The Reasons behind the Cold War

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The Cold war was a sustained state of military and political tension between powers of two dominating powers from opposite sides of the globe. One from the Western Bloc, or Capitalist Bloc, dominated by the United States (U.S) and the other from the Eastern Block, or Communist Bloc, powered by the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R). Obviously both very different, the opposing ideas of the superpowers supported the spread of their respective and economic systems and strengthened their military powers. As a result, the two sides developed new weapon systems, stockpiled nuclear weapons, and competed in space exploration. But what actually caused these tensions between the two? How come their differences in ideology made it impossible to cooperate?

It all started at the end of the Second World War. In WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union were allies against Germany and their allies. After defeating Germany, the allies did not agree on how to European map should look like and how borders should be drawn. Each side had dissimilar ideas on the establishment and maintenance of post-war security with the Western allies desiring a security system established by democratic governments permitting countries to resolve conflicts through international organizations. The Russians on the other hand, with an enormous death toll (estimated at 27 million) sought to increase security by dominating the internal affairs of countries that bordered it . During the ending period of war, Stalin had made in place special training centers for Communists all around the world so they could set up secret police forces loyal to Moscow as soon as the Red Army took control. Soviet agents then quickly took control of the media, the radio especially, and then banned al...

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...to the Soviet Union who had many reasons to want to punish Germany with all the loss they had. The Americans did not understand why Communism should spread as it completely destroys all individual freedom, and the Communists could not understand how the Capitalists could make no government control and inequality between people.
In all, these misperceptions created a new world. It only ended in the destructions of these extreme ideologies and the reunification of people that were only separated due to fear. The Iron Curtain fell, and today the Soviet Union does not seize to exist. Through a series of agreements and treaties, the US and Russia reduced the number of nuclear arms each possesses. With that, people in Nebraska, the US, and Russia could begin to act as if they no longer had atomic bombs aimed at them. But of course, the world still presents challenges.

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