The Post War International Developments was important topic in history. The Second World War was so widespread and effective that with its end an era of present history came to an end and a new era began. The details of the major international events after the Second World War are as follows –

Rise of the U.S.A. as super power

• After the Second World War, the United States of America emerged as a super power in the world. Before the World War it was a powerful nation but it did not have the status of a super power.
• The main feature of American foreign policy before the World War was isolationist policy. After the World War America started participating openly in world politics.
• By providing assistance to poor nations through its vast and additional economic resources, it started establishing its influence on the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
• Under this, major methods like military and commercial treaties and establishment of military bases in foreign countries were adopted.
• America started taking extensive interest in European affairs.
• It established NATO to protect Western Europe from the possible Soviet attack. He signed the CENTO Treaty with the countries of Western Asia and the SEATO Treaty with South-East Asia.
• He became the leader of the anti-Soviet countries in the Security Council. He took an active part in the Korean War.

Rise of the U.S.S.R. as super power

• The rise of the Soviet Union as a super power in world politics after the Second World War was a special event. After the World War, on the one hand the Soviet Union adopted a strong policy to spread the Soviet revolution and on the other hand adopted the policy of “Iron curtain” to protect the communist countries of Eastern Europe from Western influences.
• The slogan of the Soviet Union was, “We are living in an era in which all roads lead to communism.”
• After the Second World War, it first started showing its influence in those countries of Europe which were liberated from the slavery of Germany by the Russian army. As a result, governments with communist ideology were established in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia or they were made the sphere of influence of this ideology.
• Yugoslavia moved away from Soviet Russia after being with it for some time. Poland and East Germany were already painted in Soviet colours.
• Soviet Russia provided economic, military and technical assistance to these countries, the aim of which was to bring stability in the economic system of these nations.

The rise of America and Soviet Union as superpowers had the following effects on international politics:

1. Two powerful groups emerged in international politics.
2. Cold war began in international politics.
3. Military elements like NATO and Warsaw Pact emerged in international politics.
4. The race for armament increased and nuclear weapons began to be manufactured.
5. The repeated use of ‘Veto’ created a deadlock in the decision-making power of international institutions like the United Nations.
6. Ideological conflict began.

Re-building and re-organisation of Europe

• After the Second World War, only two powers remained in the world- the United States of America and Soviet Russia. The World War proved to be a boon for America because neither the war was fought on its land nor did it have to face the destruction caused by war like the nations fighting the war.
• The non-communist countries of Europe started looking towards America for their economic reconstruction. On the other hand, by infusing seven nations of Eastern Europe in the communist colour, the Soviet Union had presented a tremendous political and ideological challenge to the independent world.
• In 1944, William T.R. Fox had written that “The transformation of the old world-leading Europe into a new deprived Europe is the central idea of ​​international politics of our time.”
• After the Second World War, the importance and dominance of Europe diminished. The terrible destruction of the war weakened Europe economically and politically.
• On one hand, the expansionist policy of the Soviet Union in the east began to frighten it, on the other hand, the rise of the United States of America in the western countries also began to trouble it.
• Between these two gigantic powers, the way for self-defence and progress for the nations of western Europe was to strengthen European unity and for this, to form various economic and political organisations. The United States of America also considered such organisations essential for self-defence against the Soviet Union.
• After the Second World War, the problem of military security of western Europe has also been very difficult. The terror of the Cold War had made the countries of western Europe feel the need for integrated defence efforts, due to which a network of military treaties was established.
• The following organisations were formed for the military security of western Europe –
  • Dunkirk Treaty,
  • Brussels Treaty,
  • NATO,
  • European Defence Community,
  • Western European Union.
• In response to the economic reconstruction and military and political integration of Western Europe, Soviet Russia established ‘Cominform’ in 1947, ‘Council of Mutual Economic Assistance’ in 1949 and ‘Warsaw Pact’ in 1955 to organize the countries of Eastern Europe. This integration of Eastern Europe had a huge impact on international politics. This organized power of communist countries presented a huge challenge to the capitalist powers of the West.

Rise and resurgence of Asia

• The rebellion of Asia is the most important event after the Second World War. According to McMahon Ball, “This revolt is the product of three forces –
  • first, it is the three rebellions of colonialism against foreign political control. It is the claim of self-determination, of prior national independence.
  • Secondly, it is a social and economic revolt by those people who have a keener feeling of their poverty and misfortune and thirdly, it may be called a racial revolt for want of a suitable name. It is the revolt of the East against the West. It is a firm resolve that the fate of Asia will be decided by the Asians, not by the Europeans, and that the new nations of the East will be ends in themselves, not means of the Western countries.”
• The awakening of Asia is the most important event of the twentieth century. It is a symbol of the general decline of colonialism in the countries. It is an open challenge to all forms of imperialism and apartheid.
• It is the driving force of the African and Latin American national liberation movements. It is the wind of social and economic change along with political freedom. This is a campaign against poverty, ignorance, superstition and social evils.
• Later on, Asia became the real centre of conflict. Today, there is no country in Asia which is not embroiled in some problem in some form or the other.
• The serious problems of Asia like China-Soviet conflict, India-China Soma conflict, India-Pakistan dispute, Korea conflict, Arab-Israel conflict, Chinese attack on Vietnam, Iran-Iraq conflict, Afghan crisis, Kampuchea problem, problem of Tamil immigrants in Sri Lanka etc. have been making it a real area of ​​conflict.

