Causes of the Cold war
There are many disputable causes of the Cold War. For starters, the relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S. was hostile before the Cold War began. The United States and the Soviet Union always had completely different viewpoints on what works in government and what doesn’t. This caused both superpowers to be very cautious and suspicious of the other. This is why their alliance during WWII was very surprising to most. However, despite their alliance, tensions were still high between the two. Stalin was angered greatly by the delay of D-Day by Great Britain and the States, believing that it was their attempt to weaken the Soviet Union.
During the Russian revolution during the 1920, the United States assisted Russia by helping with famine relief. Then the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia and view points between the two superpowers became increasingly more and more different from each other. The two superpowers then became allies during WWII in hopes to bring down the powerhouse Nazi regime. As World War II was coming to a close, Russia and the United States began making post-war preparations. Stalin had agreed to free elections in Europe because he believed that Eastern Europe would support him and allow him to create their communist governments. He soon found out that that wasn’t what they wanted at all, and he soon became very agitated with the East. He began to isolate the Soviet Union from Eastern European influence. Soon, he began eliminating all anti-communist threats in Eastern Europe in order to fulfill his hopes of spreading his communistic policies globally.
During the Russian revolution during the 1920, the United States assisted Russia by helping with famine relief. Then the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia and view points between the two superpowers became increasingly more and more different from each other. The two superpowers then became allies during WWII in hopes to bring down the powerhouse Nazi regime. As World War II was coming to a close, Russia and the United States began making post-war preparations. Stalin had agreed to free elections in Europe because he believed that Eastern Europe would support him and allow him to create their communist governments. He soon found out that that wasn’t what they wanted at all, and he soon became very agitated with the East. He began to isolate the Soviet Union from Eastern European influence. Soon, he began eliminating all anti-communist threats in Eastern Europe in order to fulfill his hopes of spreading his communistic policies globally.
The "iron curtain"
The joy and celebration that was experienced after the meeting in Yalta was short lived. Shortly after negotiations were finalized, the U.S. experienced the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and soon Harry Truman took his place. Truman was unable to keep up with the USSR’s demands much like Roosevelt did and soon the USSR began spreading its influence.
Stalin soon became very determined to control Eastern Europe. He began attempting to force communist parties into Eastern European governments. He also deployed Russian troops into Eastern Europe in order to assist these new communist parties. Finally, Stalin decided to limit the number of eastern immigrants into Russia. Stalin wanted to completely isolate the USSR as well as members of the WARSAW pact from the rest of the eastern sphere of influence and was determined to spread his communist policies.
On March 5, 1946 in a town called Fulton in Missouri, Winston Churchill gave a very well known speech at the Westminster College. During this speech Churchill said, “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” From that day forward, the imagery of an immovable iron curtain was associated with Eastern Europe influence with the USSR. The USSR began isolating itself from the rest of Eastern Europe. Churchill gave the speech to describe the forming irrationality of the Soviet Union and the need to rally with the United States against Russia. The speech is often seen as one of the beginning sparks of the Cold War.
Stalin soon became very determined to control Eastern Europe. He began attempting to force communist parties into Eastern European governments. He also deployed Russian troops into Eastern Europe in order to assist these new communist parties. Finally, Stalin decided to limit the number of eastern immigrants into Russia. Stalin wanted to completely isolate the USSR as well as members of the WARSAW pact from the rest of the eastern sphere of influence and was determined to spread his communist policies.
On March 5, 1946 in a town called Fulton in Missouri, Winston Churchill gave a very well known speech at the Westminster College. During this speech Churchill said, “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” From that day forward, the imagery of an immovable iron curtain was associated with Eastern Europe influence with the USSR. The USSR began isolating itself from the rest of Eastern Europe. Churchill gave the speech to describe the forming irrationality of the Soviet Union and the need to rally with the United States against Russia. The speech is often seen as one of the beginning sparks of the Cold War.