Essay on the Cold War: it’s Origin, Causes and Phases

how did the cold war start essay

After the Second World War, the USA and USSR became two Super Powers. One nation tried to reduce the power of other. Indirectly the competition between the Super Powers led to the Cold War.

Then America took the leadership of all the Capitalist Countries.

Soviet Russia took the leadership of all the Communist Countries. As a result of which both stood as rivals to each other.

Definition of the Cold War:

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In the graphic language of Hartman, “Cold War is a state of tension between countries in which each side adopts policies designed to strengthen it and weaken the other by falling short by actual war”.

USA vs USSR Fight! The Cold War: Crash Course World History #39 ...

Image Source: i.ytimg.com/vi/y9HjvHZfCUI/maxresdefault.jpg

Infact, Cold War is a kind of verbal war which is fought through newspapers, magazines, radio and other propaganda methods. It is a propaganda to which a great power resorts against the other power. It is a sort of diplomatic war.

Origin of Cold War:

There is no unanimity amongst scholars regarding the origin of the Cold War In 1941 when Hitler invaded Russia, Roosevelt the President of USA sent armaments to Russia. It is only because the relationship between Roosevelt and Stalin was very good. But after the defeat of Germany, when Stalin wanted to implement Communist ideology in Poland, Hungery, Bulgaria and Rumania, at that time England and America suspected Stalin.

Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England in his ‘Fulton Speech’ on 5 March 1946 said that Soviet Russia was covered by an Iron Curtain. It led Stalin to think deeply. As a result of which suspicion became wider between Soviet Russia and western countries and thus the Cold War took birth.

Causes of the Cold War:

Various causes are responsible for the outbreak of the Cold War. At first, the difference between Soviet Russia and USA led to the Cold War. The United States of America could not tolerate the Communist ideology of Soviet Russia. On the other hand, Russia could not accept the dominance of United States of America upon the other European Countries.

Secondly, the Race of Armament between the two super powers served another cause for the Cold War. After the Second World War, Soviet Russia had increased its military strength which was a threat to the Western Countries. So America started to manufacture the Atom bomb, Hydrogen bomb and other deadly weapons. The other European Countries also participated in this race. So, the whole world was divided into two power blocs and paved the way for the Cold War.

Thirdly, the Ideological Difference was another cause for the Cold War. When Soviet Russia spread Communism, at that time America propagated Capitalism. This propaganda ultimately accelerated the Cold War.

Fourthly, Russian Declaration made another cause for the Cold War. Soviet Russia highlighted Communism in mass-media and encouraged the labour revolution. On the other hand, America helped the Capitalists against the Communism. So it helped to the growth of Cold War.

Fifthly, the Nuclear Programme of America was responsible for another cause for the Cold War. After the bombardment of America on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Soviet Russia got afraid for her existence. So, it also followed the same path to combat America. This led to the growth of Cold War.

Lastly, the Enforcement of Veto by Soviet Russia against the western countries made them to hate Russia. When the western countries put forth any view in the Security Council of the UNO, Soviet Russia immediately opposed it through veto. So western countries became annoyed in Soviet Russia which gave birth to the Cold War.

Various Phases of the Cold War:

The Cold War did not occur in a day. It passed through several phases.

First Phase (1946-1949 ):

In this phase America and Soviet Russia disbelieved each other. America always tried to control the Red Regime in Russia. Without any hesitation Soviet Russia established Communism by destroying democracy in the Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungery, Yugoslavia and other Eastern European Countries.

In order to reduce Russia’s hegemony, America helped Greece and Turkey by following Truman Doctrine which came into force on 12 March 1947. According to Marshall Plan which was declared on 5 June, 1947 America gave financial assistance to Western European Countries.

In this phase, non withdrawal of army from Iran by Soviet Russia, Berlin blaockade etc. made the cold was more furious. After the formation of NATO in 1949, the Cold War took a halt.

Second Phase (1949-1953 ):

In this phase a treaty was signed between Australia, New Zeland and America in September, 1957 which was known as ANZUS. America also signed a treaty with Japan on 8 September, 1951. At that time by taking armaments from Russia and army from China, North Korea declared war against South Korea.

