Describe the causes of the Cold War. (6 marks)
Answers
Historians have identified several causes that led to the outbreak of the Cold War, including: tensions between the two nations at the end of World War II, the ideological conflict between both the United States and the Soviet Union, the emergence of nuclear weapons, and the fear of communism in the United States.
Answer:
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CAUSES OF THE COLD WAR
Lasting from the end of World War II in 1945 until the early 1990s, the Cold War was one of the most significant events of the 20th century. At its heart, the Cold War was essentially a ‘face off’ or competition between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Historians have identified several causes that led to the outbreak of the Cold War, including: tensions between the two nations at the end of World War II, the ideological conflict between both the United States and the Soviet Union, the emergence of nuclear weapons, and the fear of communism in the United States.
TENSIONS BETWEEN SUPERPOWERS
The first major cause of the Cold War was the increased tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. During the Second World War, the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, was allied with Britain, France, and the United States against Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan. At the time, the alliance was based around destroying the fascist regimes in the Europe and Japanese expansionism in the Pacific. However, by 1945 the major fighting in both the European Theater and Pacific Theater began to come to an end. For example, World War II in Europe essentially ended with the death of Adolf Hitler on April 30th, 1945. Japan was defeated soon after in August of 1945 with the atomic bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During these final stages of World War II, the partnership between the Soviet Union and the other Allied nations began to fall apart. This is best evidenced by the Allied wartime conferences in Yalta and Potsdam.
Explanation:
* American fear of communist attack.
* Truman's dislike of Stalin.
* USSR's fear of the American's atomic bomb.
* USSR's dislike of capitalism.
* USSR's actions in the Soviet zone of Germany.
* America's refusal to share nuclear secrets.
* USSR's expansion west into Eastern Europe + broken election promises