The United States and Soviet Union had many ideological differences. The Soviet Union was the birthplace of communism and a huge proponent of it. Communism and capitalism are direct opposites. This caused tension between the countries which eventually led to the culmination of the Cold War. It was an obvious fact that the Soviet Union wanted to expand the size of its empire.
After WWII, there was communism fever in the northern part of the world. This domineering outbreak of communism threatened the US and our capitalist allies. Through the outbreaks, the US took things to drastic measures and did everything in their power to stop communism, causing multiple wars and combat. During June of 1950, North Korea first invaded the Southern part of Korea due to their pessimistic views on communism.
During the Cold War was based on two different types of beliefs called Communism and Capitalism and both the U.S. with its own allies and the U.S.S.R. Its Communist allies are equally to blame for starting the war. When the Iron curtain was around the East European government adopted a communist system and fell under the control of the U.S.S.R. The Iron Curtain, political, military, and mysterious barrier raised by the Soviet Union after World War II to seal off itself and its dependant Eastern and Western European allies from open contact with the West and other non-Communist countries. (Document 1)
The most significant factors that led to the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union were ideological differences, unequal war costs, and lack of trust. The United States and the Soviet Union went from being allies to being enemies through their ideological differences. Document A states," ...that capitalism
Following the end of World War II, relations between the Soviet Union and the United States quickly deteriorated, with tensions rising and both nations pushed to the brink of war. This strain arose largely due to animosity and secrecy from both parties, as each side wondered what the other was planning and tried to create policies to protect themselves from these possibilities. In the case of the United States, President Truman often incorrectly interpreted Soviet intentions, which ultimately led to the Cold War. He believed that Stalin wanted war when the Soviets were just trying to protect themselves after the war, were retaliating against aggressive Western policies, and were using the same rhetoric that the West was using.
The Cold War was a war full of politics and beliefs along with brutal fighting. Communism was seen as a major threat to the United States. The Soviet Union was trying to, at the time, influence other countries of its communist beliefs in hopes of gaining allies and resources. The Soviets expanded after WWII and the Americans feared this, adding tense to their “alliance.” The Soviet Union’s main targets were Europe but also to gain global exposure and power as well.
The Cold War was the war against the United States and the Soviet Union and their alliances that chose sides throughout the war. This started because of United States making a nuclear bombs and the Soviet Union trying to spread communism. Although the Soviet Union started the Space Race and started the spread communism ultimately the United States is to blame for the Cold War because they were good with communism for selfish reasons, started the Arms race and, built alliances for themselves first. (document f for the last reason)
Yes, Truman was on a crusade to stop communism in the United States from spreading in the early days of the cold war, and the Republican Party became anxious about the uprising of communism in America. However, the economic decline after the Great Depression made Americans who struggled supportive of the idea of communism spreading in the United States. The initial effort made by Truman to stop communism from spreading, was when the “Truman Doctrine” was made public. The Truman Doctrine pledged to contain communism and provide political, economic, and military support by the US to any nation that was threatened by the Soviet Union. At the time, the Truman Doctrine was made to stop communism from spreading to Greece and Turkey, and to prevent
The Cold War defined the mindset of the United States citizens at the time. Giving them a perspective towards the communist regime and its people. Concerns by the American society also shaped the view towards communism, as well as new ideas spreading out in the United States communities. A series of proxy wars, nonconformity, unrest, and ideologies is what triggered the hatred of both superpowers during this period of time. Indeed, this period of history even shapes some of the ideas of people nowadays.
America and the Soviet Union were allies during WWII, but it was a “tense ally” (Cold War History). “They now see each other as archenemies” (Out of Many, p. 581) now that the war is over. America was in fear of communism from the Soviet Union and was doing everything in their power to defeat the Soviet Union. In 1947 President Truman made a speech and stated: “ the preservation and freedom of all Americans depended on containing communism” (Out of Many, p. 584) and Truman helped to generate popular support for an anti-communist
The end of the Second World War brought dramatic changes to the world, including the role of the United States. In an effort to maintain a global position of dominance, the nation engaged in a Cold War with the Soviet Union. While Americans supported a capitalistic model of society, the Soviets supported a Communist one. These two world powers fought to exchange socioeconomic models for alliance and support from third-world countries. The US was frightened by the spread of Communism, especially to their own nation.
In the end the United States formed new alliances that are still going on today, and the U.S. are now on better terms with Russia after the Cold
There are three competing theories of the causes of the Cold War; the traditional theory, the liberal theory, and the ideological theory. In all three theories lie causes that could have equally contributed to the conflict, but only one is more convincing than the others. The traditional theory says that communists were at fault for the conflict. Communists, specifically Stalin, wanted more control and thus used his political ideology as a means to achieve his desires. Expansionism is a commonly mentioned aspect related the idea of the traditional theory.
There were many factors that made the Cold War progressively worse over time. Possibly the largest cause of the worsening relations between the U.S. and Russia was the Vietnam War. North Vietnam’s goal was to unite Vietnam under the means of Communism which went against South Vietnam’s Capitalist state. During the war, Russia and the U.S. backed different parts of Vietnam, intensifying the conflict between the two countries. The U.S. was supporting South Vietnam while Russia was supporting North Vietnam.
Some historians believe the Cold War was inevitable because of the hostilities from both America and the Soviet Union after World War II. America believed that the USSR was an expansionist country trying to spread an evil, communistic idea throughout the world. Although the countries never directly fought against each other, as they only fought in proxy wars, there was still extreme conflict. The United States responded to the Soviets actions in Germany, Europe, and their national actions. These responses were justifiable, or so many Americans at the time believed.
