the cold war

The United States versus The Soviet Union

Newspaper clipping from August 1945 estimating potential damage to New York City if struck by an Atomic Bomb

Collier’s magazine cover from August 1950

The Cold War may have been inevitable given the ideological differences of the United States and the Soviet Union, the two major countries that emerged as superpowers after World War II.

 

 

Possibly, the groundwork was laid well beforehand with the majority of the world in fear of communism, containment plans in effect and the arm’s length distance at which the Allies kept their partner Joseph Stalin. Even though the United States and the Soviet Union were allies during the war in the fight against Hitler, there was never any real trust and it was more of a temporary marriage of convenience.

The use of Atomic weapons on Japan served notice on the Soviet Union that the United States had the capability and would use it, if necessary.

Immediately after World War II, the United States turned it’s attention to corralling the Soviet Union and preventing the spread of Communism throughout the world.

This is what became known as the Cold War.

The Cold War came to be viewed by Americans (and British) as a good versus evil type of situation and espionage and subterfuge flourished between the U.S. and Britain against the Soviet Union in the ensuing decades. As technology advanced, there was also an arms buildup and nuclear weapons race.

 

Our site will outline some important events that occurred during the Cold War.

Chronological parent pages from the 1940’s to the 1990’s will provide a brief overview timeline of each decade and drop-down subpages will outline various important events in greater detail, that occurred in each decade.

We finish with our Conclusion and Resources pages.