Then with the help of UNO, America sent military aid to South Korea. However, both North Korea and South Korea signed peace treaty in 1953 and ended the war. In order to reduce the impact of Soviet Communism, America spent a huge amount of dollar in propaganda against Communism. On the other hand, Soviet Russia tried to be equal with America by testing atom bomb.

Third Phase (1953-1957):

Now United States of America formed SEATO in 1954 in order to reduce Soviet Russia’s influence. In 1955 America formed MEDO in Middle East. Within a short span of time, America gave military assistance to 43 countries and formed 3300 military bases around Soviet Russia. At that time, the Vietnamese War started on 1955.

To reduce the American Power, Russia signed WARSAW PACT in 1955. Russia also signed a defence pact with 12 Countries. Germany was divided into Federal Republic of Germany which was under the American control where as German Democratic Republic was under Soviet Russia. In 1957 Soviet Russia included Sphutnick in her defence programme.

In 1953 Stalin died and Khrushchev became the President of Russia. In 1956 an agreement was signed between America and Russia regarding the Suez Crisis. America agreed not to help her allies like England and France. In fact West Asia was saved from a great danger.

Fourth Phase (1957-1962):

In 1959 the Russian President Khrushchev went on a historical tour to America. Both the countries were annoyed for U-2 accident and for Berlin Crisis. In 13 August 1961, Soviet Russia made a Berlin Wall of 25 Kilometres in order to check the immigration from eastern Berlin to Western Berlin. In 1962, Cuba’s Missile Crisis contributed a lot to the cold war.

This incident created an atmosphere of conversation between American President Kenedy and Russian President Khrushchev. America assured Russia that she would not attack Cuba and Russia also withdrew missile station from Cuba.

Fifth Phase (1962-1969 ):

The Fifth Phase which began from 1962 also marked a mutual suspicion between USA and USSR. There was a worldwide concern demanding ban on nuclear weapons. In this period Hot Line was established between the White House and Kremlin. This compelled both the parties to refrain from nuclear war. Inspite of that the Vietnam problem and the Problem in Germany kept Cold War between USA and USSR in fact.

Sixth Phase (1969-1978 ):

This phase commencing from 1969 was marked by DETENTE between USA and USSR- the American President Nixon and Russian President Brezhnev played a vital role for putting an end to the Cold War. The SALT of 1972, the summit Conference on Security’ of 1975 in Helsinki and Belgrade Conference of 1978 brought America and Russia closer.

In 1971, American Foreign Secretary Henry Kissinger paid a secret visit to China to explore the possibilities of reapproachment with China. The American move to convert Diego Garcia into a military base was primarily designed to check the Soviet presence in the Indian Ocean. During the Bangladesh crisis of 1971 and the Egypt-Israel War of 1973 the two super powers extended support to the opposite sides.

Last Phase (1979-1987 ):

In this phase certain changes were noticed in the Cold War. That is why historians call this phase as New Cold War. In 1979, the American President Carter and Russian President Brezhnev signed SALT II. But in 1979 the prospects of mitigating Cold War were marred by sudden development in Afghanistan.

Vietnam (1975), Angola (1976), Ethiopia (1972) and Afghanistan (1979) issues brought success to Russia which was unbearable for America. American President Carter’s Human Rights and Open Diplomacy were criticised by Russia. The SALT II was not ratified by the US Senate. In 1980 America boycotted the Olympic held at Moscow.

In 1983, Russia withdrew from a talk on missile with America. In 1984 Russia boycotted the Olympic game held at Los-Angeles. The Star War of the American President Ronald Regan annoyed Russia. In this way the ‘New Cold War’ between America and Russia continued till 1987.

Result of the Cold War:

The Cold War had far-reaching implications in the international affairs. At first, it gave rise to a fear psychosis which resulted in a mad race for the manufacture of more sophisticated armaments. Various alliances like NATO, SEATO, WARSAW PACT, CENTO, ANZUS etc. were formed only to increase world tension.

Secondly, Cold War rendered the UNO ineffective because both super powers tried to oppose the actions proposed by the opponent. The Korean Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War etc. were the bright examples in this direction.

