Major Elements of the Cold War
Fundamental Differences
Soviet Union
Totalitarian State:
The needs of the whole country are more
important than the needs of individuals.
Decisions are made by a dictator.
Socialism:
Is a system where the government controls
the economic system. All citizens share in the
ownership of business and wealth is
distributed equally among all people.
United States
Democratic State:
The needs of the country are important but
individual wants are important too. Decisions
are made by all the people through free
elections.
Capitalism:
Is a system where the government intervenes
as little as possible in the economy.
Individuals can own their own business and
keep any profits they earn.
It is because of these fundamental differences that such division existed between these two nations. In the Soviet
Union they believed that the American way promoted greed and class division. The criticism was that Americans were
only concerned about themselves and not their fellow citizen. On the other side, the United States criticized the
Soviet way as being too controlling. It was a place where individuals had no personal freedom and ultimately could
not enjoy prosperity because of the division of capital.
Key Concepts of the Cold War:
Truman Doctrine- this was the American foreign policy that was developed after WWII. It was based on the belief that
communism must be ‘contained’, and that the USA would intervene in any situation where it appeared that
communism was spreading.
Marshall Plan- This was an economic aid program developed by the United States and supported by Canada that
offered billions of dollars to war torn countries in Western Europe. It guaranteed that these countries would side with
the USA during the Cold War and it helped rebuild the economies of 16 European nations after WWII.
Sovietization- The imposition of a Soviet-style government and economic system on satellite countries of the U.S.S.R.
The process of sovietization was used to bring the countries of Central and Eastern Europe under Soviet control shortly
after WWII.
Alliance Systems- The United States led a defensive alliance called NATO that discouraged Soviet expansion
throughout the world. The Soviets created the Warsaw Pact to counter NATO, it involved most of the countries of
Eastern Europe under their control.
MAD- meaning ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’. This was the reality of the atomic age that people had to begin to live
with. It was the realization that if the two superpowers ever went to war directly with each other that the whole
world would be wiped out.
Arms Race- This was the way to balance power during the Cold War. Power was measured in atomic/nuclear
weapons. This led to the stockpiling of thousands of these weapons over the course of the Cold War period.
Eventually enough weapons existed that the population of the world would be wiped out if war happened.