Cold War Essay, Research Paper

Throughout history, conflicts between nations has been

unavoidable. Even many of the smallest countries seem to

need military protection. Few countries however have been

involved in conflicts lasting more than fifty years and

never actually been in a battle verse each other.

The Americans and the Russians had been friends for a

century, then in 1917, when communists seized power and

established the Soviet Union and declared ideological war on

the nations in the west, they became enemies to the

Americans. The United States refused to recognize the

soviet Union as a state until 1933. The two countries

fought Germany in World War 2 as allies.

In 1945, the United States and the USSR broke their war

time alliance. They had very different political systems.

They also had a bad history, but when USSR moved into

eastern Europe, The United States decided that it could not

be overlooked.

Winston Churchill called the dividing line between the

USSR?s satellites and democratic Europe an ?iron curtain?.

The United States knew that the ?creeping communism? would

continue if they let it. Thus, began the 55 year long war,

in which the two sides never actually fought one another.

The USSR and the United States competed over

everything, from the size of their empires to how well their

athletes performed at the Olympics. The most dangerous

competition was the arms race. This led people to live in

fear over a possible war, due to the occurrence of other

wars beginning in such a manner.

The United States knew competing with the USSR would

not stop communism from spreading. President Truman

suggested the Containment Policy. with this policy the

American Nation would aide people who were being forced to

become Soviet Satellites or eastern block nations. The plan

started with Greece and turkey. At President Truman?s

suggestion they were given 400 million dollars in aide. The

country in which democracy began, (Greece), stayed

democratic, as well as Turkey.

Not long after the success with the Containment policy,

America?s Secretary of state reached a new plan, the

Marshall Plan. In the Marshall Plan, The United States

aided countries, who after the war needed to be rebuilt

economically, socially, and politically. Marshal said ?It?s

purpose is to revive a working economy in the World?. He

knew communism seemed to be the only option to countries who

were unstable. Although 13 billion dollars was put into

this plan, it was considered money well spent.