At the end of World War Two, Britain, although impoverished, was a power that spanned the globe, while America was a nation withdrew to look after its own affairs. All this was
to change within a short space of time. A freakishly cold winter proved devastating for Europe and revealed Britain’s fundamental weakness, while the Soviet Union began to
emerge as a threatening expansionist power.
The United States stepped in, first with economic help and then with defence aid, transforming itself into a world power.