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America and Russia compared
It will help in your exam if you are able to describe the huge differences between America and Russia:
Comparison of America and Russia
| America | Russia |
|---|---|
| 1. The richest country in the world. | 1. The biggest country in the world. |
| 2. A democracy with free elections, led by an elected president. | 2. A one-party state led by a dictator. There were elections, but you could only vote for the Communist Party. |
| 3. Freedom of speech and belief. | 3. State control: censorship, secret police, terror and purges. |
| 4. Capitalism - private ownership and the right to make money. | 4. Communism - state ownership of the means of production, and the belief that wealth should be shared. |
| 5. Led by Truman, who believed that Communism was evil. | 5. Led by Stalin, who believed that capitalism was evil. |
| 6. Had the atomic bomb - but was scared of Russia's conventional army. | 6. Had the biggest army in the world - but was angry that Truman had not warned that he was going to drop the atomic bomb. |
| 7. Feared the spread of communism throughout the world. | 7. Was angry because America and Britain had invaded Russia in 1918-19 to try to destroy communism. |
| 8. Angry about the Nazi-Soviet Pact that was a major factor in starting the Second World War. | 8. Believed that America and Britain had delayed opening the second front (attacking France) to let Germany and Russia destroy each other on the eastern front. |
| 9. Wanted reconstruction - to make Germany a prosperous democracy and a trading partner. | 9. Wanted to wreck Germany, take huge reparations for the damage done during the war, and set up a buffer of friendly states around Russia to prevent another invasion in the future. |
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