Causes of the Cold War

The Cold War was a period in time where Communism and the western capitalists fought a battle-less war. Each side believed that their government was superior to the other and they each tried to spread their ideas through Western Europe. The one thing that may have kept war from getting hot is that each side possessed nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

The overall cause of the Cold War was the difference in political beliefs. Americans were free to vote for their officials, they could run their own businesses, and their rights were protected by the government. On the other side of the world Russia had the exact opposite beliefs. Under Communism Russians could only vote for the Communist political party, the government owned their businesses, and they had few freedoms as the government controlled every aspect of their life.

With both systems being completely difference there was some rivalry. The U.S. was often suspicious of Russia’s next move and they worried Communism would spread and take over Europe if something was not done. Russia on the other hand had it in their minds that the whole capitalist world was after them and other communist countries. However, since Russia and the United States were allies in World War II so it was not entirely a political problem that started the Cold War.


Communist Expansion

∙Communists controlled much of Eastern Europe after World War II
∙Westerners feared they would try to take over Europe in its entirety
∙US and Europeans were very suspicious of Russia’s next move
∙Russian expansion could close the door on European trading

Russian Attitudes


∙Russia felt very confident in their abilities after winning World War II
∙They believed that all the capitalists countries were out to destroy communism
∙They were very upset, because after the war, they had millions of dollars in damage to clean up.

American Attitudes


∙Stalin had been trusted during the war by Roosevelt, but President Truman saw no room for trust with the Russians.
∙Truman refused to let Russians help to occupy Japan after the war
∙Truman saw communist Russia as a threat to American bussiness in Europe.



Check out more information online...

http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/classroom/gcse/cold_war.htm

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~psaha/stalin.html

http://www.coldwar.org/education/spy_tour_article_1.html


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Bibliography

“COLD WAR HISTORIOGRAPHY: NEW EVIDENCE BEHIND TRADITIONAL TYPOGRAPHIES.” International Social Science Review. 2000 ed.

Thomas W. Wilson, Jr. Cold War and Common Sense. Greenwich, Connecticut; New York Graphic Society, 1962.