The Cold War - Assignment Example

Due The Cold War At the end of the last World War America was at its best; economically, socially, culturally, politically, the United States was fruitful, empowered, and strong, but that changed with the Cold War. The Cold War is the tile given to a very important period in American History from 1945 to 1960. At the core of the Cold War was a nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, where either nation had the means to blow up the world at the proverbial “push of a button.

” These two powers differed in ideology, politics, and strategic interests.(Henretta et al. 2010) That said there was plenty of room for disagreements and competition to erupt between the two; There are three are reasons that generally gave the United States little choice but to become a part of the Cold War. The first was the issues of free elections that Poland should have been able to participate. But due to under the table deal making by Stalin with Hitler during World War II the Soviet Union would not allow Poland their free elections.

For this reason President Truman made it clear that as our allies we were required to aid and support them; the same was true of our Mediterranean allies.(Henretta et al. 2010) This pushed us into involvement. Next, was the arms competition. The aforementioned arms race left America little choice but to participate in the Cold War, or else face the Soviet Union becoming more powerful and far more dangerous. Lastly, the United States being entering into the Cold War had a great deal to do with ideology and philosophical belief systems.

The Cold War represented the war between Democracy and Communism. Defeating the Soviet Union was the same as gaining the upper hand over Communism. Ultimately, the United States and the Soviet Union did not destroy each other, or the rest of the world, obviously. However, some scholars today will tell you that the Cold War did not end in the 1960s, as often stated; it did not until the Soviet Union officially fell decades later. BibliographyHenretta, James A. , and David Brody. "Cold War America: 1945-1960," in America: A Concise History, Volume 2: Since 1877. 4th ed., Boston: Bedford, 2010.