Middle School
Worksheets
Leader of the Free World
At the end of World War II, two countries, the Soviet Union and the United States, emerged as the two superpowers of the world. The Soviet Union had become the leader of the communist countries. The United States had become the leader of the democratic countries.
The Soviet Union was considered our enemy at this time. A competition sprang up between the two countries, known as the Cold War. The democratic countries, including many European countries and the United States, became known as the free world. The United States was the most powerful of the free world countries, and so the President of the United States was sometimes called the leader of the free world.
The U.S. was the leading free world country in several ways. Our economy was booming. People in other countries wanted to live like we did in the United States.
The United States government also took on a leadership role in world affairs. We provided aid to war-torn countries in Europe. We were one of the organizers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO. We airlifted food, fuel, and other supplies into Berlin when it was needed.
In later years, United States' presidents continued to address world problems. President Eisenhower provided financial support to South Vietnam. President Kennedy organized the Peace Corps, whose members provide assistance to developing countries. The United States ventured even farther when it began exploration into outer space. Some efforts were successful, and some were not.
