Impact of World War II
Indiana World History Standards
WH.8.6
WH.8.7
Explain the causes and consequences of the Cold War.
Identify new post-war nations in South and Southeast Asia and Africa that were created from former colonies,
and describe the reconfiguration of the African continent.
WH.8.9 Describe ethnic or nationalistic conflicts and violence in various parts of the
world, including Southeastern Europe, Southwest and Central Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
WH.8.10 Describe and analyze the global expansion of democracy since the 1970s and the successes or failures of
democratic reform movements in challenging authoritarian or despotic regimes in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin
America.
WH.8.11 Identify contemporary international organizations. Describe why each was established and assess their
success, consequences for citizen and the role of particular countries in achieving the goals of each.
WH.9.1
Identify patterns of historical change and duration and construct a representation
that illustrates continuity and change.
Today’s Objectives
- To understand the aftermath of World War II
- To understand the motivations behind the founding of the United Nations
-To understand how the Allies deal with the former Axis nations
3
• Aftermath
video: Crash Course “USA vs. USSR”
→ Wartime production ends the Great Depression, but
…most destructive war in history
-vast areas of Europe & Asia are destroyed
-millions are homeless & displaced in Europe
-50-80 million are dead (25 million in USSR)
-borders will be redrawn and new nations created
• United Nations
→ Founded after the close of World War II to:
-to replace the ineffective League of Nations
-to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”
→ Headed by five victorious Allied powers:
…US, Britain, France, USSR and China
United Nations
• Dividing the Axis
→ At the end of WWII, Allied occupation forces controlled vast
Axis territories and began to organize new governments
…Germany (including capital, Berlin) is split into 4 zones
- American, Soviet, British & French
…Japan is occupied by American & Soviet forces
Germany after WWII
Essential Question
Why was the United Nations founded after WWII?
Target Questions
• What ended the Great Depression?
• Who will lead the United Nations?
• How was Germany divided after WWII?
Required Reading Question(s)
1) Why did the Allies hold war crimes trials for Axis leaders?