Evaluate Key Developments of the Cold War - Essay Example

The race for nuclear arms capability dominated the 1950s and 1960s and it led to tension between these two countries, tension which translated to what is now known as the Cold War. This paper shall evaluate key developments of the Cold War from the Truman Administration through the Kennedy Administration. It will discuss whether or not the Cold War was actually inevitable. In addition, this paper will consider the domestic concerns in the United States during the 1950s, including McCarthyism, domesticity, and civil rights.

The first part of this paper will present an overview of the Cold War. Secondly, major developments from Truman’s to Kennedy’s administration shall be presented. Thirdly, the inevitability of the Cold War will also be discussed. Lastly, an overall analysis and conclusion shall be established. Body Overview The post war era brought about a time where the US was starting to emerge as a superpower. It also presented a time where democratic principles were tested with various civil rights violations.

At this point, the need to uphold these civil rights became an important part of American lives (Chafe, et.al., 2011). When the Second World War ended in 1945, journalist George Orwell used the term cold war in his essay “You and the Atomic bomb.” In his article, he believed that the world was now amidst a threat of a nuclear war, one which had the capability of obliterating human life on the planet (Orwell, 1945). He discussed how world politics seems to be founded on a view or belief prevailing in a state which was powerful and in a constant state of cold war with other countries (Orwell, 1945).

Such ‘cold war’ was soon observed with Russia’s attitude towards Britain, including its empire. American economist Bernard Baruch was one of the first to refer to such cold war in relation to the US and the USSR (Gaddis, 2005). Soon enough, the term had a wider usage, especially with the release of Walter Lippman’s book “The Cold War.” The USSR has not always been on ideal relations with its neighbors and with the US, mostly because of its socialist political platform (Gaddis, 2005).

Although they were allies during the Second World War, it was only a temporary alliance, mostly borne out of the need for self-preservation. As soon as WWII ended however, the Soviet Union returned to its tense political relationship with Europe and the US (Gaddis, 2005). The possibility of gaining military might over other countries also became an added source of tension during the Cold War. Truman to Kennedy In 1947, President Harry Truman was advised to consider major policy changes in response to Russia’s efforts to gain political and military dominance (Chafe, 2003).

America’s response was to adopt a containment policy with the primary goal of preventing the spread of communism (Friedman, 2007). Truman’s policy and decisions were all embodied under the Truman doctrine, a doctrine which also condemned socialist and totalitarian power. Most of Europe was very supportive of Truman’s doctrine, however, some European and American communists being supported by the KGB adhered to the principles which the Soviet Union laid out (Friedman, 2007). In 1947, the US, Britain and France sought to establish an accord with the USSR on how best to handle a post-war Germany.

The Marshall Plan was able to establish a working agreement among the countries, eventually dividing Germany and Berlin into four territories to be controlled by each ally (Gaddis, 2005).