How Did The Soviet Union Affect The Future Of Eastern Europe?

Over the past several decades, there have been great tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union which continue into what is known today as Russia. Suspicions and tensions between these two countries increased greatly during and directly after World War II, particularly between 1941 and 1949.

After, World War Two things between the Soviet Union and the Unites States of America began to change. Things between the two were fine during World War Two they helped each other; however, suddenly after World War Two they became enemies (Economic Difference between the U.S and Soviet Union). So they did not always disagree about things until after World War Two. One of the major things they did not agree about was how an economy should be run and also the government (Economic Difference between the U.S and Soviet

Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union have always been complicated. Over the entire 20th century they have been close allies to bitter rivals. The stark differences in each of their political systems prevented the USA and the USSR from maintaining a close political friendship and understanding, and even to the very edge of war.

During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union created an alliance to prevent Nazi Germany from spreading their fascist and radical ideals, but after the war, it quickly became apparent that both countries had intentions to exploit their previously stable relationship. Shortly after World War II, the Soviet Union made it their primary goal to expand their communist policies across Europe (and eventually the world). Their communist policies heavily contradicted the reason why the United States joined World War II, contrasted American ideals, and placed American democracy in jeopardy. Although relations seemed healthy shortly after the war, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union dwindled to war due to the United States’

Although the Soviet Union and the United States fought together during World War II against the Axis Powers, the relationship between the two grew bitter going into the 1950’s Cold War. The Cold War left a dominant impact on the U.S. and American living throughout the 20th century. The fall out between the U.S. and the Soviet Union created various issues that United States dealt with (Suddath). The United States was a capitalistic country, while the Soviet Union, also known as the USSR, was lead by a strong communist influence. The expansion of Soviets into Eastern Europe fueled most of the fear the U.S. had of Russia, that they would attempt to influence many more countries.

During the Cold War, Truman was a major influence in fighting against communism. The Chicago Tribune, published in 1947, mentions President Truman’s speech which anticipated conflicts among the United States and the Soviet Union. He clearly stated that the U.S. was against Russia and that an “outcome will inevitably be war” (Document A). One of Truman’s strategies to prevent the spread was a foreign policy known as Truman’s Doctrine.

In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed into fifteen different countries. It changed the world geopolitical balance. Their fall ended the ownership of a superpowers with the resources of more than a ten countries. The collapse left Russia unable to own anything like the global influence that they had for many years. Before the Soviet Union collapsed representatives of eleven Soviet republics from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan met and stated that they would no longer be part of the Soviet Union. Instead, they announced they will create a Commonwealth of Independent States. They did it because Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania had already stated their independence.

From 1900 to 1945, the United States of America (US) witnessed a great transition in their economic, cultural and political spheres. From the isolation movement in the early 1900’s, the US thereafter acknowledged that their position in the world was to be a developer of a new world order. Therefore with the American entrance in World War II, the US had a political motive after achieving victory to create a postwar world that was independently connected politically and economically. However, with the Soviet Union fighting alongside the US a new policy had to be made to ensure cooperation for postwar peace. But with two radically different ideologies postwar peace would not be influenced by cooperation, but rather by economic and military force.

 To help counter soviet expansion, President Truman came up with a policy in 1947 known as the "Truman Doctrine".  In this plan Truman says we should support and aid countries that are trying to be a free people. This particular address was to aid Greece and help them survive as a free nation.4  In Truman 's address to Congress he wanted to aid Greece and Turkey by providing them with free gifts of funds, and military/civilian resources to help build their economy and reconstruction of their cities.5  This would ultimately push out any Soviet control. This doctrine consequently became the groundwork for American foreign policies.

Soon after the World War II was finished, the confrontation between the Soviet Union on in the United States of America unleashed (Holitz, 2010, 162). Despite being in the convenient marriage during the war (Holitz, 2010, 165), these great powers started their own campaigns for global supremacy and international economic and social influence. The United States of America was recognized as a leader of the free world and the main protagonist of the capitalistic model of country development. The USSR, in its turn, emphasized the role of socialism, controlled market and development of the communistic state as the most benevolent mode of state construction.

under threat. Truman feared that communism would spread throughout the world unless the United States did something. On March 12, Truman made a speech to Congress and said that the United States had to support free people from being taken over by “armed minorities” or “outside pressures”. What he meant was that the United States had to stop communists from taking over democratic countries. This policy became known as the Truman Doctrine.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union toppled regimes, controlled a handful of Eastern European satellite states with an iron fist, and sent an unfathomable number of people into Siberian exile. Much of this brutality was the work of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Upon inception, the UN was essentially rendered irrelevant and impotent. In the immediate years after the UN adopted its 1948 human rights charter, the Soviet Union massacred its own people with impunity and nearly started a nuclear war with the United States. The UN was virtually silent for all those years.

During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union fought side by side, although it was a tense alliance. Americans were very concerned over Soviet’s communism and their leader, Joseph Stalin (who was a tyrannical, blood thirsty ruler.) On the Soviet side, most resented America, for their refusal to treat the USSR as a part of the international community. As well as their late entry into World War II, which resulted in the deaths of millions of Russians. After the end of the war, there was an overabundance of mutual distrust and hostility. Americans feared a Russian plan to control the world, do to postwar expansion in Eastern Europe.

After the Second World War had ended in 1945, Germany had been totally defeated and the Nazi regime had been brought down. As a result of the war, many countries had also been affected in different ways. The Second World War had a political impact in many different aspects, some which can be assessed as changes that had a positive political impact and others that can be recognised as negative. Some examples which can be demonstrated are economic changes in many countries, the huge public debt which happened as a result of the war, the division of Germany and arguably other indirect long-term consequences such as the Cold War. Additionally, the Second World War resulted in a change to the world superpowers.

Within theories and finding, The Truman Doctrine was established and on March 12th, 1947. Truman speech pledged “American support for free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” (Simkin, n.d.) Congress also agreed to give economic aid to the military to help fight Greece against communism as he felt that the political stability was threatened. With Greece in trouble Truman as concerned the other countries would fall into Communism and was known as the ‘domino theory’. If it was not for Truman then Greece and Turkey could no longer afford to fight the rebels. “Truman said that the Cold War was a choice between freedom and oppression; Therefore, Americans would have to abandon their decisions not to get involved in European affairs; America was OBLIGED to get involved” (Clare, n.d.). The Truman Doctrine was an American challenge not only to Soviet ambitions but also through a policy of containment.