The origins of the Cold War came about when United States President Harry Truman issued his Truman Doctrine. This doctrine stated that the United States would support "free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." This would end up being the foundation of the U. S. involvement in the Cold War. The main idea of the doctrine was to support nations in the resistance of communism. Truman felt that if one nation fell to communism then this would lead to a "domino effect" resulting in many other nations in the region falling to communism. The greatest fear was that the Soviet Union would spread communism throughout the world thus the reason for the policy of containment. Truman felt it necessary to also provide economic aid to nations that surrounded the Soviet Union. The idea being that they would create a ring of Allies that would contain the threat of the Soviet influence of communism. Economic support would be given and if necessary military support as well. The basis for this economic aid was presented in the Marshall Plan. This plan called for $16 billion in economic aid to be used in the reconstruction of Europe. In April of 1949 nations from North America and Western Europe signed a treaty that stated if the Soviet Union attacked any of the Allies it would be considered an attack against the U. S. itself. In what was perceived as an escalating threat from the NATO alliance, the Soviets created a military alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, with Eastern European Soviet bloc countries in May of 1955. Throughout the Cold War there were numerous incidents on both sides which exacerbated the threat of an all out war. However, there were also several attempts at bringing about an end to the Cold War. One of the greater attempts came from Georgi Malenkov following the death of Stalin in 1953. Stalin had previously appointed several young fanatical Stalinists in a new politburo called the Party Presidium. This move limited the power that Malenkov and Nikita Krushchev had while at the same time giving more power to Stalin. Immediately following Stalin's death Malenkov cut membership in the new politburo and threw out the young recently appointed Stalinists. Malenkov also announced that any new policies would come from a "collective" rather than just one man. He also released several political prisoners jailed by Stalin and gave a speech before the Soviet Supreme indicating a change in Soviet foreign policy. "At the present time there is no disputed or unresolved question that cannot be settled peacefully by mutual agreement of the interested countries. This applies to our relations with all states, including the United States of America." Shortly thereafter Russian leaders began to allow Soviet citizens who were married to foreigners to leave the country. They also reestablished diplomatic ties with Israel, Greece and eventually Yugoslavia, agreed to the end of the Korean War, and relinquished claims to territories in Turkey. These policies were an effort to ease tensions but were responded to from Eisenhower with further demands. The President responded that if the Soviets really wanted détente that they must allow "free elections in a United Korea"; end the communist uprisings in Malaya and Indochina; allow a united and free Germany; sign a treaty giving independence back to Austria and give governments in Eastern Europe a "free choice". Two years later Secretary of State Dulles would state that if the Soviets were serious about negotiations then they must show their sincerity by signing a peace treaty with Austria. After the Soviets complied Dulles still warned that a "wolf has put on a new set of sheep's clothing". He would also later issue demands at a summit meeting with the Soviets that would be very difficult to meet. Near the end of the Cold War President Reagan took a course of action of building up arms and fighting smaller and shorter wars. The idea was to avoid being drawn into another type of Vietnam War. To accomplish this, a policy was set forth to support resistance fighters to combat communist influence. Much support was given to the Contras in Nicaragua, the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, and resistance fighters against a Marxist Angolan government. In the meantime, leaders from both sides fueled the arms race by building up their militaries. In March of 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as leader of the Communist Party. He realized that the Soviet system could not keep up with Western influence and that radical changes were necessary. In order to achieve this Gorbachev proposed a perestroika and a glasnost. These were essentially a restructuring of the Soviet economy and openness in government which was a step in the direction of a real democracy. Under this new initiative many private cooperatives and businesses sprang up which were previously not possible. He also opened up the Soviet economy to Western corporations.
However, by 1988 these economic reforms were not working. Food was more abundant before the reforms and production struggled which eventually led to the loss of tax revenue. Other changes by Gorbachev brought about reform in government as well. The high point of his political reform was when nationwide elections were held for a new 2250 member People's Congress. This also led to a new 572 member Supreme Soviet which was elected by the People's Congress. More and more Gorbachev moved toward a model more representative of a Western style government. When it came to ending the Cold War Gorbachev had the biggest hand in bringing about the end. Peace groups had an active role, more so than the arms buildup of the U. S., in convincing Gorbachev that a reduction in arms was necessary for peace. In 1985 Gorbachev pushed Reagan to attend a summit meeting and the two leaders agreed to a 50% reduction in strategic forces. Nearly one year later they agreed to eliminate all intermediate missiles in Europe. They almost moved to eliminate all nuclear missiles but this failed when Reagan refused to end the "Star Wars" program. A year later in 1987 the two leaders signed a treaty eliminating all short and medium range nuclear missiles. In 1998 Gorbachev announced that he would be reducing his armed forces by 500,000 men and 10,000 tanks within two years. In addition to this he also made it known that Soviet laws were being rewritten to prevent anyone from being persecuted for political or religious beliefs. While the U. S. was still funding research for the "Star Wars" program, Gorbachev concluded that the program would never materialize. The end of the Cold War came about not by military action or a display of military strength but by peaceful negotiation and fundamental change within the Soviet government. The United States sought from the beginning to contain what they perceived as a spreading threat of communism and consequently was drawn into many wars and conflicts that accomplished little to nothing. Not only were we worried about the spread of communism but we also were looking for ways to spread our own economic influence to other nations. The Soviets were originally looking to create a buffer of nations to bolster their national security but these nations strove for independence from the Soviet Union and at the end of the Cold War became independent nations. The Soviet Union would frequently engage in wars by proxy such as the Vietnam and Korean wars. They also invaded many border nations such as Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia. Ultimately, I believe that Mikhail Gorbachev had the greatest impact in bringing about the end of the Cold War with his sweeping changes to foreign policy, the economy, and the Soviet political system. He took the lead when it came to negotiating arms reductions with Reagan and when inviting new partnerships with Western corporations. Before Gorbachev was in power Reagan was committed to restarting the arms race. Later Reagan followed suit when Gorbachev led the way in the reduction of arms. The policy of the Reagan Doctrine was to fund and support resistance groups while Gorbachev worked instead to pull Soviet troops out of Afghanistan and worked to stop the U. S. supported revolt in Angola.
