Who Caused the Cold War?

[Conan]

You say this like it is the only reason. It seems like you found one excuse and latched onto any reason you can find to complain about the US.
May I recommend Aesop’s “The fox and the Grapes?”

"The fox and the grapes"?
Anything but the truth .

 

[Foxmeister]

Here's my answer to the topic question of who started the Cold War.

In 1939, Germany and the USSR signed the Germany-Soviet Union Nonaggression Act. However, both were bitter enemies. The true purpose of the pact was a cynical deal to carve up Eastern Europe into Nazi and Soviet spheres of influence. They secretly agreed to divide independent nations between them. The two agreed to partition Poland down the middle. Germany would take the west, and the USSR would take the east. Finland, Estonia, and Latvia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. Lithuania was initially given to Germany but later traded to the Soviets.
Just over a week after signing the pact, Germany invaded Poland in September, 1939, triggering World War II. A few weeks later, Soviet forces invaded Poland from the east, exactly as they had agreed. The US and Britain viewed these invasions as a cooperation between Germany and the USSR to divide Europe.

In 1940, Hitler had his forces invade Russia. This is where "the enemy of my enemy is my friend comes to play." Hitler is now viewed by the allies as the threat to all of Europe. Both Britain and the US's views on Russia hadn't changed, but saw the Soviets could be useful in helping to destroy Germany. The US wanted to appear neutral, but aided the Soviets with military equipment.

As we are all aware, the US joined the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When it came to the European campaign, the Allies continued to support the Soviets to keep Germany's forces fighting on two fronts. The Allies wanted to appease the Soviets once it was apparent the Germans were on the ropes, and held back to allow the Soviets into Berlin. Once Hitler was dead and the Germans surrendered, the ideological differences began. The US championed democratic capitalism while the Soviets promoted authoritarian communism, creating a fundamental clash of systems.

Disagreements over the political future of liberated Eastern Europe and a divided Germany fractured the wartime alliance. The Soviet's refusal to leave Eastern Europe met with the U.S. policy of containment and rapid nuclear armament. Then the Soviets began their nuclear armament. Thus the Cold War began.

Eisenhower warned that the permanent, massive arms race with the Soviet Union had fundamentally changed America. To counter the communist threat, the U.S. had built a vast, permanent defense industry for the first time in its peacetime history. This is what he referred to as the military industrial complex.

 

[Conan]

Here's my answer to the topic question of who started the Cold War.

In 1939, Germany and the USSR signed the Germany-Soviet Union Nonaggression Act. However, both were bitter enemies. The true purpose of the pact was a cynical deal to carve up Eastern Europe into Nazi and Soviet spheres of influence. They secretly agreed to divide independent nations between them. The two agreed to partition Poland down the middle. Germany would take the west, and the USSR would take the east. Finland, Estonia, and Latvia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. Lithuania was initially given to Germany but later traded to the Soviets.
Just over a week after signing the pact, Germany invaded Poland in September, 1939, triggering World War II. A few weeks later, Soviet forces invaded Poland from the east, exactly as they had agreed. The US and Britain viewed these invasions as a cooperation between Germany and the USSR to divide Europe.

In 1940, Hitler had his forces invade Russia. This is where "the enemy of my enemy is my friend comes to play." Hitler is now viewed by the allies as the threat to all of Europe. Both Britain and the US's views on Russia hadn't changed, but saw the Soviets could be useful in helping to destroy Germany. The US wanted to appear neutral, but aided the Soviets with military equipment.

As we are all aware, the US joined the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When it came to the European campaign, the Allies continued to support the Soviets to keep Germany's forces fighting on two fronts. The Allies wanted to appease the Soviets once it was apparent the Germans were on the ropes, and held back to allow the Soviets into Berlin. Once Hitler was dead and the Germans surrendered, the ideological differences began. The US championed democratic capitalism while the Soviets promoted authoritarian communism, creating a fundamental clash of systems.

Disagreements over the political future of liberated Eastern Europe and a divided Germany fractured the wartime alliance. The Soviet's refusal to leave Eastern Europe met with the U.S. policy of containment and rapid nuclear armament. Then the Soviets began their nuclear armament. Thus the Cold War began.

