Notes Class 11 Chapter 9 Political Science Maharashtra Board

The world since 1945 – I

Introduction

The period after World War II (1939–1945) brought major changes to the world. These changes shaped international relations and led to the Cold War, a time of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. This chapter explains the key events and trends since 1945 in simple language.

Effects of World War II

World War II changed the global order. Here are the main effects:

End of Europe’s Dominance:

• Before the war, European countries like Germany, France, and the UK were powerful, making the world “Eurocentric.”
• After the war, these countries were weakened or defeated.
• The United States and Soviet Union became the new superpowers, reducing Europe’s importance.

Division of Europe:

• During the war, Soviet forces controlled Eastern Europe, while the US, UK, and France controlled Western Europe.
• After Germany’s defeat, both sides wanted to keep their influence, splitting Europe into:
• East Europe: Under Soviet control.
• West Europe: Under Western (US, UK, France) control.

Role of Ideology:

• Ideology became important after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, which created the Soviet Union as a socialist state.
• East European countries under Soviet influence adopted socialism.
• West European countries under US influence adopted capitalism.
• This ideological divide deepened the split in Europe.

Formation of the United Nations (UN):

• The UN was created in 1945 to replace the League of Nations.
• Its goal was to maintain peace and security worldwide through international cooperation.

Rise of Asia and Africa:

• After the war, countries in Asia and Africa fought against colonial rule.
• These struggles led to independence for many nations, marking the rise of Asia and Africa in global affairs.

The United Nations (UN)

The UN was established in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation. Its key roles and organs are:

Main Roles of the UN

Maintain Peace and Security:

Prevents conflicts, helps resolve disputes, and supports peacekeeping missions.

Protect Human Rights:

Promotes human rights globally, starting with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Deliver Humanitarian Aid:

Coordinates relief efforts during disasters like floods or wars.

Promote Sustainable Development:

Encourages development that balances economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection.

Uphold International Law:

Supports international courts, treaties, and laws to ensure justice.

Main Organs of the UN

General Assembly:

• All UN member countries are represented.
• Discusses and makes policies on global issues.

Security Council:

• Responsible for maintaining peace.
• Has 15 members: 5 permanent (US, UK, Russia, China, France) and 10 non-permanent.

Economic and Social Council:

• Focuses on economic, social, and environmental issues.
• Coordinates global development goals.

Trusteeship Council:

• Helped colonies become independent.
• Stopped functioning in 1994 after all territories gained independence.

International Court of Justice:

• Located in The Hague, Netherlands.
• Settles legal disputes between countries.

Secretariat:

• Led by the Secretary-General, who is appointed for 5 years.
• Manages the UN’s day-to-day work.

Key Facts About the UN

Total Members: 193 countries.

Permanent Security Council Members: US, UK, Russia, China, France.

Headquarters: New York City, USA.

Secretary-Generals (as of 2025, historical data):

• Trygve Lie (1946–1952)
• Dag Hammarskjöld (1953–1961)
• U Thant (1961–1971)
• Kurt Waldheim (1972–1981)
• Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1982–1991)
• Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992–1996)
• Kofi Annan (1997–2006)
• Ban Ki-moon (2007–2016)
• António Guterres (2017–present).

The Cold War

The Cold War was a period of tension between the US and the Soviet Union from 1945 to the early 1990s. It was called a “cold” war because there was no direct fighting between the two, but they competed in many ways.

Dimensions of the Cold War

Political:

• The US and Soviet Union competed for influence over Europe.
• Soviet influence: East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania.
• US influence: West Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium.
• Finland stayed neutral to avoid conflict.

Ideological:

• East Europe followed socialism (government-controlled economy) under Soviet influence.
• West Europe followed capitalism (private sector-led economy) under US influence.

Economic:

• East European countries had socialist economies, where the government controlled industries.
• West European countries had capitalist economies, driven by private businesses.

Security:

Both sides formed military alliances:

• NATO (1949): US-led alliance to protect Western Europe (members included US, UK, France, West Germany, etc.).
• Warsaw Pact (1955): Soviet-led alliance to protect Eastern Europe (members included Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, etc.).

These alliances prepared for a possible war that never happened.

Phases of the Cold War

1945–1949/50 (Formative Years):

• Europe was divided into East (Soviet-led) and West (US-led) blocs.
• Political, ideological, economic, and military differences grew.
• Winston Churchill called this divide the “Iron Curtain” in a 1946 speech.

In Asia:

• India gained independence in 1947.
• China became communist in 1949 under Mao Zedong and allied with the Soviet Union in 1950.

1949/50–1959 (Cold War in Asia):

The Cold War spread to Asia.

Korean War (1950–1953):

• North Korea (communist) attacked South Korea (capitalist).
• The UN sent forces to support South Korea.
• The war ended with Korea divided into North and South.

Military Alliances in Asia:

• ANZUS (1952): Australia, New Zealand, US.
• SEATO (1954): Thailand, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, US.
• CENTO (1955): Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan (Iraq and Iran later withdrew).
• Soviet Union–China alliance (1950).

Soviet Leadership Change:

• Stalin died in 1953, and Nikita Khrushchev became leader.
• Khrushchev introduced “Peaceful Co-existence,” saying socialist and capitalist systems could coexist to avoid nuclear war.

Regionalism:

• India hosted the Asian Relations Conference in 1947 to unite Asian countries.
• The Bandung Conference (1955) in Indonesia included Asian and African nations to promote cooperation and peace.
• In Europe, the European Coal and Steel Community (1951) laid the foundation for the European Union (EU).

Camp David Summit (1959):

US President Eisenhower and Soviet leader Khrushchev met to reduce tensions, marking a turning point in the Cold War.

Regionalism

Definition: Regionalism is when countries in a specific region cooperate to promote their shared interests, like trade, security, or culture.

Examples:

• European Union (EU): Economic and political unity in Europe.
• ASEAN: Cooperation among Southeast Asian nations.
• SAARC: South Asian countries working together.

Purpose:

• Solve common problems (e.g., transport, health).
• Build a regional identity.
• Foster peace and development.