Allon PosenOrigins of the Cold War (1945-1989)

West Suspicious of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union Suspicious of the West

1945, Harry Truman, not a Soviet sympathizers, becomes US President

1936, by this time the Soviet Union was the same size as Europe. This made Western countries fear that the Communists were building a powerful new empire in the East.

Progress Publishers printed proSoviet books in foreign languages for export to western countries

1947, Truman announces the "truman Doctrine" of containing communism

1945, Truman protests at Soviet attempts to set up a pro-Soviet government in Poland

1953; The Soviet Union exploded its first H-Bomb and started building largerange missiles

1960, the Soviet Union started giving money and arms to the new anti-American government of Cuba

1949, The western Allies form a military defense organization, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) If any one of them were attacked by the Soviet Union, they would join forces and fight the Soviets

The western Allies introduce a new currency into their occupation zones in Germany. Stalin alarmed because he believed if Germany became rich and strong they be be able to threaten the Soviet Union in the future.

1945, The Second World War ends with 12 million Soviet soldiers occupying Eastern Europe

Soviet forces in Romania set up a proSoviet government there

1952, The USA testexplodes the first atomic bomb

1948, Start of Marshall Aid to help European countries repair war damage. USA gave $16 billion of aid in order to stop the spread of communism in Western Europe

1984, the Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics though fears for Soviet athletes' safety in USA

The "Voice of America" radio station broadcast proAmerican programs to the Soviet Union

1945, The Potsdam Conference fails to agree on the frontier between Germany and Poland, or on democratic elections in Eastern Europe

1948, Stalin blockades the western sectors of Berlin

1947, Stalin did not allow East European counties to accept aid from America, he tightened his grip on them by setting up a "Communist Information Bureau" (Cominform) It co-ordinate the activities of the communist parties in Europe, thus strengthening Soviet power and influence

Origins of the Cold War (1945-1989) I. West Suspicious of the Soviet Union A. 1936, by this time the Soviet Union was the same size as Europe. This made Western countries fear that the Communists were building a powerful new empire in the East. 1. 1945, Truman protests at Soviet attempts to set up a pro-Soviet government in Poland a. 1945, The Second World War ends with 12 million Soviet soldiers occupying Eastern Europe (1) 1945, The Potsdam Conference fails to agree on the frontier between Germany and Poland, or on democratic elections in Eastern Europe (a) 1947, Stalin did not allow East European counties to accept aid from America, he tightened his grip on them by setting up a "Communist Information Bureau" (Cominform) It co-ordinate the activities of the communist parties in Europe, thus strengthening Soviet power and influence i) 1948, Stalin blockades the western sectors of Berlin (1) (a) i) (1) Soviet forces in Romania set up a pro-Soviet government there 1953; The Soviet Union exploded its first H-Bomb and started building large-range missiles Progress Publishers printed pro-Soviet books in foreign languages for export to western countries 1960, the Soviet Union started giving money and arms to the new anti-American government of Cuba II. Soviet Union Suspicious of the West A. 1945, Harry Truman, not a Soviet sympathizers, becomes US President 1. 1947, Truman announces the "truman Doctrine" of containing communism a. The western Allies introduce a new currency into their occupation zones in Germany. Stalin alarmed because he believed if Germany became rich and strong they be be able to threaten the Soviet Union in the future. (1) 1949, The western Allies form a military defense organization, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) If any one of them were attacked by the Soviet Union, they would join forces and fight the Soviets (a) 1952, The USA test-explodes the first atomic bomb i) The "Voice of America" radio station broadcast pro-American programs to the Soviet Union (1) (a) 1984, the Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics though fears for Soviet athletes' safety in USA 1948, Start of Marshall Aid to help European countries repair war damage. USA gave $16 billion of aid in order to stop the spread of communism in Western Europe

Allon Posen

The following are a list of events that were long-term causes of the Cold War Stalin did not allow East European counties to accept aid from America, he tightened his grip on them by setting up a "Communist Information Bureau Progress Publishers printed pro-Soviet books in foreign languages for export to western countries 1949, The western Allies form a military defense organization, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) If any one of them were attacked by the Soviet Union, they would join forces and fight the Soviets The "Voice of America" radio station broadcast pro-American programs to the Soviet Union

I think that equally both the Soviet Union and the West were responsible for causing the Cold War. Both sides were unable to trust each other and therefore both sides were cold to one another. Even when the Soviet army and U.S. army met in Berlin during World War II, both sides were unsure whether to attack each other or not because initially the Soviet Union was on the German side. When World War I ended, the United States was the undisputed superpower of the world, however, by the end of World War II there was no clear winner of which of the two countries was the worlds superpower. As a result, both countries tried to outdo each other in many aspects, such as their space programs, the Olympics, the military etc.