Who Caused the Cold War?

[Salty]

In another thread on post # 53 - this post was made "You are not aware of the Eastern Front. Or you would not talk like you do. American leadership called Stalin Uncle Joe back then. They were our ally back then. But we turned on them and started the cold war. That's not God's will. We escaped the damage of WW2 because of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Try and look at why things happen. Look at the evil we have done after WW2. It was not God that caused us to do evil."

So which side really was responsible for the Cold War?
Was the Cold War Part of the "Military Industrial Complex"

Open for discussion.

 

[Ben1445]

In another thread on post # 53 - this post was made "You are not aware of the Eastern Front. Or you would not talk like you do. American leadership called Stalin Uncle Joe back then. They were our ally back then. But we turned on them and started the cold war. That's not God's will. We escaped the damage of WW2 because of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Try and look at why things happen. Look at the evil we have done after WW2. It was not God that caused us to do evil."

So which side really was responsible for the Cold War?
Was the Cold War Part of the "Military Industrial Complex"

Open for discussion.

The MIC should not be excluded from thought. I believe Eisenhower knew what he was talking about.
But as far as being pals with Russia after WWII, there were no grounds for continued friendship with communism. I also think that Reagan handled it very well.

 

[Armchair Apologist]

I have said person on "Ignore" and this just validates that it is for good reason. We were never friends with Stalin and pretty much saw him as being the "lesser of two evils" over Hitler. I personally think we should have listened to Patton.

The "Military Industrial Complex" is very much a real thing and Eisenhower's concern was legitimate. I believe this has much to do with our getting into conflicts and never having sufficient resolve to finish what we have started. Hoping Iran would be different but we do not have the intestinal fortitude to do what is necessary to ensure complete victory and unconditional surrender of the current regime. I believe the only thing we will likely accomplish is a swing back to Democratic control of congress and another impeachment proceeding.

 

[Conan]

The MIC should not be excluded from thought. I believe Eisenhower knew what he was talking about.
But as far as being pals with Russia after WWII, there were no grounds for continued friendship with communism. I also think that Reagan handled it very well.

And Ronald Reagan made Nuclear treaties with the Soviet Union so the earth would not be destroyed. Donald Trump let every one expire under his watch. Ronald Reagan was a man of Peace and a great President. In the end he befriended the Russians. Trump and the democrats the exact opposite. Pick one or the other. They were complete opposites. Obama Trump Biden verses Ronald Reagan. The world is far better with Ronald Reagan than your other clowns. Men of war and murder verses a man of peace.

 

[Conan]

I have said person on "Ignore" and this just validates that it is for good reason. We were never friends with Stalin and pretty much saw him as being the "lesser of two evils" over Hitler. I personally think we should have listened to Patton.

The "Military Industrial Complex" is very much a real thing and Eisenhower's concern was legitimate. I believe this has much to do with our getting into conflicts and never having sufficient resolve to finish what we have started. Hoping Iran would be different but we do not have the intestinal fortitude to do what is necessary to ensure complete victory and unconditional surrender of the current regime. I believe the only thing we will likely accomplish is a swing back to Democratic control of congress and another impeachment proceeding.

Another person that does not know real WW2 history. Patton was removed by better men. The Soviet Union destroyed Hitler. Patton did not. There is a real reason Patton could do nothing but wine like a child and get dismissed for his insubordination. Patton did not destroy multi-million man German multi armies. They Soviet Union did put an end to Hitler. Patton did not. Dishonesty with real history is not honesty with God.

 

[Conan]

In another thread on post # 53 - this post was made "You are not aware of the Eastern Front. Or you would not talk like you do. American leadership called Stalin Uncle Joe back then. They were our ally back then. But we turned on them and started the cold war. That's not God's will. We escaped the damage of WW2 because of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Try and look at why things happen. Look at the evil we have done after WW2. It was not God that caused us to do evil."

So which side really was responsible for the Cold War?
Was the Cold War Part of the "Military Industrial Complex"

Open for discussion.

