Skip to main content

Is there any correct and significant answer for why and what country started the Cold War?

The answer to this question is a matter of perspective. The Cold War came about due to the rivalry that emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The biggest issue involved postwar Europe. When the Soviet Union essentially set up Soviet-style communist regimes in Eastern Europe, beginning with Poland, the United States saw it as aggression on par with that perpetrated by Adolf Hitler leading...

The answer to this question is a matter of perspective. The Cold War came about due to the rivalry that emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The biggest issue involved postwar Europe. When the Soviet Union essentially set up Soviet-style communist regimes in Eastern Europe, beginning with Poland, the United States saw it as aggression on par with that perpetrated by Adolf Hitler leading up to World War II. From a Soviet perspective, however, it was a necessary move to establish a buffer zone between the Russian frontier and Western Europe, especially Germany. The Soviets had suffered over 27 million deaths during World War II, and they wanted to secure their borders. Similarly, the Soviets viewed American attempts to establish a pro-western government in Germany, as well as the flooding of Western Europe with American loans and economic assistance as capitalist aggression, and feared they ultimately wanted to destabilize the Soviet regime itself. Perhaps it is best to simply say that the Cold War developed because the two major superpowers who were left standing at the end of World War II had irreconcilable interests which led them into a series of political (and nearly military) conflicts.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more