Cold War can be categorized as one of the most prominent occurrences in the international relationships of the 20th century. In the second half of the given period, a confrontation between the two strongest powers of their time, such as the USA and the USSR, unfolded in the world political arena. In the 1960s and 1980s, it culminated in the Cold War. The struggle for influence in all spheres, espionage wars, the arms race, the expansion of regimes is the main sign of the relationship between the two superpowers.
The first example can be seen in the fact that the influence of the USSR has noticeably expanded to the countries of Asia and Eastern Europe, where the communist parties came to power. Alarmed by the rapid rise in the popularity of the Soviets, the Western world took decisive action. In 1946, in the American city of Fulton, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous speech. He accused the Soviet Union of aggressive expansion and called on the entire Anglo-Saxon world to give him a decisive rebuff (Berkin et al. 2014). Therefore, the initial so-called “public announcement” came from the West, but the implied tensions were present since the war.
The second example can be observed in the disadvantageous positions of the Soviet Union. The United States was in a much more favorable geopolitical position than the Soviet Union. In this period, they could count on complete security since their territory was out of reach, even if the USSR had an atomic bomb. The country had no means of delivery, and the United States believed that it would not be able to create these means in the near future (Berkin et al. 2014). On the contrary, the security of the USSR was different because it was vulnerable from the US side, and America could deliver atomic weapons to targets in the USSR. American long-range bombers were stationed in Europe. In 1949, there were more than 300 American bases in the immediate vicinity of the borders of the USSR and its allies (Berkin et al. 2014). In other words, the geopolitical and military movements of the West were becoming more threatening for USSR.
The third example is manifested in the post-World War II state of both the United States and the Soviet Union. The imbalance of power between the two countries was substantial, and the American administration was clearly aware of this. President Truman claimed that the nation emerged from the war as the most powerful nation in the world, and possibly the most powerful in human history (Berkin et al. 2014). One must agree that there was no exaggeration in these statements because what he said was the reality. In addition, Churchill, even before the end of World War II, expressed himself clearly and quite definitely that Washington is the center of power (Berkin et al. 2014). Therefore, the West was already prepared to grab the power lever and turn it towards the United States.
In conclusion, it is the democratic nations of the West which were responsible for the Cold War. Both Britain and the US understood the power superiority during and after WWII and publicly announced their attitudes towards the USSR. In addition, post-war geopolitical movements and military settings were inclined to make the Soviet Union more hostile. After the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States were the most powerful politically and economically. Each of them had a great influence in the world and sought to strengthen their leadership positions in every possible way.
Bibliography
Berkin, Carol, Christopher Miller, Robert Cherny, and James Gormly. 2014. Making America: A History of the United States, Volume II: Since 1865. 7th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning.