The Cold War :: essays research papers

The Cold WarThe Cold War is the shifting struggle for power and prestige amidst the Westernpowers and the Communist axis vertebra from the end of World War II until 1989. The Cold Warwas a fight between democracy and communism. There had always been mutual suspicion between the West and the USSR. Thissuspicion could be seen in the alliances these two powers had made during World War II. Even after the contend , the West felt threatened by the continued expansion policy of theSoviet Union. Soviet Union also felt the fear of invasion from the West. Russiaoccupied zones in Germany, Austria and had made threats toward Turkey and Greece. Russia was do what Sir Winston Churchill called an iron curtain. The US tookthe lead in stopping Russian influenced and came up with the Truman Doctrine whichgave funding to Greek and Turkey. Fearing communism would rise in untold of torneastern Europe, the United States came up with the Marshall plan. The Marshall planhelped to restore prosperity a nd growth in Europe. The policy of the West during the cold war was to contain the communist states,and hope that internal division or failure, of the communist state, might bring aroundtheir demise. In 1948 the Soviet Union directly challenged the US setting up blockadesin west Berlin. In 1949 the US went against its policy on permanent alliances, and signedthe North Atlantic Treaty Organization, along with xi other countries. In 1955 theSoviet Union came back with the Warsaw Treaty Organization. The cold war was more of a race. The country with the most allies, mostweapons, outflank technology and best military was the winner. The country with theswiftest nuclear weapons and the country who could completely annihilate the enemywas the better country.