Soviet Expansion
After the effects of World War II started to wear off, Eastern Europe was vulnerable and susceptible to invasion, and the USSR took advantage of that. America started to fear the threat of the Soviets taking over the world (History, 2009). Joseph Stalin started these invasions through a series of taking over what he claimed were native Russian areas with people of Russian descent living in them. After consuming Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed (Montefiore, 2003).
While both countries tend to place the blame of the resulting decades long conflict on one another, both had equal part. America had started an arms buildup that made the Soviets both suspicious and fearful. Another contributing factor to the start of the Cold War comes from the need of the U.S. to intervene in almost all international relations issues, contributing specifically to the expansion of the Soviet Union (History, 2009).
While both countries tend to place the blame of the resulting decades long conflict on one another, both had equal part. America had started an arms buildup that made the Soviets both suspicious and fearful. Another contributing factor to the start of the Cold War comes from the need of the U.S. to intervene in almost all international relations issues, contributing specifically to the expansion of the Soviet Union (History, 2009).