Cold War Origins: The attitudes of Stalin and Truman and the
ideological differences between the superpowers.
Beneath the surface of wartime cooperation, there was always a level of distrust between
the western allies and the Soviet Union (not least because Stalin had signed the Nonaggression Pact with Hitler in 1939). In part the causes of the distrust were ideological.
America’s political system was based on democracy. Its government was chosen through
free and regular elections. Indeed, most Americans believed they had fought the war to
preserve this political freedom for themselves and for the peoples of the world. They saw
America as “the land of the free” and thought it was their duty to protect individuals’ rights.
One important right was the right to economic freedom. The American economic system
was capitalist. Under a capitalist economy, industry and land is owned by private individuals
or businesses who try to make profits out of production.
Russia’s ideology, however, was based on communism. In theory, this system places the
good of the whole of society before individual interests. Industry and land should therefore
be owned not by individuals, but by the state, and run for the benefit of society, not the
profit of a few individuals. To achieve this, however, it had been necessary to develop a
strong Communist Party with a firm control over the country. Stalin had developed this
power since he succeeded Lenin in 1924, so that Russia had become a one-party state, in
which the people’s political and economic rights had been severely curtailed.
1- Summarize the differences between Democracy and Communism
To many Americans, therefore, the Soviet Union was seen as little better than an oppressive
dictatorship, depriving its people of real freedoms and anxious to spread its communist
ideology abroad. At the same time, communist economics threatened the American
capitalist system. Similarly, the Soviet communists took a very negative view of the
American system. To them, American political freedoms were just a con/trick to keep the
people happy. The real power was the power of the capitalist bosses who owned America’s
businesses and exploited the workers. The capitalist world economy, obviously, posed a
dangerous threat to communism as it would constantly wish to expand into new markets.
2- How might the views of each country regarding the other increased tension
leading up to the Cold War?
Another reason for developing distrust between East and West was the legacy of
disagreements during the war on matters of tactics and strategy. The delay in launching the
invasion of northern France until June 1944 had angered Stalin who had wanted a second
front to be established as soon as possible. Thousands of Russian lives were being expended
in driving back the Germans and Stalin was mistrustful of the Allies’ reasons for delay. Did
the Americans and British secretly hope that the Nazis and Communists would destroy each
other in the final stages of the fighting?
3. How did events of World War II lead to mistrust between the 2 sides?
Just as Stalin was suspicious of the West, Roosevelt (the American President) and Churchill
(the British Prime Minister) were concerned about Stalin’s motives.
Stalin’s foreign policy contributed to tension. His aim was to take advantage of the military
situation at the end of the war to strengthen Russian influence in Europe. He therefore
wanted to occupy as much German territory as possible before the end of the war as well as
land from other states such as Finland, Poland and Rumania. The Red Army proved hugely
successful in this strategy as the German forces collapsed, but the price was increased
suspicion from Stalin’s allies about his intentions.
There remains a fierce debate among historians and politicians over Stalin’s motives. Some
believe that Stalin was continuing the traditional expansionist policies of the tsars, or else,
that he was determined to spread communism throughout the world now that “socialism in
one country” had been established. Others believe that Stalin was acting defensively: he
wanted as wide a buffer zone as possible to protect Russia from invasion from the capitalist
West. Historians taking this line of argument point to Stalin’s suspicions about the delay
over D-Day as evidence, together with memories of Anglo-American involvement in the Civil
War on the side of the Whites in 1918-20. Perhaps even more significant was the failure of
the Western Allies to inform Stalin about the development of the atomic bomb until just
before its use against Japan. When Stalin’s request to share in the occupation of Japan was
rejected, it seemed clear that there could only be a heightening of tension between East and
West.
4. Summarize the differing points of view between historians and politicians
regarding Stalin’s motives in Eastern Europe:
What the USSR thought of
capitalism
What the USA thought of communism.
• The USA and Britain had fought six years
• The Soviets wanted to make sure
fighting Germany. They did not want to see
that never again would they face an
another dictator take control over Europe
invasion. Germany had invaded in
• There was a fear that Stalin would treat the
1914 and 1941. Stalin wanted to
people of Eastern Europe badly. Britain was very
protect Russia
angry about the way that Russia had treated
• Stalin wanted compensation as the
Poland badly by setting up a pro - communist
USSR had suffered the loss of
government in Poland.
millions of soldiers (high estimates:
28 million!)
• Stalin did not trust the West as
they had fought against the
communists in the Civil War of 1918
- 1919
• Stalin believed that the British and
Americans wanted Russia to destroy
itself fighting Germany
As we have seen, it was not just Stalin’s policies that led to increased tension. Leading
American and British politicians were deeply hostile to the Soviet government. Harry S.
Truman, Roosevelt’s vice-president, who succeeded as President when Roosevely died in
April 1945, was much more suspicious of the Russians than his predecessor and personally
disliked Stalin. After meeting the Soviet leader, Truman wrote:
“The personal meeting with Stalin enabled me to see what the West had to face in the
future. Force is the only thing the Russians understand. Stalin showed what he was after ...
the Russians were planning world conquest.”
Churchill’s views had always been similar. He had never fully trusted Stalin, but thought
that Soviet cooperation was essential if Hitler was to be defeated. Towards the end of the
war he had even suggested that the British and American armies should make a dash for
Berlin to take the city before the Russians could get there.
5. Based on what you have read, choose a side and explain why that side was
justified in its distrust of the other.