Thirdly, due to the Cold War, a Third World was created. A large number of nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America decided to keep away from the military alliances of the two super powers. They liked to remain neutral. So, Non-Alignments Movement became the direct outcome of the Cold War.

Fourthly, Cold War was designed against mankind. The unnecessary expenditure in the armament production created a barrier against the progress of the world and adversely affected a country and prevented improvement in the living standards of the people.

Fifthly, the principle ‘Whole World as a Family’, was shattered on the rock of frustration due to the Cold War. It divided the world into two groups which was not a healthy sign for mankind.

Sixthly, The Cold War created an atmosphere of disbelief among the countries. They questioned among themselves how unsafe were they under Russia or America.

Finally, The Cold War disturbed the World Peace. The alliances and counter-alliances created a disturbing atmosphere. It was a curse for the world. Though Russia and America, being super powers, came forward to solve the international crisis, yet they could not be able to establish a perpetual peace in the world.

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Profile image of Andras Schweitzer

Following the logic of earlier scholarly debates on which side is to be blamed for the Cold War it appears that in fact both or neither: it was the inevitable consequence of the fact that two superpowers emerged after the conflagration of WWII. The ideology confrontation mattered much less vis-a-vis this immense global power shift.

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Grade 12 - The Cold War

How did the Cold War period shape international relations after the Second World War?

After the Second World War, there was a struggle between two world powers, the US and Russia. Why was it called the ‘Cold War’ ? The reason lay in the threat of new and even deadlier weapons of nuclear technology that prevented outright open warfare. The Cold War was characterised by conflict through proxy wars, the manipulation of more vulnerable states through extensive military and financial aid, espionage, propaganda, rivalry over technology, space and nuclear races, and sport. Besides periods of tense crisis in this bi-polar world, the Cold War deeply affected the newly independent countries in Africa and the liberation struggles in southern Africa from the 1960s until the 1990s, when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)  was dismantled.

Did you know?  The term “Cold War” was first used by George Orwell, author of the book satirizing Stalinism, “Animal Farm”.

The detente (friendship) that existed between the Allied powers (The US, France and Russia) after 1945 was no more. That military aid would be offered to each other when faced with Nazism fell away, and increased hostility was the order of the day. Some historians argue that it was the formulation and implementation of common policy documents by the USSR for its East European territories that heralded the beginning of different spheres of influence.  Quickly, two distinct blocs emerged.

Also see: National Senior Certificate Grd 12, History Paper 1, November 2014 and National Senior Certificate Grd 12, History Paper 2, November 2014 .

Most learners will understand that a ‘war’ involves conflict between warring parties; that a ‘war’ involves the use of weaponry amongst ‘warring parties’ BUT what is meant by a ‘COLD’ war as opposed to a ‘HOT’ one? Common reference to any war usually involves the type of war that involves weaponry, personnel, devastation, explosions, and most of the images of war. A “COLD” war would refer to a battle of ideologies where the protagonists do not face each other, or fight, each other DIRECTLY.

The Cold War was characteristics by different ideologies being imposed or sold to other countries.

It dissected the world into spheres of influence, with the United States of America (USA) as a champion of democracy (and incidentally, Capitalism, as well) pitted against the USSR (Russia), which stood as a beacon of Communism. These divisions played themselves out in the exporting of influence...and then arms and money....to countries sympathetic to either cause.

The Cold War, which occurred from 1945 until 1989/1990 had far-reaching consequences for the world in general. Much of the literature during this period focussed on the bi-polar nature of the globe. Nation-states across the world, whatever explicit or not, empathised with either Russia or the USA. These countries became the battlefields for the competing influences of Democracy/Capitalism against Communism/Centrally-planned economies.

So, learners might ask as to why this Cold War did not escalate into a ‘Hot’ war, where conventional means of warfare were employed. The reason lies in the proliferation (increase) of nuclear weapons so that if these weapons were ever used, the destruction that would follow would result in a global destruction. So, this Cold War was fought behind the threat of a nuclear war.  The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) was probably the closest that the world got to a full-blown conventional war.

