Background and focus by the state
- after WW2, was a struggle
between superpowers being Origins of the Cold War
the United States of America - origins are widely regarded to
(USA) and Union of Soviet lie directly within the period
Socialist Republics (USSR) immediately after WW2 ended
- Cold War (CW) refers to state in 1945
of hostility between nations - however, events preceding
without actual fighting – now WW2, extending as far back
refers to protracted economic as the Bolshevik Revolution of
and ideological struggle 1917 and the subsequent
between USA and USSR Russian Civil War, are
supported by respective allies considered by some historians
- threat of new deadlier as the long-term reasons for
weapons, i.e. nuclear mistrust between USA/ other
technology, prevented open Western countries and the
warfare USSR
- term CW comes from title of a - in 1917 Lenin led the
book by political theorist Bolshevik Revolution which
Walter Lippmann established a communist gov
- CW lasts four decades until in Russia
eventual collapse of - new Bolshevik gov planned to
communism in Eastern Europe remove the concept of private
and the USSR after 1989 ownership in Russia – was in
- disintegration of Soviet Union contrast to USA’s economic
in 1991 generally considered system based on capitalism
the mark of the end of the - Americans feared spread of
conflict communism and its belief in
- USA followed capitalism: the elimination of private
an economic system based wealth/ownership
on the private ownership
of the means of production The end of World War Two
and distribution of goods, - USA and USSR temporarily put
characterised by a free differences aside as Nazis
competitive market and invaded the Soviet Union in
motivated by profit – 1941
followed democracy w/ a - USA, Britain and Soviet
multi-party gov Union formed Grand
- USSR followed communism: Alliance (GA) to defeat Hitler
belief that advocates a and Nazi Germany
classless society in which - USA provided GA w/ weapons
private ownership and supplies through the Lend
abolished and means of Lease system
production belong to - even before the end of the
community, communist war and defeat of Germany,
countries are one-party tensions began to surface
states in which industry within GA