Introduction
The cold war was mainly a continuing state of conflict that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union and their allies, this occurred during the 1940s to the 1990s. The cold war involved military coalitions, attacks, arms development and spirited technological growth.
During World War II, the Soviet Union, United States, Britain and France fought together against the Axis nations which were Germany and Italy but later on after the war; disagreements erupted between the allied nations due to many issues particularly over the shape of the post world war. After the war the Soviet Union branded the countries that it occupied as Soviet socialist republics and the others as satellite states, the Soviet Union together with these countries signed the Warsaw Pact. The United States and some European countries formed alliances that later led to the formation of the North Atlantic treaty organization (NATO). Many countries aligned themselves with either NATO member countries or the ones that formed the Warsaw Pact.1
The cold war involved a mix of both tension and calm, international crises such as the Berlin blockade, the Korean War, the Berlin crisis, the Vietnam War and the Afghanistan war were some examples that saw the United States and the Soviet Union practice the cold war. The Soviet Union collapsed in the year 1991 due to financial crisis leaving the United States as the only superpower hence leading to the end of the cold war.
Origin of the cold war
The cold war began towards the end of World War 1; this was due to the conflict between communism and capitalism which began in the year 1917 when Russia emerged as the world’s first communist country. This was a major blow to the Russian and the United States relationship. Some events that aroused suspicion between the two countries relationship includes; Russia’s challenge on capitalism which was evident through the vicious replacement of capitalism government by communism, Russia withdrawal from World War 1 due to the signing of a treaty with Germany, and the United States refusal to recognize the Soviet Union republic.
World War 2 and post war
The changes in political leadership in both countries drastically changed the dynamics of the cold war. Eisenhower was sworn in as president of the United States in January 1953; he reduced the military spending while he continued with the cold war. In March the same year, Khrushchev was sworn in as the Russian president due to the certain demise of Joseph Stalin who at that time was the president. Khrushchev heightened the cold war by expressing his distaste for capitalist countries in public through conferences. Eisenhower on the other hand called for a greater reliance on nuclear weapons against the United States enemies and called for massive retaliation against the Russians aggression.2
Conclusion
The disagreements that erupted between the allied nations due to many issues particularly over the shape of the post World War 2 was the major cause of the cold war. It heightened in the 1950s with the Soviet Union and the United States competing for the world superpower title. Eisenhower and Khrushchev who were the presidents of the United States and the Soviet Union respectively in the 50s further heightened the war by calling for retaliation against each other.
Bibliography
Richard Bassett (2002). And the Wind Blew Cold: The Story of an American POW in North Korea. Kent State U. Press. p.117.
Boyer Yves. (1999). The Consequences of U.S. and NATO Transformation for the European Union. A European View. pp 75-90.
Footnotes
- Richard Bassett (2002). And the Wind Blew Cold: The Story of an American POW in North Korea. Kent State U. Press. p.117.
- Boyer Yves. (1999). the Consequences of U.S. and NATO Transformation for the European Union. A European View. pp 75-90.