The Cold War was a period of increased hostility between two blocs of power, the USA and its allies on the one hand; and the USSR and China, on the other. From the end of the Cold War until the early 1990s, world politics and events were primarily viewed through this lens the battle to exert control and influence globally. The Cold War spread outside Europe to every region of the world, and drew to a close by end of the late 1980s / early 1990s. Towards the end of the 1980s, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held conferences with USA President Ronald Reagan. The USSR introduced reform policies aimed at restructuring (perestroika) and opening the Russian economy (glasnost).

In December 1989, after more than four decades, Russian President Gorbachev and American President G. H.W Bush declared the Cold War officially over.

Timeline (Source:  “ Timeline of events in the Cold War ” [ Accesssed: 23 January 2015])

  • 1945:  Cold War begins
  • 1946:  Winston Churchill delivers his ‘ Iron Curtain’ speech
  • 1947:  Marshall Plan is announced
  • 1948 :  February, Communists take over Czechoslovakia
  • 1948 :  June, The ‘Berlin Blockade’ begins
  • 1949 :  July, NATO is ratified
  • 1950 :  February, McCarthy begins communist witchunt
  • 1954 :  KGB established.  CIA assists in overthrowing ‘unfriendly’ regimes in Iran and Guatemala
  • 1961 :  Bay of Pigs invasion.  Construction of Berlin Wall begins.  US involvement in Vietnam increases ( troops were dispatched in 1965)
  • 1962 :  Cuban Missile Crisis
  • 1965 :  150000 troops dispatched to Vietnam
  • 1970 :  US President Nixon extends the war to Cambodia.
  • 1973 :  Ceasefire between the US and Vietnam.
  • 1975 :  North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam.
  • 1979 :  USSR invades Afghanistan
  • 1983 :  Ronald Reagan proposes Star Wars
  • 1989 :  Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan.  Communist governments collapse in Poland, East Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Romania.  The Soviet Empire ( USSR ) ends.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/what%20was%20the%20cold%20war.htm

http://www.amazon.com/The-Cold-War-New-History/dp/0143038273

USSR and USA and the creation of spheres of interest :

- installation of Soviet-friendly governments in satellite states;

- USA’s policy of containment: Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan;

- Berlin Crises from 1949 to 1961 (broad understanding of the crises); and

- opposing military alliances: NATO and Warsaw Pact (broadly)

Containment and brinkmanship: the Cuban crisis (as an example of containment and brinkmanship)

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Why Did the Cold War Begin? Essay

Introduction, the origins of mistrust, the uneasy alliance, the iron curtain, works cited.

The Cold War was the defining conflict after the end of World War Two. Although it rarely resulted in traditional warfare, it had a tremendous effect on almost every part of western and eastern societies, from culture to technology. To fully understand it, research into its origins is required.

One of the defining aspects of the Cold War is the feeling paranoia experienced by all sides of the conflict. These feelings were not always without merit, and have origins in events preceding the Second World War. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 led by Vladimir Lenin and his political ideology based on the works of Karl Marx presented a strictly anti-capitalist perspective that was seen as a threat to the countries of Europe and other capitalist countries (Smith 11).

Bolsheviks were not unanimously accepted in the country either as their methods did not agree with other leftist organizations as well as the people who still supported the monarchy. These opposing forces would unite into the “White Army” which would plunge the country into a civil war (Foglesong 294). This war lasted from 1917-1922 and had taken the lives of millions. After the Revolution, Bolsheviks withdrew from the First World War leaving the allied nations worried about Germany taking over key locations that were previously protected by Russia (Foglesong 232). This has led to an Allied intervention into the Russian civil war that continued even after the First World War ended.

The Allies have supported the White Army with supplies, armaments, and troops, but due to a variety of issues, had to withdraw in 1920, with Japanese troops staying in some Russian provinces until 1925. The Red Army emerged victorious in the civil war with new knowledge that the Western leaders have no interest in cooperation.