I think you are correct. The military Industrial Complex is responsible for the cold war. Infact I think it is responsible for all wars on the planet. Without the Congressional military Industrial complex there might have been a lot more peace on the earth. Unfortunately those that make their fortunes in war and Colonialism won out. If not for the grace of God there would be no peace at all with those monsters in charge.

 

[Ben1445]

And Ronald Reagan made Nuclear treaties with the Soviet Union so the earth would not be destroyed. Donald Trump let every one expire under his watch. Ronald Reagan was a man of Peace and a great President. In the end he befriended the Russians. Trump and the democrats the exact opposite. Pick one or the other. They were complete opposites. Obama Trump Biden verses Ronald Reagan. The world is far better with Ronald Reagan than your other clowns. Men of war and murder verses a man of peace.

Relax. God is still God.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

"You are not aware of the Eastern Front. Or you would not talk like you do. American leadership called Stalin Uncle Joe back then. They were our ally back then. But we turned on them and started the cold war. That's not God's will. We escaped the damage of WW2 because of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Try and look at why things happen. Look at the evil we have done after WW2. It was not God that caused us to do evil."

Stalin was not a misunderstood ally. He was a temporary wartime partner who immediately broke agreements, occupied Eastern Europe, and launched global communist expansion. The Cold War was not America “turning on” the Soviets, it was a response to Stalin’s aggression. Geography helped us in WWII, but it was American sacrifice and production that won the war. And resisting Stalin was not against God’s will; Scripture never teaches that enabling tyranny is righteous.

Look at the evil we have done after WW2.

Every nation has sins. But if you’re going to look honestly, you also have to look at the good we have done.

Look at the good we have done:

• We kept Western Europe free when Stalin was swallowing nations behind the Iron Curtain.
• We rebuilt Europe and Japan through the Marshall Plan and postwar reconstruction, the largest act of national generosity in known history.
• We have provided more international aid than any nation in human history, year after year.
• We are the world’s first responder in natural disasters, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, famines, arriving with food, medicine, ships, aircraft, and personnel.
• We have defended nations unable to defend themselves, from Korea to Kuwait.
• We have upheld freedom of navigation, keeping global trade routes open for the entire world.
• We have restrained tyrants, not enabled them.

No honest reading of history can pretend America has been a net source of evil since WWII. The record shows the opposite. We have made mistakes, but we have also done extraordinary good, and often at great cost to ourselves.

@Salty I know this was not your statement, but the reply format "Salty said" may suggest that they were.

 

[Conan]

Stalin was not a misunderstood ally. He was a temporary wartime partner who immediately broke agreements, occupied Eastern Europe, and launched global communist expansion. The Cold War was not America “turning on” the Soviets, it was a response to Stalin’s aggression. Geography helped us in WWII, but it was American sacrifice and production that won the war. And resisting Stalin was not against God’s will; Scripture never teaches that enabling tyranny is righteous.



Every nation has sins. But if you’re going to look honestly, you also have to look at the good we have done.

Look at the good we have done:

• We kept Western Europe free when Stalin was swallowing nations behind the Iron Curtain.
• We rebuilt Europe and Japan through the Marshall Plan and postwar reconstruction, the largest act of national generosity in known history.
• We have provided more international aid than any nation in human history, year after year.
• We are the world’s first responder in natural disasters, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, famines, arriving with food, medicine, ships, aircraft, and personnel.
• We have defended nations unable to defend themselves, from Korea to Kuwait.
• We have upheld freedom of navigation, keeping global trade routes open for the entire world.
• We have restrained tyrants, not enabled them.

No honest reading of history can pretend America has been a net source of evil since WWII. The record shows the opposite. We have made mistakes, but we have also done extraordinary good, and often at great cost to ourselves.

@Salty I know this was not your statement, but the reply format "Salty said" may suggest that they were.

When there was a power like the Soviet Union the United States had to appear to play fair. It could not provoke the Soviet Union. We were held in check by them. Once they disbanded we said, we will never let anyone tell us what to do. We will do as we please. We are the only Superpower standing. We are the world’s hegemony. Don’t do as we do, but as we say. The wars with Serbia, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan Sudan, the “Arab uprising”, Ukraine and Iran and the upcoming war with China are all consequences Of that godless policy. We are the warmongers.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

When there was a power like the Soviet Union the United States had to appear to play fair. It could not provoke the Soviet Union. We were held in check by them. Once they disbanded we said, we will never let anyone tell us what to do. We will do as we please. We are the only Superpower standing. We are the world’s hegemony. Don’t do as we do, but as we say. The wars with Serbia, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan Sudan, the “Arab uprising”, Ukraine and Iran and the upcoming war with China are all consequences Of that godless policy. We are the warmongers.

