The Star-spangeled Side of Cold War

After the end of World War II on September 2, 1945, a new era called the Cold War began. The Cold War was a non-violent state of political and military tension between the democratic and capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union: two of the biggest powers of the world at the time. However, they were drastically different in both economy and politics, allowing rivalry to build up. They both wanted to become the most powerful nation of the world, and both feared that the other nation would rise up to become the most powerful nation of the world.

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.

The Cold War could be described as one of the most 'distant' wars in history because there was no direct military fighting involved, only threats and fights through other countries. Although, many lives and money was lost, it was not as fatal and severe as World War II. In 1947, or right after World War II, the Cold War began due to conflict between the United States and Soviet Union. It ended on December 26, 1991 and the United States endured most of the damage that was a result of the war while Russia became a larger territory through the countries they gained power over. The war took place in the U.S., USSR, Europe, Cuba, Vietnam, Greece, Korea, East Asia and South America and lasted for over forty years. Although both contributed to the war, the United States should be blamed for the increasing tensions of the Cold War because of the NATO, Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine.

There are many opinions on who started the Cold War, whether it be the USSR’s fault or the United States. With old trust issues rising up again, the next forty years resulted in constant tension and aggression between the two rival powers. But, when it’s time to place the blame for this tedious conflict, it is clear the United States can be blamed, for they were constantly imposing their greater power, and led the USSR to lose their trust due to international acts of aggression from the US. From 1945-1991 the US took action abroad to stop the USSR from gaining more global power, they misinterpreted Soviet motives, and threatened the USSR with acts of aggression through major bomb threats. With both nations having different motives after WWII,

Whatever conclusions may be drawn from these facts -- and facts they are - this is certainly not the Liberated Europe we fought to build up” (Document C). This quote set the precedent for containment and gives understanding as to why America reverted from its original policy of isolationism into an alternate strategy of preventing the spread of communist expansion. Moreover, George E. Kennan’s Long Telegram, or Document D, sketched “the roots of Soviet policy” and contained “warning of serious difficulties with the Soviet Union in the years ahead”. Kennan’s telegram portrayed the Soviets as aggressive and intent on world domination, suggesting that they would only respond to force and not

Characterized by the ideological divergence of Communism and Capitalism as well as the intense economic rivalry when World War II came to an end, the political tension between the only two world’s superpowers, United States and Soviet Union, was inevitable. While both of these two nations were motivated by the ambition to expand their worldwide influence, Soviet Union carries more responsibility for instigating the Cold War and exacerbating its discord with United States. While critics argued that America initiated the war by carrying out the Marshall plan when there was no solid evidence about the threat of Communism posed on the United States, it is unassailable that Soviet’s aggression and expansionism prior to the Cold War led to America’s mindset about the nature and potential danger of Communism. The Telegram from Moscow clarified the

During WWII there was a power struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States. Then after the atomic bomb that the U.S. sent to Japan it was heightened because of the threat of the nuclear war. This then was the beginning of the Cold War. It was the struggle between two world superpowers. Although the bomb was the “beginning” of the Cold War there were many other causes to this war. For example the two both had different political systems. The U.S. is based on democracy, capitalism and freedom. U.S.S.R. is based on dictatorship and communism and control which was a big no to America because they feared of a communist attack. In the end the two allied forces broke up. Truman also disliked Stalin which was another

After World War II, Soviet Union expansionism in Eastern Europe fueled America’s fears of Russia controlling the world. The United States had been aware of Soviet communism and became concerned about the safety of the country. From then on, the USSR and the United States competed in an arms race, starting with military buildups. This became known as the Cold War and was an international power struggle for both nations. For about forty-five years, the Cold War between the United States of America and the Soviet Union took place. During this conflict, the two nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield, but deadly threats were traded for years. The president at the time, Ronald Reagan, used U.S. policy and diplomacy to attempt

The Cold War was the name given to the time period from 1945 to 1991. After World War II, tensions began between the United States and the Soviet Union. Fighting between the United States and Soviet Union did not happen directly against each other. Instead they fought with arms races, space races, and spying. Both superpowers set aside their differences to defeat Adolf Hitler, even before the war the United States distrusted the Soviet Union. The United States disliked the way the Soviet Union ran government. They believed that the Soviet Union wanted to overthrow the non-communist governments.