This mindset would later fuel Stalin’s propaganda machine creating a perception of a massive international conspiracy to undermine the advances of the newly formed Soviet Union. His policies of collectivization and five-year plans would lead to millions of civilian deaths, unjust punishments without trials, and the creation of a complete police state where no one could oppose him. By creating a sense of constant opposition from the West, Stalin was able to instill a very strong “Us vs. Them” mentality among the people who made his words seem like absolute truth and the words of his critics as the words of traitors (Barghoorn 13).

Those who did not agree would disappear with the use of secret police. His authority was great enough to be able to get rid of even the members of his government and closest colleagues. Their names and actions would later be erased from documents, and their photos would be altered to discredit their previous achievements and associations (Duprat-Kushtanina 23). Paranoia and blind belief in Stalin’s authority would become the driving forces behind the next decades of the Soviet regime.

A similar paranoia grew in the United States. A fear of leftist organizations was present in the United States even before the Bolshevik Revolution, but it would reach its highest peak to date after the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia. To ensure an unopposed entry into the First World War President Woodrow Wilson with the help of the Bureau of Investigation chose to spread anti-German propaganda and organized a variety of actions against leftist groups of the United States (Goldstein 168).

A lot of these groups had a strong opposition towards the war which led to raids on their offices, arrests and legal prosecution against their members. Mass strikes were organized across America with varying results over the next several years, as well as more radical actions (Goldstein 189). Some of which include the anarchist bombings of 1919 that inspired fear of socialism in many members of the public (Goldstein 157). Books and films quickly capitalized on the newfound fear with films dramatizing the events of revolution and creating negative associations with the ideas of Bolshevism and Socialism (Goldstein 323).

This period would culminate in a false prediction of an organized overthrow of the United States government that was predicted to happen in May 1920. The event later titled “May Day Scare” involved mobilizations of thousands of policemen across the country, but did not produce any results as the opponent proved to be imaginary (Goldstein 152). This incident would end the first period of the Red Scare, but its messages would be echoed in the future.

Despite the relative advances of Stalin’s push for industrialization. The Soviet Union was not ready for a new war with Hitler. Stalin negotiated with Hitler to delay military action against the Soviet Union through the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed on August 23, 1939, in Moscow (Havers 25). Besides the neutrality, this pact divided the lands of Poland, Finland, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania between the Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. With the support of this pact, Stalin annexed the territories of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and parts of Finland and Romania (Havers 33).

The pact was terminated on June 22, 1941, when Nazi Germany started Operation Barbarossa with an attack on Soviet positions in Poland. This act of aggression was seen as a declaration of war uniting the Soviet Union with other Allied Nations (Havers 9). Despite the denouncement of the Soviet regime in previous years, the countries were forced to work together to defeat a common enemy. This war, however, would not see the return of the lands that were annexed through the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Stalin made sure to negotiate for these territories to remain with the Soviet Union. To facilitate his influence, Stalin made an effort to control the media of the annexed countries and established a strong presence of the communist party, as well as the secret police (Risch 69).

Some place the beginning of the Cold War at the Yalta Conference in Crimea. It was held from February 7 to 11 with a goal of deciding the future of Europe after World War Two. The three heads of the allied forces represented by the President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Premier Joseph Stalin, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, gathered together to outline the plan for peace in Europe, and how the people of Europe would be able to govern their countries after the Nazi regime.

Each leader had their agenda making the negotiations difficult. Roosevelt pledged for Soviet support in the Pacific War, and Soviet representation in the newly formed United Nations. Churchill was focused on the free democratic elections in Eastern and Central Europe. Lastly, Stalin pressed for a Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern and Central Europe under the guise of it being crucial for the establishment of national security of the Soviet Union (Bell and Gilbert 15).

One of the important factors which could be seen as a beginning of Cold War is the change of the Polish borders. A part of its territory would be given to the Soviet Union while being compensated with a part of Germany. The spheres of influence were established during this conference, and Stalin managed to secure the Soviet regime in the previously annexed countries of Romania and Bulgaria (Bell and Gilbert 27).

Stalin’s desire for influence over the countries on the Soviet border would represent one of the first active steps toward the Cold War. With the power and numbers of the Red Army being unmatched by other nations, Stalin had major leverage during this conference, and his promises that would later be broken served as a way to prevent hostile attitudes toward his agenda.

