The Roots of the Cold War

Courtesy Edward Valachovic

The Berlin Wall separating East and West Berlin

At the end of World War II, Europe was in ruins, leaving the Soviet Union and the United States as the world's dominant superpowers. Over the next 40 years, the ideological conflict which played out between these nations - one democratic and capitalist and the other a communist dictatorship - dominated world events. Since this conflict did not involve any direct battles, it became known as the Cold War. That does not mean that there were no casualties in this war; the adversaries fought their battles through other countries' conflicts. In this topic, you will explore how the Cold War started, and its early impact in Europe.

Essential Questions

• What events led to the Cold War?
• What was the impact of nuclear weapons?