Specifically, George Kennan’s ‘Long Telegram’ served as the outline for a strategy designed to contain Soviet expansionism and imperialism (“Iron Curtain”, CNN). The policy of containment would ultimately drive the decision to employ force in countering the aggression of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Kennan’s assessment of the Soviets proved accurate, and on 29 August 1945, Stalin’s regime tested their first atomic bomb successfully (Judge & Langdon, 66). This test represented a restoration in the Cold War’s balance of power, but for the United States, it signified a tremendous loss in advantage (Judge & Langdon, 67). This strategic balance limited America’s strategic options, which hinged largely upon the idea of nuclear deterrence. With the advent of the Soviet nuclear era, America now found itself in a tit-for-tat scenario and subject to the perceived unpredictability of Stalin (“Korea”, CNN). Moreover, 1949 also saw the victory of Mao Zedong’s Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the

The traditional, orthodox interpretation places the responsibility of the Cold War on Stalin’s personality and on communist ideology. It claims that as long as Stalin and the authoritarian government were in power, a cold war was unavoidable. It argues that Stalin violated agreements that he had made at Yalta, imposed Soviet policy on Eastern European countries aiming at political domination and conspired to advocate communism throughout the world. As a result, United States officials were forced to respond to Soviet aggression with foreign policies such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. Yet revisionists argue that there was “no proof of Stalin promoting communism outside Russia” and that Stalin’s decisions were first and foremost, pro-Soviet and not of communist intentions. Up until 1947, it is evident through Marshall Plan as well as statements and interviews made by Stalin that he was still thinking of cooperation with the United States, Britain and France. Despite post-war conflicts and instability of Soviet-American relations, the USSR’s initial embrace of the Marshall Plan at its announcement expressed

The Soviet Union in pursuit of its objective of world hegemony during the last half of the twentieth century, not only accepted the premise that military warfare was inevitable and essential, but continued to orient each and every policy and action toward a constant increase of total Soviet military potential. There was no doubt that the advent of Soviet atomic capability would result in a sharp increase in Soviet total power. When talking about this power though, were are not saying that the Soviets possessing a sizable stockpile of atomic weapons would necessarily equal the Soviets attacking the United States and its Allies by direct military action. This was always certainly on the forefront of the political landscape of the time though. When thinking about the employment of military force by the Soviets though, one must take into consideration other Soviet strategic forces already engaged directly, as well as the status of Soviet-controlled areas and peoples. Therefore, at the time, any approximation of estimation of military action; or even guesses about probable Soviet concepts for achieving

No event in history has caused more debate among academics than that of the origins of the Cold War. The Cold War was a result of the United States and the Soviets unable to accept the others ideological vision for their country and how it would benefit the world. This war was security based and ideology fixated on proving why each side was right. What came from this was a clash of competing historiographical views of an orthodox and revisionist approach. Orthodox views, including that of John Gaddis, hold the Soviet Union responsible due Stalin’s want to expand communism/ Soviet influence. By violating the Yalta agreement, the United States had no choice but to take this violation as an attack that threaten the West and would do anything necessary to contain Stalin. Disagreeing with Orthodox views has led to Revisionists including Walter LaFeber, to contend that it was actually the United States through their policies and want of economic hegemony that led to the breakdown of the USSR/USA alliance and therefore contributed to the start of the Cold War. What Orthodox and Revisionist interpretations highlight is that there are two sides to every story and it is impossible to discredit one without discrediting the other. Evidence proves that while both the United States and the Soviet Union are to blame for the start of the Cold War and therefore the theory that best fits the available evidence comes from the Revisionist interpretation.

The Cold War was the 45-year-long period that followed World War II, which ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term “cold” comes from the fact that no actual military conflict took place. The “players” involved in it were ideologically opposite: the Soviet bloc, Marx and Lenin followers, and the Western bloc, more of the free-market philosophy of Adam Smith. Even though they did not come to direct combat, there was war in every other aspect: political, ideological, economic, and technological. This time was also determined by investment in mathematical ideas so that they were able to dominate the order through economic strength, political control, espionage and nuclear intimidation.

After World War II, continuing tensions between the United States of America and primarily, the Soviet Union caused the Cold War. The Cold War lasted from 1945 to 1991, the Cold War is defined as a bitter, typically non-military conflict between the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and America. The Soviet Union and the United States had contrasting views about most things, including political systems, economic systems and societal values. At the end of the Cold War, the U.S was declared victorious but they outcomes were anything but successful. If aspects like the least amount of casualties and who has the most money dictate victory, is it really victory? In fact, millions died due to the cold war and many were harmfully affected on both sides and these outcomes could have easily been avoided if instead of concluding that war was the only option, the two superpowers could promote peace rather than emphasizing on differing values. Lessons that should be learned from the Cold War are that ideological differences are not sufficient enough to declare war and that taking over nations does not make a country stronger or better.