The Cold War Essay

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The Cold War was a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union, fought through military alliances, proxy wars, and a nuclear arms race.

The conflict began due to the breakdown of the wartime alliance between the two countries. Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech in March 1946 illustrated the Soviet's control over the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. President Truman's speech to Congress in March 1947 advocated for the support of free peoples resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressure. Secretary of State Marshall's speech in June 1947 proposed that the United States should help Europe recover from heavy economic, social, and political damage caused by the post-war environment. The North Atlantic Treaty of 1948 saw the formation of the NATO alliance between the United States, Canada, and ten Western European nations, which was followed by the creation of the Soviet's Warsaw Pact alliance. Both alliances were ready to use armed force in the event of an attack. The nuclear arms race became an important aspect of the Cold War, with both superpowers developing technology and building as many weapons as possible. The Cuban missile crisis of 1962 was a clear example of the threat of nuclear weapons. …show more content…

Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech in March 1946 highlighted the extent of Soviet control over Central and Eastern Europe. This was followed by President Truman's speech to Congress in March 1947, in which he advocated for the support of free peoples resisting subjugation. Secretary of State Marshall's speech in June 1947 proposed that the United States should help Europe recover from the damage caused by the post-war environment. These speeches illustrate how the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was

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