The Development of the Cold War in Europe after 1945

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The Development of the Cold War in Europe after 1945

After World War Two, there was an increasing interest in the idea of a

United Europe. Soviet Russia and Western European Capitalist states

had no common interests despite the wartime alliance, which was no

longer valid. There was growing hostility between the United States

and Soviet Russia that developed in to a Cold War. This essay will

suggest that the development of the Cold War in Europe was a result of

differences in political ideologies and a lack of compromise and

agreement. It will discuss the ideals of Western Europe and that of

Soviet Russia; the United States in support of liberty and freedom,

and Communist Russia, who had shown a dislike towards Capitalism. It

will also consider the years before 1945 in an attempt to suggest

possible reasons for the mutual distrust of those involved. It will

propose that the outbreak of the Cold War was a consequence of

conflicting opinions of great world powers, none of which are solely

responsible for the Cold War.

After World War Two, the Allies had to face the problem concerning

leadership and control within Germany. There was growing support for

the idea of an, 'integrated Europe' before the end of the war.

Conflicting views held by those involved resulted in negotiation and

compromise being of utmost importance.[1] The United States and

Britain were not in favour of the political ideology of Communist

Russia, Stalin believing that Capitalism was one of the contributing

factors for the outbreak of the war. America had emerged as one of the

most powerful victors of the war and believed peace would come as the

result of worldwi...

... middle of paper ...

...novikov.htm

(Accessed 19/11/2004)

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[1] Urwin, D., W., 1997, p72

[2] Urwin, D., W., 1997, pp72-73

[3] Barnet, R., J., 'The Cold War and the United States' in Quint, H.,

et al., 1978, p320

[4] Devine, R., A., et al., 1994, pp481-482

[5] Urwin, D., W., 1997, p62

[6] Blum, J., M., et al., 1993, p776

[7] Churchill, W., 'The Sinews of Peace',

http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/1946/s460305a_e.htm

[8]Novikov, N., 'The Novikov Telegram',

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/novikov.htm

[9] Devine, R., A., et al., 1994, p482

[10] Quint, H., Cantor, M., Albertson, D., 1978, p322

[11] Churchill, W., 'The Sinews of Peace',

http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/1946/s460305a_e.htm

[12] Devine, R., A., et al., 1994, p483

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