Rise and resurgence of Africa

• Tom Masoya has said that the biggest and most important change in the contemporary world is the resurrection of Africa and African people from the prison cells of colonial rule and the darkness imposed by foreign domination.
• The rise of Africa is such a revolutionary and far-reaching event that no nation can ignore today. Despite instability, unrest and uncertainty, the spirit of revolution is strong in Africa.
• While on the one hand the rise of Africa has dealt a severe blow to colonialism and imperialism, on the other hand it has played an important role in the rejuvenation of organizations like the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
• About one-third of the total member nations of the United Nations are African states. Today independent African countries work as an organized ‘lobby’ in the United Nations and have become an influential force along with Asian countries.
• After independence, the British colonies of Africa became members of the Commonwealth. Now the Commonwealth has become an organization where black nations are in majority.
• Although due to internal instability and backwardness of African countries they have not been able to gain the possible influence in international politics. Still, today Africa is influencing international politics more than at any previous time in its history.

Expansion of Atomic Weapons

• In the beginning of August, 1945, America had only two atomic bombs and with their use in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, America’s stock of atomic bombs became empty.
• For about four years, America had a monopoly in the field of knowledge and storage of atomic bombs, but this monopoly ended on 29 August, 1949, when Soviet Russia conducted its first successful atomic bomb test. In this way, the race and competition of atomic weapons started.
• America conducted its first hydrogen power test in May, 1951 and Soviet Russia in November, 1952. Both made hydrogen bombs in 1954-55.
• Apart from these two, Britain in 1952, France in 1960 and China in 1964 also joined the race of atomic weapons. In 1974, India demonstrated an atomic explosion in Pokhran. In 1998, India declared itself a nuclear power.
• But after the successful test of the Soviet missile ‘Sputnik’ in October 1957, the era of long-range or intercontinental missiles began. Now both the superpowers could drop nuclear bombs on each other as well as on any land area in the world while sitting at home.
• Apart from this, both the superpowers and to a limited extent Britain and France also have nuclear-powered submarines which can attack with nuclear missiles at a distance greater than the medium-range zone. Both superpowers have invented missiles called MIRVs, which can carry multiple megaton nuclear bombs at once and can be dropped at multiple targets with precision and speed, at pre-command by a computer.
• Apart from the two superpowers, France, Britain and China also have large air fleets equipped with high-speed aircraft for carrying out nuclear attacks on nearby areas.
• India and Pakistan have also become nuclear weapon states after the 1998 tests.

Sino-Soviet conflict

• The Sino-Soviet conflict was the most thrilling and remarkable event in international politics after the Second World War. This event weakened the ferocity of international communism. Two suns rose simultaneously in the communist sky.
• Not only did a theoretical cold war begin between Soviet Russia and China, but the cannons of communist nations across the Asuri river also started firing shells at each other while chanting praises of Marx and Lenin.
• According to Prof. V.P. Dutt, the Sino-Soviet differences had reached a point from where it was impossible to return. The gulf of differences between the two countries was quite wide, the disputes were quite deep. They not only had competition to lead the communist world, but the clash of national interests was also so severe that the possibility of mutual reconciliation and harmonious relations was very low.
• The differences between Soviet Russia and China first appeared in the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party in 1956. Khrushchev deified Stalin. He emphasized on collective leadership instead of personality worship. To protect communism, he emphasized on adopting a policy of peaceful co-existence with capitalism.
• Chinese communist leaders did not agree with this new idea of ​​Khrushchev. According to Mao, there was no need to amend Marxism. In 1959, Khrushchev visited America and met Eisenhower at Camp David. Chinese leaders called it a betrayal of communism.
• After some days, Russia-China differences took the form of a public dispute. Soviet Russia started calling China fundamentalist and China started calling the Soviet Union revisionist.
• In July 1960, all Soviet scientists and experts engaged in China’s development plans were called back to the Soviet Union. Technical assistance provided to China was stopped. Chinese citizens also started leaving Soviet Russia.
• In October 1962, the policy adopted by Soviet Russia towards Cuba was publicly condemned in China.
• The stance taken by Soviet Russia during the Indo-China war of 1962 was also severely criticised by Chinese leaders. The signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by Soviet Russia with the US and Britain in Moscow on 25 July 1963 was termed inappropriate by Chinese leaders.
• In 1963, Mao Tse Tung refused to go to Moscow. In 1964, Chinese radio and newspapers started calling Khrushchev a stooge of the US. After 1964, Chinese leaders started calling Soviet leaders ‘social imperialists’. On 1 March 1969, these two communist countries clashed directly over Damascus, an island in the Asuri river in East Asia. By the end of 1975, it became clear that the border dispute between these two countries was not going to end soon.
• Later, both countries openly started following foreign policies that failed each other’s international objectives.
• Some effects of the Sino-Soviet conflict are as follows-
  • America and China started coming closer to each other and the path of improvement in relations between them was paved.
  • Trade relations could be established between Western European countries and China.
  • The monopoly of the Soviet Union over the communist world ended.
  • Due to this, the feeling of national communism got strengthened.
  • This gave birth to polycentrism in the communist ideology.
  • This caused a blow to the unity of the communist world.
• Thus, China created a new triangular conflict in the relations between the United States of America, Soviet Union and China in international politics. This not only caused a severe blow to the unity of the communist countries, but a new situation arose in the relations between the above three countries.
• Till now Soviet Russia and China were accusing each other of being in cahoots with the American imperialists. This accusation was being made with two objectives.
  • The first objective was to defame its opponent in the communist world and
  • The second objective was to give a new turn to its foreign policy. The result of the second objective was that the communist nations which earlier considered the United States of America as their worst enemy, now started considering each other as such instead.