Eisenhower warned that the permanent, massive arms race with the Soviet Union had fundamentally changed America. To counter the communist threat, the U.S. had built a vast, permanent defense industry for the first time in its peacetime history. This is what he referred to as the military industrial complex.

Stalin signed the pact to hold of the Germans until he could rebuild his armies because he knew Hitler was coming for them. Before that Russia had tried to sign a defense pact with the West but the Western elite hated the Communist and would make no deal with them. Remember they helped Spain against the fascist when the West would not. Britain and Poland had scoffed at Germany saying if there was a war they would be in Berlin in a week. How did that works out. Years ago Putin and the Russians gave details and I had it on an old phone but no more. There is a whole other side to the story that never gets talked about.

 

[Salty]

Thank you for your honest reply.
Again, I do not believe a person has to be a military Vet to give an opinion,
but it is nice to know the context.

Same thing with politicians - I am glad when a candidate for President is a Vet - but not a requirement nor guaranteed for my vote.

 

[Conan]

Thank you for your honest reply.
Again, I do not believe a person has to be a military Vet to give an opinion,
but it is nice to know the context.

Same thing with politicians - I am glad when a candidate for President is a Vet - but not a requirement nor guaranteed for my vote.

Here are two American Combat Veterans of the highest Caliber worth listening to. Truth tellers who do not lie. They were Col's.

 

[Armchair Apologist]

Here's my answer to the topic question of who started the Cold War.

In 1939, Germany and the USSR signed the Germany-Soviet Union Nonaggression Act. However, both were bitter enemies. The true purpose of the pact was a cynical deal to carve up Eastern Europe into Nazi and Soviet spheres of influence. They secretly agreed to divide independent nations between them. The two agreed to partition Poland down the middle. Germany would take the west, and the USSR would take the east. Finland, Estonia, and Latvia were assigned to the Soviet sphere. Lithuania was initially given to Germany but later traded to the Soviets.
Just over a week after signing the pact, Germany invaded Poland in September, 1939, triggering World War II. A few weeks later, Soviet forces invaded Poland from the east, exactly as they had agreed. The US and Britain viewed these invasions as a cooperation between Germany and the USSR to divide Europe.

In 1940, Hitler had his forces invade Russia. This is where "the enemy of my enemy is my friend comes to play." Hitler is now viewed by the allies as the threat to all of Europe. Both Britain and the US's views on Russia hadn't changed, but saw the Soviets could be useful in helping to destroy Germany. The US wanted to appear neutral, but aided the Soviets with military equipment.

As we are all aware, the US joined the war following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. When it came to the European campaign, the Allies continued to support the Soviets to keep Germany's forces fighting on two fronts. The Allies wanted to appease the Soviets once it was apparent the Germans were on the ropes, and held back to allow the Soviets into Berlin. Once Hitler was dead and the Germans surrendered, the ideological differences began. The US championed democratic capitalism while the Soviets promoted authoritarian communism, creating a fundamental clash of systems.

Disagreements over the political future of liberated Eastern Europe and a divided Germany fractured the wartime alliance. The Soviet's refusal to leave Eastern Europe met with the U.S. policy of containment and rapid nuclear armament. Then the Soviets began their nuclear armament. Thus the Cold War began.

Eisenhower warned that the permanent, massive arms race with the Soviet Union had fundamentally changed America. To counter the communist threat, the U.S. had built a vast, permanent defense industry for the first time in its peacetime history. This is what he referred to as the military industrial complex.

Very well articulated and informative! Do you teach history?

It seems that Eisenhower was lamenting over the fact that the so-called "Military Industrial Complex" was inevitable? It was right that we opposed communism but too bad we forgot about the war front in our very own colleges and universities!

Short answer is that the "Russkies" started it and we finished it - or so we had thought.

 

[Ben1445]

"The fox and the grapes"?
Anything but the truth .

Have you read it?
You complain about everything out of your reach.

 

[Salty]

Col Wilkerson speech

Hmm, I wonder what Gen MacArthur would recommend???

 

[Ben1445]

Here are two American Combat Veterans of the highest Caliber worth listening to. Truth tellers who do not lie. They were Col's.

He was the Chief of Staff for Colin Powell. There is no such thing as military without political motive.

There is definitely no such thing as people

who do not lie.

That is not my opinion of what Col. Wilkerson said.
That is what I think about what you said.