The cold war had its roots far back as Russian revolution which happened in 1919 and maybe as far back as American Revolution which happened in late 1700’s. Why so? American Revolution paved way for the foundation stones on which American system is built, both politically and economically. It didn’t allow for much intervention of government in controlling everyday life, whether through dissemination of ideas, organization of economy or conduct of space. It would be safe to say that America was the freest society in 1945.
Russian revolution led by Lenin tried to create a society which was free from class differences (based on Karl Marx’s ideas). But everyone knew what Lenin stated was practically impossible to achieve. Stalin twisted and moulded Marxist-Lennist ideology to re-design Russia, an industrialized society with no liberty at all. Russia was turning into a police state rather than a worker’s paradise. It was one of the most authoritative government in 1945.
Vladimir Lenin was founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Russian Revolution of 1919. He overthrew Russian autocracy and established the first Soviet State.
So, on one hand we have America reflecting ideas of free society and a democratic government. And on the other hand we have Russia, rapidly on the way to create an industrialized society and crushing the freedom of people. As an example, Stalin started The Great Purge, which involved eliminating anyone who went against the ideas of Stalin’s Russia, be it a peasant or a high ranking Red Army major. We observe there is a stark contrast between the ideologies on which the two societies were built. They maybe united in their fight against Hitler but deep down they envied each other. One evidence of this fact is that America had sent soldiers during the Russian revolution to support the White Army (who were fighting against Lenin).
It was agreed upon at the Yalta Conference by the Big Three that the countries which were under control of Nazi Germany amidst World War II would get a chance to hold free and fair elections and choose their own governments. Stalin agreed at Yalta but later took a different stance. He installed Soviet puppet governments in these countries thereby acquiring unilateral control over Eastern Europe.
Countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Eastern Germany, Romania and Yugoslavia (in skin color) became Soviet-controlled satellite states. Allied nations started to get worried at growing Soviet influence.
Germany after World War II was divided into occupation zones, each Allied power occupying one zone. US, Britain and France took 2/3rd of Germany under their zone while Soviet Union got the remaining. Stalin had a deep confidence in Marxist-Leninist ideology and he thought his occupation zone will serve as a “magnet” for the rest of the Germany to join Soviet Union zone of influence. He commented, “All of Germany will be ours eventually, that is, Soviet, communist”. In fact the opposite of this happened. Stalin reign of terror, which he carried out in Russia, was also imposed on eastern Germany.
The Atomic Bomb – US was the first to test its atomic bomb under Manhattan Project. However, Stalin knew everything about it and was not at all surprised when US tested its bomb in New Mexico desert. What surprised Stalin was when US attacked Japan with its atomic bomb. Testing and building atomic weapons was one thing but launching it on another country was totally a different thing. Stalin grew paranoid over this as US possessed an a-bomb but they didn’t. Stalin quickly commanded its scientists to launch atomic bomb program, he said, “The balance has been destroyed, that cannot be”