The Potsdam Conference would prove to be another turning point at the beginning of the Cold War. The conference was held to create further plans for the future of Germany and Poland. However, it differed from the Yalta conference due to a few crucial events. Before the conference, President Roosevelt passed away and was replaced by Harry S. Truman who was not a supporter of Stalin’s regime. In fact, this conference would mark the only instance of Truman and Stalin meeting in person. Truman had strong suspicions of the Soviet Union and would prove to be less willing to agree than Roosevelt was (Bell and Gilbert 46).

The second difference came from the British elections of the Prime Minister that were held at the time of the conference (Bell and Gilbert 27). While Churchill was not a supporter of Stalin, he saw their alliance as necessary at the time. On the other hand, his political opponent Clement Attlee was much less critical of Stalin’s regime and sought to negotiate and create a functioning relationship between the countries.

He would later change his potion and become a strong anti-Soviet politician when the Cold War became inevitable. The final but perhaps the most important event before the conference was the successful test of a nuclear bomb by the United States. While the project was still secret, Stalin knew of its existence thanks to the activity of Soviet spies. Therefore, he was not surprised when Truman informed him that the United States had developed a weapon that would be able to bring a quick end to the Pacific War (Bell and Gilbert 28). This event became the start of the Nuclear Age and would serve as an example of how dangerous the next war might be.

It also removed the advantage of the Red Army, as the massive numbers of people that were involved in attacks during World War Two would easily be destroyed by a single bomb. It forever changed the concept of war and became the main reason for tension during many of the Cold War disagreements. Some of the results of this conference that became important for the Cold War included the division of Germany and Austria into four zones of occupation which would be restructured after the Truman plan, the change of the German border, and the recognition of the Soviet-controlled government of Poland (Bell and Gilbert 51).

After the conference, many of the countries bordering the Soviet Union would become Soviet satellite states. This change was not a result of the free democratic elections promised by Stalin, but a carefully orchestrated change in government by the members of the Soviet Parties of these countries. Their members worked to give themselves the majority of the power while still appearing to be democratic. These countries included Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Albania. East Germany also became a puppet state of the Soviet Union under the name the German Democratic Republic. Together these countries became known as the Eastern Block. The western side became represented by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Bell and Gilbert 61).

The growing concerns over the Soviet presence in Europe grew stronger, and in February 1946 one of the initial documents of the Cold War was created. George F. Kennan, an American diplomat, working in the US Embassy in Moscow sent a telegram outlining the US opposition to the actions of the Soviet Union. This document would later be known as the “Long Telegram.” It touched upon such topics as Soviet Union’s perceived war with capitalism, the disparity between the Soviet aggression and the views of the Russian people, and a variety of other issues (Goldgeier 404).

In turn, the Soviet government produced the Novikov telegram that declared that the United States is controlled by monopoly capitalists who are preparing for a war that would bring world domination. These telegrams would be followed by one of the most famous speeches of this period given by Winston Churchill. In this speech, Churchill calls for an Anglo-American alliance against the Soviets. He accuses the Soviets of creating an “Iron Curtain” around their territory.

The Iron Curtain represented the closed nature of the Soviet states that were blocked from contact with the western world (Levering 340). Stalin gave a strong response to this speech, comparing Churchill to Hitler and seeing his speech as a “call for war” against the Soviet Union (Levering 341). These speeches could be seen as the official proclamation of the Cold War, with two opposing blocks seeing each other as powers that have to be stopped at all costs.

The Cold War is one of the most complex periods of recent history. Its origins lie almost 30 years before its start, with a long line of events that eventually led to a possible nuclear war. Its origins are filled with subversion and paranoia effects of which are still felt today.

Barghoorn, Frederick Charles. Soviet Foreign Propaganda . Princeton University Press, 2016.

Bell, Philip, and Mark Gilbert. The World Since 1945: An International History . Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.

Duprat-Kushtanina, Veronika. “Remembering the Repression of the Stalin Era in Russia: on the Non-Transmission of Family Memory.” Nationalities Papers , vol. 41, no. 2, 2013, pp. 225-239.

