The Ideology of the Cold War | History for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

The Ideology of the Cold War - Timeline & Summary

• In 1945, the USA and the USSR had opposing ideologies but fought together during the Second World War to defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Despite Germany being a common enemy and general cooperation among the Allies, the USA’s capitalist beliefs were vastly different from the USSR’s Communist beliefs. Both countries set aside their differences during the war, yet remained suspicious of each other.
• Capitalism, an ideology where individuals can own property and businesses to generate profit, was championed by the USA and Britain by 1941. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President of the USA at the time, led the nation into the Second World War against Germany and Japan following the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941. Roosevelt was relatively tolerant of Stalin and the USSR.
• Communism, an ideology where the state owns all property to ensure equitable distribution, was led by the USSR by 1941. Joseph Stalin, the leader of the USSR, initially aligned with the Nazis due to the Nazi-Soviet Pact. However, following Hitler's breach of this pact in 1941, the USSR joined the Allies. Stalin's 1930s policies of collectivization and rapid industrialization caused millions of deaths and drew significant criticism from the USA and Britain. Stalin, in turn, was deeply paranoid and distrusted the West.
• After Germany's defeat in May 1945, there was no longer a reason for the USA and the USSR to cooperate. This tension ultimately led to the start of the Cold War, characterized by the lack of direct conflict between the two main countries. Instead, the superpowers engaged in economic and political maneuvers and supported proxy wars worldwide.
• Historians debate the causes of the Cold War. Orthodox historians argue that Stalin’s aggressive expansion of communism into Eastern Europe violated post-war agreements and triggered the conflict. On the other hand, revisionist historians claim the USA was responsible, citing its development of nuclear technology and failure to share this information with the USSR. They argue that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 intimidated Stalin, prompting his aggressive actions. Additionally, revisionists assert that the USA's interference in European politics aimed to establish a capitalist Europe for export markets, leading to efforts to contain communism within the USSR.

Causes and Consequences of the Start of the Cold War