Cold War20th century conflict between USA and USSR.No direct
military engagement occurred.The two nations feared each other and
had opposing ideologies.USA- Believed that the USSR wanted to
spread communism across Europe.USSR- Just wanted to guarantee their
countrys security and believed that USA had a desire to build a
global economic empire.This conflict resulted into the division of
Europe into two blocs.
In what ways was USSR to blame?Stalin imposed Soviet systems
throughout the Eastern Europe.USSR did not trust USAThe formation
of: a) Warsaw Pact b) Communist Information Bureau (COMINFORM) c)
Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON)
How can USSR be defended?Britain refused to share details of the
German secret Enigma codes.The western allies intentionally delayed
opening a second front in the west in order to weaken the Soviet
Union.The USA built an atomic bomb without telling the USSRStalin
only wanted USSR to recover from its losses and damages from the
war.Stalin feared that Germany would rise again.
In what ways was the USA to blame?They stopped lend-lease
arrangements with the USSR.They wanted to control their sphere of
influence without the intervention of any other nations.Had other
purposes for the Marshall Aid.Broke some rules of the Potsdam
agreement.Truman had been aggressive and was trying to isolate
USSR.
How can the USA be defended?Countries under the control of the
US were allowed to elect freely.The Truman doctrine was a defensive
reaction to the communist threat in south-east Europe.Truman took
two years to develop a response to the soviet policies in eastern
Europe.Stalins attitude to the London Poles showed his desire to
break with the wartime agreements.
Source 12Why did you Americans wait till right now to begin
opposing us in the Balkans and Eastern Europe? You should have done
this three years ago. Now it is too late.
Source 13The foreign policy of the United States, which reflects
the imperialist tendencies of American monopolistic capital, is
characterized in the postwar period by a strivingfor world
supremacy. This is the real meaning of the many statements by
President Truman and other representatives of American ruling
circles: that the United States has the right to lead the world.
All the forces of American diplomacythe army, the air force, the
navy, industry, and scienceare enlisted in the service of this
foreign policy. For this purpose broad plans for expansion have
been developed and are being implemented through diplomacy and the
establishment of a system of naval and air bases stretching far
beyond the boundaries of the United States, through the arms race,
and through the creation of ever newer types of weapons.
Source 14The ruling clique of American imperialists has taken
the path of outright expansion, of enslaving the weakened
capitalist states of Europe. It has taken the path of hatching new
war plans against the Soviet Union and the new democracies. The
clearest and most specific expression of the policy is provided by
the Truman-Marshall plans.