Foglesong, David. America’s Secret War Against Bolshevism: U.S. Intervention In The Russian Civil War, 1917-1920 . UNC Press Books, 2014.

Goldgeier, James. “The State of the Transatlantic Alliance.” European Foreign Affairs Review , vol. 21, no. 3, 2016, pp. 403-413.

Goldstein, Robert. Little ‘Red Scares’: Anti-Communism and Political Repression in the United States, 1921-1946 . Routledge, 2016.

Havers, Robin. The Second World War . Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.

Levering, Ralph B. “Toward Cold War Thinking: Editorial Reactions to Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech in North Carolina Newspapers.” Journal of Transatlantic Studies , vol. 14, no. 4, 2016, pp. 340-349.

Risch, William. “A Soviet West: Nationhood, Regionalism, and Empire in the Annexed Western Borderlands.” Nationalities Papers , vol. 43, no. 1, 2015, pp. 63-81.

Smith, Keith. “Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Part 1: The Importance of Lenin’s Ideas on Revolution.” Teaching History , vol. 48, no. 2, 2014, pp. 11-13.

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how did the cold war start essay

The Cold War (1945-1989) essay

The Cold War is considered to be a significant event in Modern World History. The Cold War dominated a rather long time period: between 1945, or the end of the World War II, and 1990, the collapse of the USSR. This period involved the relationships between two superpowers: the United States and the USSR. The Cold War began in Eastern Europe and Germany, according to the researchers of the Institute of Contemporary British History (Warner 15).  Researchers state that “the USSR and the United States of America held the trump cards, nuclear bombs and missiles” (Daniel 489). In other words, during the Cold War, two nations took the fate of the world under their control. The progression of the Cold War influenced the development of society, which became aware of the threat of nuclear war. After the World War II, the world experienced technological progress, which provided “the Space Race, computer development, superhighway construction, jet airliner development, the creation of international phone system, the advent of television, enormous progress in medicine, and the creation of mass consumerism, and many other achievements” (Daniel 489). Although the larger part of the world lived in poverty and lacked technological progress, the United States and other countries of Western world succeeded in economic development. The Cold War, which began in 1945, reflected the increased role of technological progress in the establishment of economic relationships between two superpowers.   The Cold War involved internal and external conflicts between two superpowers, the United States and the USSR, leading to eventual breakdown of the USSR.

  • The Cold War: background information

The Cold War consisted of several confrontations between the United States and the USSR, supported by their allies. According to researchers, the Cold War was marked by a number of events, including “the escalating arms race, a competition to conquer space, a dangerously belligerent for of diplomacy known as brinkmanship, and a series of small wars, sometimes called “police actions” by the United States and sometimes excused as defense measures by the Soviets” (Gottfried 9). The Cold War had different influences on the United States and the USSR. For the USSR, the Cold War provided massive opportunities for the spread of communism across the world, Moscow’s control over the development of other nations and the increased role of the Soviet Communist party.

In fact, the Cold War could split the wartime alliance formed to oppose the plans of Nazi Germany, leaving the USSR and the United States as two superpowers with considerable economic and political differences. The USSR was based on a single-party Marxist–Leninist system, while the United States was a capitalist state with democratic governance based on free elections.

The key figure in the Cold War was the Soviet leader Gorbachev, who was elected in 1985. He managed to change the direction of the USSR, making the economies of communist ruled states independent. The major reasons for changing in the course were poor technological development of the USSR (Gottfried 115). Gorbachev believed that radical changes in political power could improve the Communist system. At the same time, he wanted to stop the Cold War and tensions with the United States. The cost of nuclear arms race had negative impact on the economy of the USSR. The leaders of the United States accepted the proposed relationships, based on cooperation and mutual trust. The end of the Cold War was marked by signing the INF treaty in 1987 (Gottfried 115).

  • The origins of the Cold War

Many American historians state that the Cold War began in 1945. However, according to Russian researchers, historians and analysts “the Cold War began with the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, for this was when the capitalist world began its systematic opposition to and effort to undermine the world’s first socialist state and society” (Warner13). For Russians, the Cold War was hot in 1918-1922, when the Allied Intervention policy implemented in Russia during the Russian Civil War. According to John W. Long, “the U.S. intervention in North Russia was a policy formulated by President Wilson during the first half of 1918 at the urgent insistence of Britain, France and Italy, the chief World War I allies” (380).

