The main reason for the Cold War in Europe was the West’s fear of communism.’ How
far do you agree? Explain your answer:
The cold war occurred during a time of rebuilding Europe. It characterised international
relations and dominated the foreign policies of Europe. The USA and the USSR were known
as the two superpowers and indirectly the tense social climate and the power struggles
between them led to the cold war. The three main reasons for the cold war are the Second
World War, West’s fear of communism and the atomic bomb.
Firstly, the USA and the USSR’s relationship broke down after the Second World War for
various reasons; such as military campaigns, Churchill and Roosevelt feared that Stalin
wanted to install communism in the Eastern European countries that Germany had
conquered. Stalin feared that Churchill and Roosevelt wanted to see Nazi Germany and the
Soviet union fight a long war, wearing down the resources of both countries and making
them weaker. Stalin also believed this was the reason why the USA and Britain had delayed
opening the second front until 1944, another centre of fighting. The Soviet union needed the
second front to take the pressure off on the heavily militarised Eastern front. This led Stalin
to believe that the delay was on purpose as Britain and the USA aimed to make the Soviet
Union weaker, having to fight Germany on its own.Secondly, the early conflict of the
Bolshevik government taking over Russia in October 1917 with the USA, Britain and France
also enhanced the tension of the USA and the USSR.
Another cause for the Cold War was the West’s fear of communism. The basis for mistrust
between East and West was that they had such different ideological beliefs. The USA feared
that Stalin wanted to spread communism worldwide and the Soviet union feared the West
and wanted to impose their beliefs on the Soviet people. The most significant disagreement
was over how countries should be politically run. The USA followed the ideology of
capitalism; capitalist believe everyone should be free to own property and business and to
make money. whereas the Soviet union believed in communism where all property, including
homes and businesses, Should belong to the state, to ensure that every member of society
has a fair share. The USA feared after the defeat of Nazi Germany and its allies Japan was
how Europe would be governed after the war. The leaders of the grand alliance nations met
three times during the war, at Tehran in 1943, Yalta in February 1945 and Potsdam in July
1945, these conferences led to increasing tension as no agreements could be made and
mistrust between them caused the Cold War.
The atomic bomb is one other cause of the Cold War, after the defeat of Germany, the
Western Allies continued to fight together against Japan. In August 1945 the Americans
dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. The reason why the dropping of the atomic bombs on
Japan caused The Cold War is because they had kept the news of these developments
secret from Stalin until the very last moment. Stalin was worried that this was done because
the Americans could possibly be thinking of using such bombs against the Soviet union in
future. The secrecy of the greatly important decision that the USA made on those atomic
bombs identified the mist trust between the two superpowers and possibly the grand alliance
was becoming 2 to 1 (Britain and USA against USSR). . so once the war came to an end, it
was incredibly clear that relations between the three countries were likely to become
strained. The ideological differences and now the loss of trust between them furthermore
complicated their relationship
In conclusion, I think the West’s underlying fear that the USSR wanted to impose the
Communistic beliefs worldwide increased the levels of mistrust and suspicion. Stalin’s
realisation of the West’s fear made him believe that the West was undermining him and
trying to weaken the Soviet Union. This led to tensions in World War II, as the delay of
far do you agree? Explain your answer:
The cold war occurred during a time of rebuilding Europe. It characterised international
relations and dominated the foreign policies of Europe. The USA and the USSR were known
as the two superpowers and indirectly the tense social climate and the power struggles
between them led to the cold war. The three main reasons for the cold war are the Second
World War, West’s fear of communism and the atomic bomb.
Firstly, the USA and the USSR’s relationship broke down after the Second World War for
various reasons; such as military campaigns, Churchill and Roosevelt feared that Stalin
wanted to install communism in the Eastern European countries that Germany had
conquered. Stalin feared that Churchill and Roosevelt wanted to see Nazi Germany and the
Soviet union fight a long war, wearing down the resources of both countries and making
them weaker. Stalin also believed this was the reason why the USA and Britain had delayed
opening the second front until 1944, another centre of fighting. The Soviet union needed the
second front to take the pressure off on the heavily militarised Eastern front. This led Stalin
to believe that the delay was on purpose as Britain and the USA aimed to make the Soviet
Union weaker, having to fight Germany on its own.Secondly, the early conflict of the
Bolshevik government taking over Russia in October 1917 with the USA, Britain and France
also enhanced the tension of the USA and the USSR.
Another cause for the Cold War was the West’s fear of communism. The basis for mistrust
between East and West was that they had such different ideological beliefs. The USA feared
that Stalin wanted to spread communism worldwide and the Soviet union feared the West
and wanted to impose their beliefs on the Soviet people. The most significant disagreement
was over how countries should be politically run. The USA followed the ideology of
capitalism; capitalist believe everyone should be free to own property and business and to
make money. whereas the Soviet union believed in communism where all property, including
homes and businesses, Should belong to the state, to ensure that every member of society
has a fair share. The USA feared after the defeat of Nazi Germany and its allies Japan was
how Europe would be governed after the war. The leaders of the grand alliance nations met
three times during the war, at Tehran in 1943, Yalta in February 1945 and Potsdam in July
1945, these conferences led to increasing tension as no agreements could be made and
mistrust between them caused the Cold War.
The atomic bomb is one other cause of the Cold War, after the defeat of Germany, the
Western Allies continued to fight together against Japan. In August 1945 the Americans
dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. The reason why the dropping of the atomic bombs on
Japan caused The Cold War is because they had kept the news of these developments
secret from Stalin until the very last moment. Stalin was worried that this was done because
the Americans could possibly be thinking of using such bombs against the Soviet union in
future. The secrecy of the greatly important decision that the USA made on those atomic
bombs identified the mist trust between the two superpowers and possibly the grand alliance
was becoming 2 to 1 (Britain and USA against USSR). . so once the war came to an end, it
was incredibly clear that relations between the three countries were likely to become
strained. The ideological differences and now the loss of trust between them furthermore
complicated their relationship
In conclusion, I think the West’s underlying fear that the USSR wanted to impose the
Communistic beliefs worldwide increased the levels of mistrust and suspicion. Stalin’s
realisation of the West’s fear made him believe that the West was undermining him and
trying to weaken the Soviet Union. This led to tensions in World War II, as the delay of
