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The impact of world war 2 on Britains decine as a great power by 1950

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Introduction

Explain the importance in relation to other factors of the impact of WWII on Britain's decline as a great power by about 1950. There are many factors as to why Britain declined as a great power by 1950. Perhaps some of the most important factors are Britain's economic status, the rise and dependency upon powerful states such as USA and loss of empire as a result of Nationalism. However although these factors are important it is my opinion that the most important factor for Britain's decline as a great power was the Second World War. This is because all of the other factors involved in Britain's decline in power are as a direct result of the Second World War. Britain's Empire was a significant contribution to its status as a great international power. The Empire provided Britain with economic opportunities such as cheap raw materials, military resources like soldiers and it gave Britain strategic influence in the form of military presence on a global scale. ...read more.

Middle

By 1945 the empire was strategically irrelevant anyway due to the creation of nuclear power which enabled country's to attack each other across the world. Great Britain developed a new relationship with the its white dominions called the Common Wealth. Also the empire did not contribute to economic growth and so therefore did not contribute to Britain's becoming a great power. By 1950 the empire wasn't really a great loss for Britain because Europe and the USA was its future. The economic status of Britain was a great factor in its decline as a great power because a prosperous economy shows that a country is wealthy and therefore has great power. Britain was in debt $4000 million at the end of the First World War due to the cost of supplies and the disruption of trade of its staple industry products. ...read more.

Conclusion

The emergence of powerful states such as the USA is also another important factor in Britain's decline of power. The First World War had given the USA great economic expansion via a growth in trade. USA had managed this by taking over other countries trade markets such as Britain's while they were too busy fighting and this contributed to Britain's decline in power. Britain's dependency upon the USA is another reason for its decline in power. After the Second World war Britain was in heavy debt and After thorough examination of the issues involved it is apparent that the Second World War was the most important reason for Britain's decline as a great power by 1950. It was the Second World war which led to an economic decline due to borrowing money which led to Britain becoming dependent on the USA to help with recovery. The Second War also contributed to ...read more.

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