You’re collapsing unrelated conflicts into one narrative and ignoring the actual causes behind each. The U.S. didn’t become a warmonger after the USSR collapsed, it reduced its military, closed bases, cut spending, and supported democratization. Containment of the Soviet Union wasn’t arrogance; it was a response to an expansionist totalitarian regime. If you want to critique U.S. policy, do it with specifics, not slogans.

 

[Conan]

You’re collapsing unrelated conflicts into one narrative and ignoring the actual causes behind each. The U.S. didn’t become a warmonger after the USSR collapsed, it reduced its military, closed bases, cut spending, and supported democratization. Containment of the Soviet Union wasn’t arrogance; it was a response to an expansionist totalitarian regime. If you want to critique U.S. policy, do it with specifics, not slogans.

How many bases does the USA have around the world? 850? They may have closed some in the USA but they, or rather we have Russia, China and Iran hemmed in. We are the aggressors. When the Soviet Union collapsed, we promised them not one inch forward. Then we broke our words and gobbled up every Eastern European country. American Hegemony.

 

[JPPT1974]

Soviet Union as it was fighting against what the USA stood for. USA stood for democratic capitalism while the Soviet Union disagreed over the political future of Eastern Europe & a divided Germany when it was both East(Communism) & West(Free) aka the Berlin Wall.
Soviet Union refused to leave Eastern Europe that met with US containment and rapid nuclear armament.
One of many reasons the Cold War was caused.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

Soviet Union as it was fighting against what the USA stood for. USA stood for democratic capitalism while the Soviet Union disagreed over the political future of Eastern Europe & a divided Germany when it was both East(Communism) & West(Free) aka the Berlin Wall.
Soviet Union refused to leave Eastern Europe that met with US containment and rapid nuclear armament.
One of many reasons the Cold War was caused.

You’re repeating slogans that collapse the moment they meet actual history.

First, the “850 bases” line is activist propaganda, not a strategic map. The overwhelming majority of those sites are:

shared NATO facilities,
logistics hubs,
storage depots,
airlift nodes,
or tiny detachments.

Calling every fenced‑in compound a “base” is how activists inflate numbers to sound ominous. It’s not analysis.

Second, the idea that Russia, China, and Iran are “hemmed in” is geographically ridiculous.
Russia has the largest landmass on earth and direct access to four major seas.
China has full access to the Pacific and the world’s largest navy by hull count.

No one with a map believes these nations are “encircled.”

Third, the “not one inch eastward” claim has been debunked by every serious historian who has examined the declassified record.
There was no treaty, no written agreement, and no binding promise.
The 1990 discussions were about East Germany only, not Eastern Europe.

Even Gorbachev himself said:

“The topic of NATO expansion was not discussed at all.”

Your narrative depends on a promise that never existed.

Fourth, NATO did not “gobble up” Eastern Europe.

Those nations begged for admission because they had lived under Russian domination and wanted protection from it.

NATO expansion requires unanimous approval; the U.S. cannot force it.

Membership is voluntary.

Any nation can leave.

Calling voluntary alliances “hegemony” is rhetoric, not reality.

Fifth, you keep describing American security guarantees as aggression.
For seventy years, Europe has slept under the protection of U.S. taxpayers, U.S. soldiers, and U.S. deterrence.
The bases exist because Europe asked for them, not because America imposed them.

If the U.S. withdrew tomorrow, Europe wouldn’t celebrate “freedom.” They would panic.

Finally, your argument reduces complex geopolitical history to a single emotional slogan:

“America bad.”

It’s not analysis.
It’s not history.
It’s not policy.
It’s resentment dressed up as insight.

If you want to critique U.S. foreign policy, do it with facts, not recycled talking points.