A. GOV Explain the historical context of the Cold War after 1945.
Historical Development
Hopes for greater self-government were largely unfulfilled following World War I; however, in the years following World War II, increasing anti-imperialist sentiment contributed to the dissolution of empires and the restructuring of states. Technological and economic gains experienced during World War II by the victorious nations shifted the global balance of power.
A Divided Germany The left map: The nation of Germany is divided after World War II: The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) & the German DemocraticRepublic (East Germany). The white line marks the railway transit route I traveled in 1975, via Hanover to Berlin. The right map: The City of Berlin, also divided into two parts; East Berlin (USSR) and West Berlin (USA, France, & England), surrounded by the Wall.