The Origins of Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Origins of Cold War - Essay Example It is vital to take in consideration that the antagonistic relations of the Soviet Union and the United States can be traced way back from the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the Second World War. The once allies felt the tension brought about by political paths and choices of each country. Traditional historians or the traditionalists maintain that the Cold War can be traced to Russia’s attempt of expansionism. According to Schlesinger (1967), â€Å"Geopoliticians traced the Cold War to imperial Russian strategic ambitions which in the nineteenth century led to the Crimean War, to Russian penetration of the Balkans and the Middle East and to Russian pressure to Britain's’ ‘lifeline’ to India†. Some ideologists suggest that the Communist Manifesto of 1848 is another strong point of reference that provoked the West as well as the Russian plans of domination as manifested in Russian imperialism, Pan-Slavism and Leninist messianism (Schlesinger, 1967). I n addition, traditionalists see the United States as championing passivity and has exercised full cooperation and mutual aid with international bodies in order to pacify strains between warring countries with the help of the United Nations. The U.S. only changed its tactics as the Soviet Union furthered its expansion in Eastern Europe as they felt that they need to preserve the safety of its own territory as well as the rest of Western Europe. When the security of a nation has been compromised, then issues on democratic rights will soon follow.... only changed its tactics as the Soviet Union furthered its expansion in Eastern Europe as they felt that they need to preserve the safety of its own territory as well as the rest of Western Europe. When the security of a nation has been compromised, then issues on democratic rights will soon follow. Hence, new policies namely the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were created as response to the Soviets (Lundestad 2005). Revisionists had a very different view of the roots of the Cold War. These historians take into account the death of Franklin Roosevelt and the end of the Second World War as the turning point of the United States’ relations to the Soviet Union. In fact, they have been already trying to control or limit the authority of the Soviet Union in different parts of the world even before the Second World War ended. As early as 1918, the United States has been actively participating in Russian issues such as fighting with Great Britain against the Bolsheviks. Still, the Soviets have growing suspicions of the Americans after the latter recognized the Soviet Union as a diplomatic ally in 1933 (Schlesinger 1999). Furthermore, being a powerful nation itself, the United States had also ambitions of influencing the East. Various schemes and strategies were created in preparation to amass great power. Wartime policy of collaboration was ceased right after the Second World War, atomic bombs were developed and different forms of economic support were reinforced with other countries to uphold their interest. However, these measures are said to be driven solely by their hostility to the Soviet Union. Revisionists believe that ‘the idea that Soviet policy in Eastern Europe can be considered a result of U.S. ambitions.† (Lundestad 2005, p. 9). Moreover,