Question

Explain any four conditions that helped the Soviet Union to become a super power after the Second World War.

Hint:

The Soviet Union became a superpower because of its war victory, military strength, planned economy and the appeal of its socialist model. Four of these conditions are enough for 4 marks.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the question:
The Second World War ended in 1945. Britain, France and Germany were weakened, and only the USA and the Soviet Union stayed strong.
We need to explain any four conditions that raised the Soviet Union to the level of a superpower.

Step 2: Condition 1 - Victory and military strength:
The Soviet Union fought Germany on the eastern front and paid a very heavy price. Its Red Army entered Eastern Europe and Berlin.
After the war it had one of the largest armies in the world and strong control over the territory it had freed.

Step 3: Condition 2 - Strong planned economy:
Under state planning, the Soviet Union built heavy industry very fast after the 1917 revolution.
By the end of the war it had the second largest economy in the world, which gave it the means to support a big military and help other countries.

Step 4: Condition 3 - Appeal of the socialist ideology:
The Soviet Union offered an alternative to capitalism based on equality and state ownership.
This idea attracted many newly independent and poor countries, and it gave the Soviet Union a group of followers across the world.

Step 5: Condition 4 - Weakness of European powers:
Western Europe lay in ruins and Germany was defeated. No European country could challenge the Soviet Union any more.
This left a gap in world politics, and the Soviet Union stepped into it alongside the USA.

Final Answer:
The Soviet Union became a superpower because of its military power after the war, its planned economy, the pull of socialism, and the weakness of the European powers.