Unfortunately, the damage that was done by the Cold War was severe and we will be working for decades to overcome the problems it created and will likely continue to create in both national security and foreign policy.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
It was the clash between capitalism and communism that caused the Cold war in the first place. Looking all the way back to the issue of Germany and its division post-WWII, and leading to the Berlin crisis, evidence is obvious that the United States and Soviet Union’s different polices with respect to governing their portions of Germany led to the ‘plantation of the seeds of mistrust’. In Addition, the fact that European countries had been devastated by the Second World War further fueled this clash of ideals between superpowers, since Soviets were trying to absorb them into their sphere of influence by offering benefits through means of the Warsaw Pact. On the other hand, the U.S. had implemented the Truman Doctrine in order to stop communism from spreading further, most notoriously providing financial aid to Greece and Turkey. As a result, the Cold War was truly put into full gear; the clash of spheres of influence was imminent, it was East Germany vs. West Germany, NATO vs. the Warsaw Pact, Capitalism vs. Communism.…
- 1145 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
One major factor that could easily be blamed for starting the Cold War is the USA’s own economic interests. Truman desperately needed large businesses to continue to be profitable in order for the USA to avoid entering another economic downfall, and the business boom after the Second World War contributed greatly to the temporary security…
- 1138 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Between 1945 and 1950, the tensions increased between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both superpowers, with varying standpoints on global affairs, were brought to the brink of war. As the United States pushed for the containment of communism, and the development of capitalist democracies, the Soviet Union continued to impose communist rule amongst itself and its satellite nations. Eventually, these conflicting views would lead to the start of the Cold War. Fueled by the disagreement of the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., the war would be fought indirectly through propaganda and influence from leaders, the development of alliances, as well as the arms race.…
- 983 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The existing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union proceeded to spike between 1945 and 1950. The disputes between these two countries pressured them to start a war. Of the post World War II goals that contributed to the Cold War, there were a prominent few, including the “Iron Curtain”, the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and NATO. During the Cold War, competition for methods of weaponry skyrocketed. Some of said tactics were Satellite nations, the Space Race, and the buildup of arms.…
- 495 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
At the start of the first world war, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact. With Germany and the Soviet Union being allies, the rest of the world had their suspicions. In the U.S., Senator Truman expressed his dislike of both countries and his view of them as potential enemies(Doc A). Unfortunately for the Soviet Union, the pact between him and Hitler was soon broken by a German invasion. The invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 was a surprise to everyone, especially Stalin who was not prepared for it. According to Churchill, it was the turning point of the war. This turn on Stalin seemed like a great thing, if the Soviet Union hadn’t collapsed so quickly. With the fear of the Soviet Union’s surrender, Churchill and Roosevelt secretly met in the historic Atlantic Conference in August 1941. An outcome of the conference was the eight-point Atlantic Charter, where Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to defeat Germany before turning to Japan, and they planned for a new world organization, and affirmed their commitment to self-determination for all nations.…
- 1311 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
In 1948, NATO (Or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed, which was an Alliance of North American and Western European nations. As stated in Document 4, its aim was to "restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area," using force of necessary. However the USSR felt this was a cloak by the United States to hide imperialistic strategies. The Soviet government's response to this was the Warsaw Pact, signed in Poland in 1955. This was a similar alliance with Russia's eastern European satellites. In Document 9 you can see the effects of this alliances, dividing NATO members from Warsaw Pact members with an invisible iron…
- 681 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The Cold War was a period of hostility and rising tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union beginning soon after the end of World War II, lasting from 1945 until 1989. The Cold War originated from conflict over the type of government in Eastern Europe after the war. The United States pushed for freely elected governments while the Soviet Union denied it. At the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, shortly after the death of Franklin Roosevelt, the new president, Harry Truman ordered instant free elections throughout Eastern Europe. Stalin denied and in reply said, " A freely elected government in any of these East European countries would be anti-Soviet and that we can not allow." President Truman cut off all aid to Russia stating…
- 301 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The United States foreign policy during the Cold War was containment, specifically of communism since Americans were still afraid of another Red Scare. The Marshal Plan enacted by president Truman provided financial aid to European countries. Encompassing 16 countries, the marshal plan allocated $13 billion to support Europe, preventing economic depression or recession and ensuring that Europe would not turn to communism as a result. Truman’s Truman Doctrine also changed the way America acted with foreign countries and allowed America to assist free nations who are resisting communism. One example of this would be the Berlin Airlift as the Soviet Union sought repercussions from Germany and wanted to prevent them from gaining power, so the Soviets invaded Germany.…
