The Cold War Who is responsible?

Background Information  The Cold War is a term that refers to the strategic and political struggle that developed after World War II between the United States and its Western European allies, and the Soviet Union and Communist countries.  Hostility between the United States and the USSR roots back to during World War I.  Even before the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, the United States and the USSR had become divided over the political future of Poland.

Background Information  The Cold War initially centered on the use of USSR military forces to enforce Communist governments through Eastern Europe.  These Soviet actions were opposed to by the U.S. government and feared that the USSR, would gain control of Eastern Europe, then try to communize Western Europe.  These Soviet actions were opposed to by the U.S. government and feared that the USSR, would gain control of Eastern Europe, then try to communize Western Europe.  Eastern Europe was put behind a military and political barrier known to the West as the ‘Iron Curtain’.

This map shows the United States and the Soviet Union’s allies during the Cold War.

Questions  Could have the Cold War have prevented?  Who is ultimately responsibly for the start of the Cold War?  Was it necessary for the Cold War to extend over four decades?  What occurred during the Cold War?  What was the rivalry between the different sides of the Cold War?  What was the essential reason(s) of why the Cold War started?  Why division between the two sides was referenced to as the iron curtain? - Winston Churchill (1946)  What are some of the major factors that lead to the United States and Soviet Union to begin the rival between each county?

Thesis  The United States is responsible for the start of the Cold War due to National Security and US Foreign Policy, Manipulation using the Marshall Plan, and the decision to use the Atomic Bomb.

Argument #1  National Security and US Foreign Policy  Stalin had no blueprint for the world domination, but his barbaric regime threatened his neighbours throughout Eurasia. The United States was obligated to respond to their pleas for help and to become embroiled in a host of disputes that many American policymakers would preferred to avoid.  The Soviets’ ability to wage war against the United States generated the widespread assumption that the Soviets would refrain from military aggression and seek to avoid war.

Argument #2  Manipulation using the Marshall Plan  1947: Soviet Ambassador Andrei Vyshinsky: “The United States also counted on making all these countries directly dependent on the interests of American monopolies… It is becoming more and more evident to everyone that the accomplishment of the Marshall Plan will mean placing European countries under the economic and political control of the United Sates.”  Policy was anti-Soviet and aimed to suppress the nation’s political influence in Europe, instead promoting dependence on America

Argument #3  The decision to use the Atomic Bomb  The United States used the atomic bomb to impress the Soviet Union more then to defeat the Japanese.  The United States used the atomic bomb to impress the Soviet Union more then to defeat the Japanese.  Bomb was dropped to manipulate Soviets  Atomic bomb was favoured over an invasion to prevent Soviet involvement which could lead to communist influence in the Pacific

Counter Arguments  Stalin and the Soviet Foreign Policy  Marshall Plan meant to help rebuild European economy. Marshall Aid was offered to Soviets, who declined the financial aid.  The bomb was dropped to save American lives, not to alter relations with the Soviets.

Bibliography  Cold War Thaws, The ( ). AIMS Multimedia unitedstreaming. 28 September  Gaddis, John L. We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History. New York: Oxford: Clarendon Press,  Heater, Derek. The Cold War. East Sussex, England: Wayland (Publishers) Ltd.,  Leffler, Melvyn P. "National Security and US Foreign Policy." Origins of the Cold War. Eds. Melvyn P. Leffler and David S. Painter. New York, New York: Routledge,  Miller, David. The Cold War a Military History. London: Random House (Pty) Limited,  "Nuclear War." Encyclopedia Americana Grolier Online. 28 Sep

Bibliography  Polmar, Norman. "Atomic FISH." Naval History 20.4 (2006): 29.  Polmar, Norman. "Atomic FISH." Naval History 20.4 (2006): 29.  Roberts, Priscilla, D. The Cold War. United Kingdom: Sutton Publishing Limited,  Sewell, Mike. The Cold War. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press,  Sherwin, Martin J. "The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War." Origins of the Cold War. Eds. Melvyn P. Leffler and David S. Painter. New York,New York: Routledge,  “Vyshinsky Speech to the U.N.” 15 October 2006,. ments/vysin/ ments/vysin/