Confrontation between the West and the East: the causes of the Cold War and its consequences

After the completion of one of the most brutal and bloody wars in the history of mankind, the Second World War, which resulted in the unconditional victory of the Soviet Union, the causes of the Cold War formed. It was this name that was further confronted between the countries of the capitalist and communist camps, between the US, the USSR and their supporters.

Today, researchers say that the causes of the Cold War - an ambiguous and controversial aspect. However, there is no doubt that the basis for confrontation was the contradiction between the two strongest states - the US and the USSR - on the basis of ideology.

Capitalism or socialism? What system will prevail? Of course, each of the two superpowers sought to become the head of the world community, regardless of any obstacles, while preserving the ideological system that was formed.

In addition to ideological contradictions, it is also necessary to note the causes of the Cold War related to security issues. After the end of World War II, the USSR established a dominant position in the countries of Eastern Europe, where communism was entrenched. Of course, such an extension of the Soviet Union's influence exerted very significant pressure on the United States and Great Britain, which feared further strengthening of the USSR and, accordingly, the possible conquest of world domination both in the political sphere and in the economy.

Considering the causes of the Cold War, it is worth noting the desire of the US to maintain its sphere of influence and in no case to prevent the spread of socialism, primarily to the American continent. Why? The key aspect is the economy. One of the consequences of the Second World War was the complete devastation that was going on in Western Europe, where huge investments were required to restore the normal standard of living. And it was the US that offered the resources so necessary for European countries, of course, provided that communism in these countries would not be established.

If you look at the chronology, it's easy to understand how the Cold War began. The reasons for the confrontation are the foundation for the conflict, but there is always some reason for the push, the "boiling point". There was such a point in this confrontation.

In March 1946 in Fulton, British ruler W. Churchill delivered his famous speech, which marked the beginning of the confrontation. The priority task that was set before the US government was the establishment of the United States superiority over the Soviet Union in all spheres of life. However, the emphasis was on the economic sphere, and in 1947 the United States established a rigid system of many prohibitive and restrictive measures for the USSR in trade and finance.

Then followed 1949-50, which were marked by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty, then there was a war with Korea and an atomic bomb test. The general negative attitude towards the capitalist countries contributed to the strengthening of relations between the USSR and China. The Caribbean crisis of 1962 showed that in the event of a new war, the winner and loser will not be - so great was the power of superpowers.

In the early 1970's. The intensity of relations between the US and the USSR began to decline. And by 1990 the cold war ended with the collapse of the USSR and the socialist camp.

Assessing the consequences of the Cold War is very difficult even today, more than twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Of course, this confrontation had a very positive impact on the development of science and, first of all, on the improvement of the military-industrial complex and related industries. However, this is one of the few positive and highly controversial consequences of the Cold War against the backdrop of the many negative phenomena that accompanied this confrontation.