Why did the USSR emerge as a superpower after 1945?

4 key factors which enabled the USSR to emerge as a superpower in the aftermath of World War II.-     Soviet Expansion·      The Red Army liberated many Eastern European countries at the end of the war, however, occupied these countries and rigged elections and introduced coercion to ensure the implementation of Communism in these countries.·      Trade agreements were drawn up between Russia and other Eastern European countries which clearly favoured Russia.·      At the top of each communist party stood a ruling Politburo and in each peoples democracy opposition was supressed through terror and propaganda.·      By 1949 an Eastern bloc had emerged.·      At the Yalta conference in 1945, Eastern Europe was established as a ‘Soviet sphere of influence.’
-       The economy·      By 1952 total industrial production was double that of 1940 and the economy was geared for war – making Russia powerful.·      At the end of the plan heavy industry had recovered from the war – steel production was 19% above the 1940 figure and electricity 87%. Coal was 57% higher, cement 45% and glass 90%. Industrial production exceeded targets set.·      Prices were high and wages were low to encourage people into staying in the labour force·      Living standard was extremely low and nothing was done to address the problem.
-       The military·      The development of a Russian nuclear weapon cemented the USSR as a superpower.·      Countries in the USSR’s sphere of influence had large deposits of uranium essential for the development of the atomic bomb.·      The Stalinist command economy was ideally suited to the task of producing weapons.·      Due to the extensive network of spies the physicists were aided by both British and American nuclear secrets.
-       Political·      By 1946 the Grand Alliance of the Second World War had broken down and Eastern Europe allied with the USSR under the banner of Socialism. Western Europe together with the USA favoured democracy and capitalism.·      The defeat of Germany provided the USSR with a boost in morale and ultimate victory –the fact that they had been the first (before the allied troops) to capture Berlin was an added bonus.·      The division of Europe led to a break down between the East and West and the beginning of the Cold War.
TECHNIQUE: divide the answer to the question thematically, choose clear evidence to illustrate your answer and expand on this evidence concisely.