When One Door Closes, Another Opens
Immediately after World War II, the United States went to war with another country. This war was not fought like traditional wars, where countries would settle their differences on a battlefield. This war was fought through politics, fear, and through “proxy wars”. The Cold War went on from 1947 to 1991 between the United States and the Soviet Union.
What Led to the Cold War?
The United States and Soviet Union were not allies in World War II and then suddenly became enemies after. The United States and Soviet Union relationship was never great, but they had a common enemy in Germany. There were several events that led to this rocky relationship. Just to list some:
• The unsuccessful attempt of the Soviet …show more content…
The Soviet Union responded with the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact was made up of Eastern European countries that were pro-communist in an agreement to go to war if one nation was attacked.
What Kept the Peace Both the United States and the Soviet Union were successful in never going to a military war. This was mainly due to a fear that was always lurking over each country. The fear of nuclear war. Albert Einstein famously said “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” A nuclear war can only have both sides losing and a great possibility of the end of the world. The United States showed off its military power at the end of World War II with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, those bombings only set off an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union blew up its first atomic bomb in September of 1947 (Henertta, Edwards, Self 2012). The United States immediately responded with the construction of the first hydrogen bomb. Both the United States and Soviet Union had a hydrogen bomb by the end of 1954 which was one thousand times more destructive than the atom bomb.
Immediately after World War II, the United States went to war with another country. This war was not fought like traditional wars, where countries would settle their differences on a battlefield. This war was fought through politics, fear, and through “proxy wars”. The Cold War went on from 1947 to 1991 between the United States and the Soviet Union.
What Led to the Cold War?
The United States and Soviet Union were not allies in World War II and then suddenly became enemies after. The United States and Soviet Union relationship was never great, but they had a common enemy in Germany. There were several events that led to this rocky relationship. Just to list some:
• The unsuccessful attempt of the Soviet …show more content…
The Soviet Union responded with the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact was made up of Eastern European countries that were pro-communist in an agreement to go to war if one nation was attacked.
What Kept the Peace Both the United States and the Soviet Union were successful in never going to a military war. This was mainly due to a fear that was always lurking over each country. The fear of nuclear war. Albert Einstein famously said “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” A nuclear war can only have both sides losing and a great possibility of the end of the world. The United States showed off its military power at the end of World War II with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, those bombings only set off an arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union blew up its first atomic bomb in September of 1947 (Henertta, Edwards, Self 2012). The United States immediately responded with the construction of the first hydrogen bomb. Both the United States and Soviet Union had a hydrogen bomb by the end of 1954 which was one thousand times more destructive than the atom bomb.