Berlin Wall
The blame for the Cold War cannot be placed on one person -- it developed as a series of chain reactions as a struggle for supremacy. It can be argued that the Cold War was inevitable, and therefore no one's fault, due to the differences in the capitalist and communist ideologies.It was only the need for self-preservation that had caused the two countries to sink their differences temporarily during the Second World War. Yet many of the tensions that existed in the Cold War can be attributed to Stalin's policy of Soviet expansion. It is necessary, therefore, to examine the role of Stalin as a catalyst to the Cold War.Stalin's foreign policies contributed an enormous amount to the tensions of the Cold War. His aim, to take advantage of the military situation in post-war Europe to strengthen Russian influence, was perceived to be a threat to the Americans. Stalin was highly effective in his goal to gain territory, with victories in Poland, Romania, and Finland. To the western world, this success looked as if it were the beginning of serious Russian aggressions. The western view of the time saw Stalin as doing one of two things: either continuing the expansionist policies of the tsars that prec
It was not enough for a state to be merely communist: it had to adopt the Russian-style communism. Further, Russia argued that the areas had never had democratic governments, and that a communist system would allow these 'backward countries' to progress and flourish. Even within this communist structure, Stalin had to exert his influence. His suspicions of Western hostility were not unfounded: the British and U. These governments were implemented by guerrilla tactics:elections were rigged, non-communist members of the governments were expelled, with many being arrested or executed, and eventually, Stalin dissolved all non-communist political parties. The west viewed this as an act of aggression on the part of the Soviet Union. Second, the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia was a communist, the President and Foreign Minister were not. nuclear capabilities until shortly before the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Moreover, Stalin had increased his influence in the Russian zone of Germany as if it belonged to Russia. Communist governments were installed in every area of eastern Europe (barring Czechoslovakia) by the end of 1947. Stalin's policy of expansion worried the West: in response, the West introduced the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, both of which sought to arrest the spread of communism. The final hostile movement of Stalin of importance was the Berlin blockade and airlift.
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