- 1693 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
In 1946, in his famous “Long Telegram,” George Keenan (diplomat) explained the policy: “The Soviet Union, he wrote was a “political force committed fanatically to the belief that with the U.S. there can be not permanent modus vivendi.” As a result, America’s only choice was the long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.” President Harry Truman was the first American president to fight the Cold War. He used several policies, however the most famous was the Truman Doctrine. This plan would give money and military aid to countries threatened by communism.…
- 1354 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
In the year 1947 is what is known as the beginning of the Cold War. During World War II the countries of United States and Soviet Union combined forces to defeat the Germans. When the war was over the tension of different ideologies began once again. Joseph Stalin the leader of the Soviet Union wanted to expand communism, he believed that communism was the superior ideology. The United States being capitalist contain communism by using the Berlin blockade and airlift to their advantage, the Korean war, and The Cuban missile crises.…
- 504 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The Truman Doctrine of 1947 is believed to be the start of the Cold War. It stated that America would help any non-communist nation to resist communist force. In Retrieving the American Past on page 348 it says, “One of the primary objectives of the foreign policy of the United States is the creation of conditions in which we and other nations will be able to work out a way of life free from coercion”. It was simply a promise and was not in any case responsible of dividing Europe into two. The Truman Doctrine was the decision and the Marshall Plan was the action, which seemed to bring the two nations (USA and Russia) more towards the Cold War. What I think may have started the Cold War could have possibly been the Marshall Plan. It was the most obvious attack against Communism ever made…
- 926 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The Cold War was by chance the most stressful part of the World’s history than anything else because it stretched across the entire globe and affected every country in one way or another. There are several reasons that the Cold War began and several different points that can be described as the beginning of the Cold War. By far the most influential part of the Cold War was the distrust that Joseph Stalin had between Winston Churchill and Harry Truman. The hostile relationship between the countries began when the Soviet Union would not open invade the Eastern part of Europe pushing Germany back and helping out the rest of the allies (Crash Course #39). The Cold War was a time that no one wanted to blink because they were afraid they might miss something important.…
- 799 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
After WWII The Soviet Union and the United States had many different political ideologies particularly communism and capitalism. Capitalism is a belief that private property should be replaced by community ownership. Communism is opposed private ownership economies of the United States and its allies. Based on Document A, a document was first telegraphed to American officials in Washington on February 22, 1946 and it happened after WWII. In Document A the United States made the idea of containment. Containment is the idea of the Soviet Union and Soviet communism should not be allowed to spread.…
- 424 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The Civil War era was determined by the unresolved issues of the Revolution. Two of the main issues being would the United states be a dissolvable group of sovereign states (The Confederacy) or an indivisible nation with a central government; the other being if the nation announcing itself to the world as an equal nation where all are created equal would maintain its identity as the largest slave owning country in the world. In January 1861, seven Southern slave states individually declared their withdrawal from the United States of America and formed the Confederate States of America. Abraham Lincoln believed the only way to save the union was to declare war against those who wanted a divided nation. The North was victorious and as a result of this there was the Emancipation Proclamation.…
- 447 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The year of 1945 was a time of relief for America and its people. That year was the end of World War II. Germany had lost and the time for rebuilding was near. However, the peace did not last long between the Soviet Union and the United States. A difference in political and economic views caused a rift in the Soviet Union and United States relationship of convenience. The Soviet Union was running on a system of government called communism. Communism's theory of a government run by the economy was the complete opposite of America's dedication to independence. This difference caused great tension between the two nations and became a Cold War. The Soviet Union believed that communism was going to overcome capitalism and that they will win the Cold War. America's retaliation to the Soviet Union's spreading of communism was containment. Containment is the attempt to stop the spread of communism. The Cold War split the world into two large groups, those who were under communist rule and those who were against it. The United States was dedicated in their fight against communism with instances like the Truman Doctrine, which vowed to support anyone who was being threatened by communist rule, and The Marshall Plan, which gave over 10 billion dollars to European countries in the effort to rebuild the damage done during World War II. By 1947, the United States and Soviet Union were constantly on their toes and pushing boundaries to see who would gain the upper hand in the Cold War.…
- 954 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays