Causes of the Cold War is the conflict

Causes of the Cold War is the conflict between the Communist nations led by the Soviet Union and the democratic nations led by the United States. It is fought by all means - propaganda, economic war, diplomatic haggling and occasional military clashes. It is fought in all places

1. Ideological The United States and the Soviet Union represent two opposing systems of government. The United States has free elections. The people can form political parties to voice their political opinions. They also possess the right of assembly, of speech and of the press, religion, and petition. Soviet Union, the government is formed by the Communist Party. The people do not have the right to form their own political parties. Only certain people can join the communist party. They do not enjoy the right of assembly, of speech of religion of petition and of the press.

2. Economic The United States wanted to encourage free trade throughout the world. Capitalism, private ownership of factors of production Communism. Gov’t ownership of factors of production. Gov’t decides what will or will not be made. Market system Russia feared that trade with the West would involve the risk of Russia being opened to western idea which would have eroded the strength of the totalitarian regime. Profit Motive Afraid of Western Ideas

3. Power rivalry Global power was divided between the Soviet Union and the United States. The US wanted to stop the spread of communism…Truman Doctrine The Soviets thought the US was arrogant and oppressed people in other countries… 4. The US and USSR did not trust other. The US invaded Russia in 1921 to help overthrow the Communist revolution The Soviets never keep their word, like free elections

Things that angered the Soviets 1. Truman doctrine"it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure. " This was clearly an anti-communist doctrine. President Truman followed his speech with massive military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey. (The communist guerillas were defeated by the American troops in 1948 in both Greece and Turkey. ) 2. Marshall plan…money to countries with free elections. Purpose was to rebuild after WWII…. we did not give any to Russia or eastern Europe 3. Democracies would not get out of Berlin 4. The US created West Germany, which really, really PO’ed the Soviets. Says ‘vigilance’ in Russian

Things that angered the US 1. Soviet control of eastern Europe 2. No free elections in Poland Czecholsovakia Hungary Bulgaria Austria East Germany 3. Soviet control of rising Communist parties in the rest of Europe, France, Italy, West Germany, in the hopes of causing a communist revolutions there as well 4. China became communist. This scared the poo out of us. Remember Chairman Mao and the movie Sand Pebbles? 5. Soviet aid to other countries to help encourage communist revolutions…Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Columbia

NATO The five western states were increasingly suspicious of the Russian intentions in Europe since the Berlin Blockade. The United States also wanted to find allies in Europe to contain communist expansion. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was an essential defensive organization against Communist aggression and a successful step towards European and trans-Atlantic cooperation. Soon after the formation of the NATO, the Berlin Blockade was lifted by the Soviet Union and there was no further advance of Communism in Europe The United States had committed herself to a military alliance in peace time for the first time in her history ' From 1949 onwards, a large number of American troops was stationed in western Europe.

Warsaw Pact The Pact allowed Russia to station her troops in eastern European countries. This meant that Russia could attack western Europe at any moment and could suppress any sign of rebellion in her satellite countries. This is what really scared the poo out of the US