How did World War II lead to the Cold War?

Question

The Cold War was a sustained state of political and military tension between powers in the Western Bloc...

Answer 1

Generally countries who have different views and policies will not get along.  However, if they have a common enemy, as the United States and Russia had when opposing Japan, you will find countries joining forces against that enemy.  This was true here during World War 2.  Once the war was over, though, the suspicions and uneasiness between the U S and the then USSR went back to normal.  Since the US essentially ended the war with Japan by introducing them to the first nuclear attack, you should imagine how that would have made the USSR fearful of us.  Once they too had nuclear weapons, we were all afraid of each other....hence no actual war but a coldness between the two super power countries that was very scary!

Answer 2

Hi Christina;

At the end of World War II, the Russian military occupied Eastern Europe, and maintained such until the 1980's.  This Union was called the USSR, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.  Although it is unknown why this occupation occurred, these countries are rich in resources, such as access to the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Also at the end of this War, the United States established an alliance with the Western nations of Europe.

 

The United States had just used atomic weapons against Japan.  It promoted the end of World War II.  After World War II, the Russian military acquired such technology from an act of espionage.  Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of transferring this information.  They received the death penalty.

 

What ensued was almost four decades of intense competition between the United States and Russia concerning nuclear weapons prowess.  Among the events was the Cuban Missile crisis.  This was the establishment by Russia of their weapons in our neighboring country of Cuba.