# data[].attributes.body
February 4, 1945
In February 1945, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin Roosevelt came together and agreed to the demand of Germany’s unconditional surrender. Here they also began post-war time plans, including, plans to begin the creation of the United Nations. However, in this conference, Stalin of the Soviet Union made an agreement to allow free elections in Eastern Europe, he instead set forth governments dominated by the Soviet Union. Ultimately breaking his agreement to the United States and Britain, which led into the Cold War.

The Soviet Union is held much more at fault for the Yalta Conference, due to the repercussions they caused because of the conference. The United States, Britain, and Soviet Union were all equally involved in the Conference, however the Soviet Union did not cooperate and follow through with the agreements made. The lack of cooperation made from the Soviet Union ultimately lead to distrust between the United States and Soviet Union, which will lead to many more issues leading to the Cold War. However, the United States will take some of the blame. Many believe that Roosevelt was “handing over” Eastern Europe to Joseph Stalin, and should be held accountable for not seeing the consequences that would arise from this action.

Bella Triolo

# data[].attributes.body
November 1, 1955
The Vietnam War was a conflict between a communist North Vietnam, and the government of South Vietnam/its ally the United States. It was basically the manifestation of the tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. This was fueled by North Vietnam’s wish to unite the country of Vietnam under a communist regime. This war was especially tough with the U.S. involvement as peace movements in the U.S. advocated for the end of the war. There were an increasing amount of U.S. casualties and there wasn’t enough evidence to suggest that the U.S. was winning the war. Ultimately, the thirty year struggle for control over Vietnam was over, with the country being officially united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

# data[].attributes.body
March 12, 1947
In March of 1947 the Truman Doctrine was set forth. The Truman Doctrine was a speech by President Harry Truman, announcing that the United States would provide political, economical, and military assistance to any and all democratic nation that an external or internal threat of an authoritarian force. Truman would not allow the expansion of the Soviet totalitarianism into free and independent countries.

The Truman Doctrine was on the hands of the United States. This was a decision made for the benefit of both the United States and the nations that the United States was offering their assistance to. The actions of offering assistance to any nation in need, was due to the Soviet Union who were expanding their totalitarian regime into free and independent countries. Therefore the Soviet Union holds some blame because the actions taken by the United States were ultimately to protect themselves and other nations from the soviets.

Bella Triolo

# data[].attributes.body
April 3,1948
The Marshall Plan or the European Recovery Program was an attempt at financing the economic recovery of European nations between 1948 and 1951. It was created due to American’s fearing that in the conditions the Europeans were living in, Communism would look far more appealing. This plan funneled over thirteen billion dollars to many European nations. The United States believed this to be beneficial for all parties involved, however the Soviet Union viewed the donation to be antagonistic in nature. They believed that the plan was unnecessarily interfering in the affairs of other states. The Soviet Union eventually banned Poland and Czechoslovakia from taking a part of the Marshall Plan.

The United States was more responsible for the Marshall Plan, as it was the United States funding poverty stricken European countries. This action was described as beneficial although not without underlying motives. Americans were fearful of the spread of communism, and believed that with the poor conditions in Europe at the time, communism would seem more appealing. Not only that, the thirteen million dollars assured the U.S. that the European economy would be modeled after the U.S. This obviously seemed threatening to the Soviet Union, as they wanted to maintain their power in European hemisphere.

Izzy Min

# data[].attributes.body
January 31, 1950
On January 31 1950, President Harry Truman publicly announces his support and development of the hydrogen bomb. This weapon of mass destruction would be hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb that was used by the United States in the World War II. A few months prior to the announcement the Soviet Union had gained nuclear supremacy when they detonated a new atomic bomb. Not to mention, that there was a german-born soviet spy who brought intel to the Soviets about the United States plans on the H-bomb. This ultimately initiates Truman's urgency to begin the development of the hydrogen bomb. In 1952  the bomb was finally tested. The bomb created a mushroom cloud 57,000 feet high was created within 90 seconds, eventually reaching a height of 120,000 feet high. Three years after the bomb was tested, the Soviet Union tested their own hydrogen bomb, named the “Hell Bomb” by Americans.

The hydrogen bomb was made by the United States, who ultimately began the age of thermonuclear warfare. After the Soviet Union detonated their atomic bomb, the United States felt that they no longer had the upper hand in weaponry, therefore needed to take new strides to put them back the place of “nuclear supremacy”. This lead to Truman’s approval of starting a new era of warfare, creating the most powerful super-bomb, and after this the Soviet Union followed American footsteps placing the world in a dangerous position, where thermonuclear warfare.

Bella Triolo

# data[].attributes.body
June 25, 1950
The Korean War began because of the growing tensions of a divided country. After the Japanese invasion and control of Korea, the country did not have an obvious system of government. It became separated into North and South Korea, with the USSR controlling the North, and the United States controlling the South. The original plan included a temporary separation, and eventually the union of the two sides, however the U.S. and the Soviet Union could not agree on the best method of unification. Ultimately, the communist party controlled North Korea began an invasion in South Korea. Eventually, the fight grew to include more than just the U.S. and the USSR. The United Nations put up a vote as to whether or not to have its member states send aid to South Korea. Because the Soviet Union had been boycotting the council, they could not veto this decision, and the UN decided to begin sending military aid. Finally, after a bitter fight and devastating losses for both sides, an armistice was agreed to, leaving the split Korea virtually unchanged in terms of the tense political climate.

The Korean War seemed an inevitable event, due to the tension building up between USSR influenced North Korea, and US influenced South Korea. However the actual war began when North Korea attempted to invade and control South Korea under Stalin’s approval. The Soviet Union initiated the war by launching the first attack towards the city of Seoul. While it may be easy to place all of the blame on the Soviet Union, one must acknowledge the role of the U.S. in the buildup of aggression. The United States presence in South Korea was imposing in its very nature, putting even more strain on the peace between the two sides.

Izzy Min

# data[].attributes.body
May 14, 1955
The Warsaw pact is formed when the USSR and seven of its European satellite nations sign a treaty establishing a mutual defense organization. In the event that one member of the pact is attacked, the others must come to its aid. The Soviet Union would then be in command of the armed forces of the member states. The pact was created due to the remilitarization of Western Germany and their inclusion in NATO.

The remilitarization and addition of West Germany to NATO seemed like a direct threat to the Soviet Union, and in turn they responded with the creation of the Warsaw Pact. In terms of responsibility, the United States holds the most amount of responsibility for this action, as without the creation of NATO, the Soviet Union would not have necessarily had to retaliate with a group of their own. On the other hand, the Warsaw pact also increased the tension and made the imminent war draw even closer.

Izzy Min