Cold War Erupts
World War II was the start of the conflict for the Cold War. Russia lost 13 million people in combat against Nazi Germany. The US and UK lost about 350,000 soldiers each. Russia lost many more soldiers, while the US and UK were still considered the 'heroes' of World War II. There are other sources of conflict, which will be discussed later, but this is the reason it all started.
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Containment
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The Yalta and Postdam Conferences played a big part of the Containment of the USSR. Both these Conferences aimed to divide the land between the Allies. During the first conference, (Yalta) FDR was too sick to participate, so Harry Truman took over.
Truman enacted the Marshall plan as the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine enab |
Who Started It?
There are many reasons the Cold War started. According to many, including Churchill and Truman, the USSR is to blame for the beginning of the Cold War. However, according to Soviet Ambassador, Nikolai Novikov, the US is to blame because of its actions. The following table lists the possible reasons why either side could be to blame.
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Arms RaceA large part of the Cold War was an Arms Race between the US and the USSR. Both countries raced to get the superior technology in war.
The US developed nuclear capabilities in the Second World War, conducting its first nuclear tests in 1945. The USSR quickly developed its own nuclear facilities and weapons, detonating their first nuclear weapons in 1949. An Arms Race followed, with the US developing Hydrogen bombs in 1952, and the USSR testing its own Hydrogen Bomb in 1953. By 1954, the USSR build the first ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), and the US did the same in 1955. The Arms race developed into the Space Race as both countries tried to find ways to guide their Ballistic Missiles in flight. The Arms Race also developed the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, as either country could annihilate each other if nuclear weapons were used. |