How far do you agree with the view that the development of the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union in the years 1945-53 was primarily due to traditional great power rivalry? Use sources 7, 8 and 9 and your own knowledge. The development of the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union in the years 1945-53 was primarily due to great power rivalry, though this rivalry was only made clear, due to the ideological differences between the two superpowers. The Cold war has been a clash on conflicting ideologies, which fuelled the great power rivalry between the USA and Soviet Union, and these differences led to increasing tensions almost to the extent of nuclear war. Yalta was the first event in the time period, and was where ‘the big thee’, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt met and discussed the reorganization of Germany and Eastern Europe after WWII.
The Cold War HIS/135 Assignment The Cold War Before World War II Britain, France and the United States allied with Russia to combine forces against Germany. The war had a devastating effect on the land and people outside the western hemisphere. After the war the United States and Soviet Union emerged as the world’s superpowers replacing Germany, France and England (Davidson, 2005). The United States power was supported by a growing economy, large military and the atomic bomb. In contrast the war took a toll on the Soviet Union, their lands were in ruin but they still had a formidable military (Davidson, 2005).
Through these lies, Stalin lost all credibility with the Allies. He demonstrated beyond doubt his ruthless ambition to brutally punish Germany and control those eastern European nations along or near the Soviet border. Part of the USSR’s motivation to risk alienation of the United States was subsequently connected to Stalin’s desperate need to gain control over the German nuclear research center, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin.7 The USSR’s own nuclear program, Operation Borodino, was significantly behind that of the United States.7 Thus, the Cold War with escalating political hostility and military tensions was well underway. Work Cited "Battle for Berlin: April – May 1945." Military History Encyclopedia on the Web.
Along with fears of the past came the difference of politics as the Soviet Union, also known as the USSR was a communist country and the United States was a capitalist society. These two nations became very dominant over each other and chose to start a nuclear arms race that would make both countries continue to fight in a form of competition. Unlike other countries, America made a decision to remain allies with the Soviet Union. This decision is one that haunted them for the next 46 years. David Halberstam, in “The Fifties” speaks strongly about the drastic changes that our society dealt with as a result of these hard times, and the ways in which the average individual worked with struggles in society.
Tyler James Emery Period 3/4 Block Due: May 31 Foreign Policies During the Cold War: Rough Draft As the aftermath of World War II began to unravel, the Soviet Union and the United States were the most dominant nations, with opposing viewpoints in many aspects, especially government. Due to their opposing viewpoints and natural desire for power, they began to compete by attempting to convert the newly unoccupied region's governments to either Democracy (U.S.), or Communism (Soviet Union). The Cold War, which began after World War II in 1945, was caused due to the constant power struggle as well as poor relations between the two nations, creating idealogical and economical conflicts. During the Cold War era, the United States had begun
In what ways did spies during the cold war try to gain information? What did they do with this information and was it beneficial to our country? Tension after World War 2 between the Western world and the Communist world. The largest tension was between the US and the Soviet Union. After the debatable “success” of the atomic bomb there was talk of using it again Every country now wanted to know who had one, where it was kept, and when/if they would be using it Causes Differences between the US and the Soviet Union were intensified by suspicions after the war.
Why did communism collapsed in USSR in 1991: The Cold War was a period of political tension, which lasted over for forty years. It began in 1947, and ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its origins come from political tension after World War 2. The two main contenders were the USSR and the United States of America, and both powers are to blame for the conflict, how long it lasted and for the events within and afterwards. The Cold War, along with attitudes and doctrines formed within it, continues to shape the world, years after its end.
However, the breakdown in relations between the emerging superpowers during the war and the consequences of the disbandment of the Grand Alliance can be interpreted as the start of the Cold War. Tensions during wartime conferences paved the way for post-war conflict and it can be argued that as soon as the common enemy of Hitler was destroyed, the disparity in post-war aims of the superpowers led to the Cold War. The conferences of ‘the Big Thee’ at Yalta and Potsdam produced areas of tension surrounding plans for Germany and Poland, highlighting the USA fear of USSR’s expansion. Therefore Stalin’s policies for these countries can be construed as an attempt to form an ‘Eastern Bloc’, knowing this to be in complete contradiction with Western ideals for a world without spheres of influence. However, there is not much evidence to suggest the USSR’s was pursuing expansionist aims at this point, and in fact was simply securing its borders.
Both sides wished to spread their ideologies around the world. Military tensions were heightened through proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam and tense military standoffs like in Berlin. Economic rivalry was ever-present and each of these superpowers competed to have the biggest economy in the world. This state of Cold War-which at many times threatened to engulf the world in war-lasted until 1989, when the Soviet Union finally collapsed. To this day there is still much disagreement as to who is responsible for the Cold War.
The immediate cause of the Second World War was the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. Britain and France got involved by declaring war on Germany, and soon Europe and the wider world were involved in the War. However, the underlying causes of the war are much more complicated than what it seems to be. There were many factors that had contributed to the initiation of the war; the major ones were the Treaty of Versailles, the emergence of fascism and communism, the hatred of Jews, the Great Depression, the failure of the League of Nations, and the rise of dictators. The Treaty of Versailles was signed to make the Great War "the war to end all wars."