1930's
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
o The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939) allowed Hitler to
concentrate on attacking the West
Discuss the sef-interest of the US.
Ans: • No need to est markets & open doors to free trade
• The desire to avoid another economic of the magnitude of
1929
• President Truman and most of the post-war US admin
behind....
Describe the military reasons the US and USSR became superpowers.
Ans: • The US had acquired the largest air force in the world,
with almost 73,000 aircraft. Additionally, 12 million men were in
the armed forces, and the navy consisted of over 70,000
vessels. Oh yea...and we had the A-bomb.
• The USSR had acquired the largest land army in the world
• France and Britain's inability to defeat
Describe the economic reasons the US and USSR became
superpowers.
Ans: • The US economy was able to out-produce all the other
powers put together.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
• US was committed to open trade, wanting to insure liberal
trade conditions and market competition. The US took a lead in
international collaboration: International Monetary Fund (IMF);
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• The US had the economic strength to prevent a return to
instability in Europe.
• Small Eastern European countries were not e conomically
viable on their own; the Soviet Union would support them.
Describe the political reasons the US and USSR became superpowers.
Ans: • USA: Democracy and international collaboration had
triumphed over fascism; therefore, the US political system was
the right path for the future.
• USSR: Communism had triumphed over fascism; communism
gained widespread respect throughout Eastern Europe because
of its part in resisting the Germans.
• The USSR's huge losses and the role of the Red Army in
defeating the Nazis gave Stalin a claim to a large role in
forming the post-war world.
• The USSR had the political and military strength to prevent a
return to instability in Eastern Europe.
Describe the state of the war (WWII) during the Tehran Conference of
1942.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
IB History (HL): The Cold War Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the West in terms of the economy.
Ans: •Capitalism: Individuals should be able to compete w/
each other w/ a minimal state interference & make as much $ as
they wish
• Individuals thus encouraged to work hard by the promise of
individual reward
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the West in terms of politics.
Ans: liberal democracy:
• Individuals choose the gov't through voting. There is a range
of political parties to choose from
• Individuals have certain rights, such as freedom of speech &
freedom of press
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the USSR in terms of the economy.
Ans: Communism (extreme version of socialism): No desire to
produce a better good b/c government will do for you
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
• Capitalism creates divisions between rich & poor ->all
businesses & farms should be owned by the state on behalf of
the people
• Goods will be distributed to individuals by the state ->
Everyone will get what is needed & will be working for the
collective good
Discuss the ideological beliefs of the USSR in terms of politics.
Ans: • There is no need for a range of political parties, as the
Communist Party truly represents the views of all the workers &
rules on behalf of the people
• Individual freedoms valued by the West aren't necessary
• This is a one-party state
Discuss the increasing hostility between the West and the USSR.
Ans: The mutual suspicion between the West and the USSR
manifested itself in various ways between the Bolshevik Rev
(1917) and the start of WWII (1939):
o The intervention of the West in the Russian Civil War (1918 -
1922)
o The fact that the USSR did not receive diplomatic recognition
nor join the League of Nations until the 1930's
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
o The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (1939) allowed Hitler to
concentrate on attacking the West
Discuss the sef-interest of the US.
Ans: • No need to est markets & open doors to free trade
• The desire to avoid another economic of the magnitude of
1929
• President Truman and most of the post-war US admin
behind....
Describe the military reasons the US and USSR became superpowers.
Ans: • The US had acquired the largest air force in the world,
with almost 73,000 aircraft. Additionally, 12 million men were in
the armed forces, and the navy consisted of over 70,000
vessels. Oh yea...and we had the A-bomb.
• The USSR had acquired the largest land army in the world
• France and Britain's inability to defeat
Describe the economic reasons the US and USSR became
superpowers.
Ans: • The US economy was able to out-produce all the other
powers put together.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
• US was committed to open trade, wanting to insure liberal
trade conditions and market competition. The US took a lead in
international collaboration: International Monetary Fund (IMF);
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• The US had the economic strength to prevent a return to
instability in Europe.
• Small Eastern European countries were not e conomically
viable on their own; the Soviet Union would support them.
Describe the political reasons the US and USSR became superpowers.
Ans: • USA: Democracy and international collaboration had
triumphed over fascism; therefore, the US political system was
the right path for the future.
• USSR: Communism had triumphed over fascism; communism
gained widespread respect throughout Eastern Europe because
of its part in resisting the Germans.
• The USSR's huge losses and the role of the Red Army in
defeating the Nazis gave Stalin a claim to a large role in
forming the post-war world.
• The USSR had the political and military strength to prevent a
return to instability in Eastern Europe.
Describe the state of the war (WWII) during the Tehran Conference of
1942.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
