Free world

The Free World is a Cold War-era term used by non-communist nations to describe themselves. The term was used to contrast the supposed greater freedom enjoyed by citizens of non-communist countries that called themselves democratic, such as the United States and Western Europe, with the Soviet Union and its East European allies. The usage of this term, however, generally does not take into account the many other non-communist states allied with the "Free World" during the Cold War, most notably in South America, Asia and Africa, many of which have been criticised as repressive and dictatorial.

Related Topics:
Cold War - Democratic - United States - Soviet Union

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Because of America's prominent role in the Cold War, the President of the United States was often dubbed the "leader of the Free World", particularly in the United States itself.

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Although the term had its vogue during the Cold War, it had been used before, at least occasionally, to refer to the nations fighting Germany in the Second World War. Such use may have included the Soviet Union by implication.

Related Topics:
Germany - Second World War

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One of the earliest uses of the term Free World as a politically significant term occurs in Frank Capra's World War II propaganda film series Why We Fight. In the first film of that series, the "free world" is dramatically contrasted with the "slave world," in the words of the narration. The film depicts the free world as the Western Hemisphere, led by the United States and Western Europe, and the slave world as the Eastern Hemisphere, dominated by Nazi Germany and the Japanese Empire. The films portray the Soviet Union as an ally of the "Free World", which it was, from the perspective of nations fighting Germany in World War II.

Related Topics:
Frank Capra - World War II - Propaganda film - Why We Fight - United States - Europe - Nazi Germany - Japanese Empire - Soviet Union

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