Tensions of US and Soviet Union that led to the cold war?

Answer 1

The Cold War began as World War II was ending. American leaders saw the power and ambitions of the Soviet Union as a threat to our national security. The Cold War was a war of words and ideologies rather than a shooting war, although at times the Cold War turned “hot” as in Korea and Vietnam. Basically, the Cold War was a rivalry between the United States as leader of the western democracies, and the Soviet Union and the nations that were controlled by the communists. Some causes of the Cold War included: Attempts by the Soviets and Chinese Communists to influence and take over areas in Asia and Europe. Containment--the policy of the United States to stop communism from spreading to other areas of the world. The Truman Doctrine--a policy of supporting anti-communist regimes with military and economic aid. The Doctrine was first used in support of democratic governments in Greece and Turkey. The Marshall Plan--a massive plan to aid in rebuilding Europe after World War II. Western allied nations, as well as neutral nations, and even the Soviet Union were offered economic assistance. The Soviet Union saw this as a threat to their attempt to gain influence in Europe and Asia. The division of Germany after the war---The Soviets blockaded West Berlin, which was deep within Communist East Germany. The Soviets thought the blockade would allow them to take over all of Berlin. The US replied with the Berlin Airlift, to supply West Berlin. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 by the US, Canada, and nine European nations, the first peacetime military alliance in US History. The NATO nations agreed that an attack on one would be an attack on all. The Soviets replied with the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe. September, 1949, the Soviet Union tested its first Atomic Bomb. The Cold War continued through the decades of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, until the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/coldwar.htm http://meme.essortment.com/effectswhatcau_mmy.htm http://www.teacheroz.com/toc.htm

Answer 2

Well, the easy answer is the United States and the Soviet Union. The communist countries of Eastern Europe were "up against" the capitalist countries of Western Europe and North America. It was really the tension between two forms of government that found themselves incredibly powerful without a direct threat after World War II was done. The tension in the Cold War was between Russia and the USA over nuclear arms.

Answer 3

Superpower Tensions

The buildup of tensions occurred at several notable points during the Cold War, (1948 to 1991). The first 'stress test' was the Soviet Blockade of Berlin in 1948, followed by the Korean War, the beginning of the space race with the Russian launch of Sputnik, the Warsaw Pact interventions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, the Cuban Missile Crisis,the conflict in Vietnam, the Soviet invasion of Afganistan, the American invasion of Panama, etc. Each conflict led to an increase in tensions for a while (sometimes to Defcon 111 levels). Add to this constant testing of new weapons & weapon systems (American Bikini Atoll tests, MIRVED missiles, MX missiles, MI tanks, Neutron weapons; and for the Russians, things like secret ASAT tests, SS18 Satan heavy ICBM's T-64 Tanks, the Tsar Bomba hydrogen bomb tests, etc, dtc)and you have a recipe for constant tension. Finally, the actions of allies of the superpowers affected tensions globally as well. The Arab/Israeli conflicts, the Indo/Pak conflict of '71 that led to Bangladesh being created, the interventions by S. Africa in Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, etc, all led to periodic spikes in military preparations for WW3.

Answer 4

The Cold War began as World War II was ending. American leaders saw the power and ambitions of the Soviet Union as a threat to our national security. The Cold War was a war of words and ideologies rather than a shooting war, although at times the Cold War turned "hot" as in Korea and Vietnam. Basically, the Cold War was a rivalry between the United States as leader of the western democracies, and the Soviet Union and the nations that were controlled by the communists.

Answer 5

Proxy Wars mostly, but there was also things like Propaganda, brinkmanship, and the Olympics of 1980 and 1984.