Rise Of Tension Dbq

Why Can’t We Be Friends?: The Rise of Tension between the US and USSR post-WWII Dating back to at least the start of communism, the world saw the gradual rise of the Cold War between the United States of America (USA) and the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Although the Cold War was may have been inevitable because of these countries differing visions of economic policy, governmental systems, and the postwar world in general, it was during the years 1941-1949 when it became imminent. In this time, suspicion and tension between the Superpowers increased due to the battle between communism and capitalism, as well as their different governmental systems. The US and USSR’s opposing economic views contributed to the agitation between

A Gallup Poll, in the USA, divulged the increasing doubt of US citizens towards the USSR between 1945-48 (Doc H). During these three years, events such as the Yalta Conference, the Containment Doctrine, and Czechoslovakia being forced under the control of Russia (Doc F), increased distrust towards the USSR, run by a single man, under supposed communism. This suspicion, shown effectively in David Low’s cartoon, released in The London Evening Standard in 1948, illustrated Stalin’s dictatorial power and Eastern Europe’s lack of freedom (Doc G). Nonetheless, in 1945, 54% of people who took this survey believed Russia could be trusted to cooperate after the war. However, three years later, 69% said the USA was “too soft” towards Russia (Doc H). This shows the increased distrust and continuing suspicion of Russia by American citizens, despite them having been allies in the war. Suspicion towards the Russian government reverts back to pre-war America, and Truman’s own viewpoint, put forth in 1941, that Russia and Germany were one and the same (Doc A). In turn, Truman’s suspicion that Russia was a dictatorship aided to the tension between the two countries, whose governmental policies already clashed and were inherently filled with

However, the responsibility for post-war decisions was ultimately given to the United Nations (UN) as a whole. This angered the Soviets, and ultimately increased tension and suspicion between the USA and USSR post WWII. Similarly, the Russian government was overruled by the democratic rules of the UN when the Soviet delegate for the Security Council proposed at a UN meeting in 1946 that atomic weapons be prohibited. At this time President Truman, in opposition of Soviet desires, said it would be foolish for the USA to discard of America’s nuclear weapons until they were assured that the rest of the world could not arm against the US (Truman 804). Stalin was overruled by the UN Security Council, in correspondence with Soviet Foreign Minister V.M. Moltov’s statement the UN’s goal was to dominate the World, especially non-democratic countries (Doc E). This only increased Soviet suspicion of US military build-up, and Russian distrust of