The Cold War

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the basis for the Cold War began even before World War II; after the war, the balance of power shifted from the crippled countries of Britain, France, and Germany, the United States and Russia emerged as the greatest powers, who were already economic and political opponents. The author points out that the two powers had little reason to cooperate; America viewed Russia as ungrateful for American military and economic aid and had a history of unfriendliness to Russia dating back to its support of attempts to overthrow the new Bolshevik regime earlier that century. The Soviet Union was very insular and concentrated upon Soviet security. The paper relates that, in addition to their economic tensions, the United States and the Soviet Union had irreconcilable ideologies, which pushed them towards war; America believed in the idealistic universalism that American values of liberty and constitutionalism have worldwide applicability.

From the Paper:

"I do not agree with Joseph Siracusa's claim that "the character of the Cold War was essentially ideological and political"; I believe it was economically motivated. "The question of foreign economic policy was not the containment of Communism, but rather more directly the extension and expansion on American capitalism according to its new economic power and needs." At the end of the war, in the West, the United States provided economic aid of almost 40 billion dollars between 1944 and 1952...and led a military alliance (NATO), liberal democracy was generally fostered, and capitalist measures were used to achieve growth."

More papers on The Cold War:

• Article Review # 122091 : "Review of "The Cold War: What do we Now Know?"
• Analytical Essay # 66991 : "The Cold War"
• Book Review # 124367 : "The Cold War"
• Comparison Essay # 56723 : "Dr. Strangelove" and the Cold War in America"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: