Cold War: Origins and Development of US-USSR Tensions

Former Allies: Capitalism vs. Socialism

Following the removal of fascist powers, two dominant ideologies remained in the Western political landscape: capitalism, spearheaded by the United States, and socialism, led by the USSR during the 19th century.

• Capitalism, adopted by many countries including America and Japan, was based on private property, free trade with minimal state intervention, and a liberal-democratic system characterized by class differentiation, parliaments, and elected governments.
• Socialism, or Communism, as practiced in the USSR, diverged significantly. It rejected private property, embraced a state-controlled economy, and aimed to eliminate social classes.

Both superpowers sought to expand their influence, leading to a period of intense rivalry known as the Cold War, marked by an escalating arms race.

The Origins of Rupture

The Yalta Conference resulted in the division of Europe into two spheres of influence. The USSR, backed by the Soviet army, aimed to consolidate its territorial gains from World War II. This led to the establishment of "people's democracies" in Eastern Europe, characterized by socialist policies and alignment with Soviet foreign policy. In response, the US expelled communist parties from governments in France and Italy between 1946 and 1948, and deployed naval forces to the Mediterranean to support the Truman Doctrine.

The Marshall Plan and its Impact

By 1947, tensions between the two blocs had reached a breaking point. President Truman pledged support to countries threatened by communism and established the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The Marshall Plan, initiated by Secretary of State George Marshall, provided substantial financial aid for the reconstruction of Europe, aiming to counter the spread of communism. A key condition for receiving aid was the expulsion of communist parties from governments. While most Western European nations accepted the aid in July 1947, the USSR rejected it, viewing it as a tool of American imperialism. In response, the USSR and its allies formed the Cominform, an organization designed to coordinate communist strategy globally.

The German Crisis and the Berlin Blockade

The Soviets, controlling the access routes to Berlin, initiated the Berlin Blockade, which lasted for approximately one year. This marked the first major confrontation of the Cold War. Germany had been divided into four occupation zones, and the Western Allies (US, UK, and France) decided to unify their zones, creating a new West German state. In response, the USSR established the German Democratic Republic in 1949, with East Berlin as its capital. This division solidified what Winston Churchill termed the Iron Curtain, separating the Eastern and Western blocs.

Formation of Military Alliances

The US sought to contain Soviet influence by forming the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, a military alliance with ten European countries under Washington's leadership. The USSR countered by establishing the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) with Eastern European countries, ostensibly for economic cooperation but also serving as a mechanism for Soviet control.