Nevertheless, there are some other opinions regarding the origins of the Cold War. For example, Geoffrey Barraclough, an outstanding English historian, states that the events in the Far East at the end of the century contributed to the origins of the Cold War. He argues that “during the previous hundred years, Russia and the United States has tended to support each other against England; but now, as England’s power passed its zenith, they came face to face across the Pacific” (Warner 13). According to Barraclough, the Cold War is associated with the conflict of interests, which involved European countries, the Middle East and South East Asia. Finally, this conflict divided the world into two camps. Thus, the Cold War origins are connected with the spread of ideological conflict caused by the emergence of the new power in the early 20-th century (Warner 14). The Cold War outbreak was associated with the spread of propaganda on the United States by the USSR. The propagandistic attacks involved the criticism of the U.S. leaders and their policies. These attacked were harmful to the interests of American nation (Whitton 151).

  • The major causes of the Cold War

The United States and the USSR were regarded as two superpowers during the Cold War, each having its own sphere of influence, its power and forces. The Cold War had been the continuing conflict, caused by tensions, misunderstandings and competitions that existed between the United States and the USSR, as well as their allies from 1945 to the early 1990s (Gottfried 10). Throughout this long period, there was the so-called rivalry between the United States and the USSR, which was expressed through various transformations, including military buildup, the spread of propaganda, the growth of espionage, weapons development, considerable industrial advances, and competitive technological developments in different spheres of human activity, such as medicine, education, space exploration, etc.

There four major causes of the Cold War, which include:

  • Ideological differences (communism v. capitalism);
  • Mutual distrust and misperception;
  • The fear of the United State regarding the spread of communism;
  • The nuclear arms race (Gottfried 10).

The major causes of the Cold War point out to the fact that the USSR was focused on the spread of communist ideas worldwide. The United States followed democratic ideas and opposed the spread of communism. At the same time, the acquisition of atomic weapons by the United States caused fear in the USSR. The use of atomic weapons could become the major reason of fear of both the United States and the USSR. In other words, both countries were anxious about possible attacks from each other; therefore, they were following the production of mass destruction weapons. In addition, the USSR was focused on taking control over Eastern Europe and Central Asia. According to researchers, the USSR used various strategies to gain control over Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the years 1945-1980. Some of these strategies included “encouraging the communist takeover of governments in Eastern Europe, the setting up of Comecon, the Warsaw Pact, the presence of the Red Army in Eastern Europe, and the Brezhnev Doctrine” (Phillips 118). These actions were the major factors for the suspicions and concerns of the United States. In addition, the U.S. President had a personal dislike of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his policies. In general, the United States was concerned by the Soviet Union’s actions regarding the occupied territory of Germany, while the USSR feared that the United States would use Western Europe as the major tool for attack.

  • The consequences of the Cold War

The consequences of the Cold War include both positive and negative effects for both the United States and the USSR.

  • Both the United States and the USSR managed to build up huge arsenals of atomic weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.
  • The Cold War provided opportunities for the establishment of the military blocs, NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
  • The Cold War led to the emergence of the destructive military conflicts, like the Vietnam War and the Korean War, which took the lives of millions of people (Gottfried13).
  • The USSR collapsed because of considerable economic, political and social challenges.
  • The Cold War led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the unification of the two German nations.
  • The Cold War led to the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact (Gottfried 136).
  • The Cold war provided the opportunities for achieving independence of the Baltic States and some former Soviet Republics.
  • The Cold War made the United States the sole superpower of the world because of the collapse of the USSR in 1990.
  • The Cold War led to the collapse of Communism and the rise of globalization worldwide (Phillips 119).

The impact of the Cold War on the development of many countries was enormous. The consequences of the Cold War were derived from numerous internal problems of the countries, which were connected with the USSR, especially developing countries (India, Africa, etc.). This fact means that foreign policies of many states were transformed (Gottfried 115).

The Cold War (1945-1989) essay part 2

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