the question is what was the basis of the cold war and how was it played out between 1940s - 1980s?
my layout is to answer the first half and then address the second half.
thanks so much!!
At the end of World War II, the emergence of two new superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States of America led to an intense rivalry and a clash of competing ideologies (communism versus capitalism) which formed the foundation to a four and a half decade long conflict known as the Cold War. The United States became very powerful due to increasing wealth that they benefited from the war and included factors such as not being invaded (therefore expenditure on repairing damages was not required), providing employment so factories could produce weapons to support their allied countries and maintaining a strong military base. The Soviet Union on the other hand, gained their status through their massive military numbers who were widely responsible for defeating the German Army in Western Europe as well as significant advancements in space technology. The recognition gained from the fall of the Germans contributed to the United States viewing the Soviet Union as a powerful country who could compete with them in aspects such as “the space race” and nuclear arms race. Similarly, the Soviets saw the United States as a threat through the incredible wealth (which would allow them to advance in nuclear and space technology) in addition to their strong air and navy force. The Cold War can be summed up as a period of tension and suppressed hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union which involved an indirect war mainly based on words and originated from the opposing ideas of capitalism and communism. Nevertheless, the basis of the Cold War was also a combination of mistrust, misperception, different ideologies, tension and conflict between individual leader decisions.
my layout is to answer the first half and then address the second half.
thanks so much!!
At the end of World War II, the emergence of two new superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States of America led to an intense rivalry and a clash of competing ideologies (communism versus capitalism) which formed the foundation to a four and a half decade long conflict known as the Cold War. The United States became very powerful due to increasing wealth that they benefited from the war and included factors such as not being invaded (therefore expenditure on repairing damages was not required), providing employment so factories could produce weapons to support their allied countries and maintaining a strong military base. The Soviet Union on the other hand, gained their status through their massive military numbers who were widely responsible for defeating the German Army in Western Europe as well as significant advancements in space technology. The recognition gained from the fall of the Germans contributed to the United States viewing the Soviet Union as a powerful country who could compete with them in aspects such as “the space race” and nuclear arms race. Similarly, the Soviets saw the United States as a threat through the incredible wealth (which would allow them to advance in nuclear and space technology) in addition to their strong air and navy force. The Cold War can be summed up as a period of tension and suppressed hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union which involved an indirect war mainly based on words and originated from the opposing ideas of capitalism and communism. Nevertheless, the basis of the Cold War was also a combination of mistrust, misperception, different ideologies, tension and conflict between individual leader decisions.