The Cold War is something that everyone has heard about yet most of us have no clue what the war was really about or why it was started or for that fact who even won the war. The Cold War involved just about the whole world but mainly the United States and Russia. After reading LeFaber, listening to lectures, and doing some research I have come to the conclusion that there was no winner nor a loser of the Cold War.
The Cold War for Russia, was to ensure security, block out capitalism, gain power and improve their economy. While on the other hand the United States just wanted to stop the spread of communism which they thought would affect the world like a domino if they did not put an end to it soon. Both Russia and the United States wanted to avoid World War III in the process of tying to achieve their goals. Many other countries were also involved in the war such as China and Vietnam, among many others. .
In 1949, Mao Zedong and the People's Liberation Army lead the Communists to victory in a civil war against Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists. Losing China to the communists was a devastating blow to the United States. China was faced with the need for military and economic aid which it eventually received from Russia. In 1958, Mao began the Great Leap Forward. Thirty million Chinese starved to death during the Great Leap Forward, making it one of the worst man-made disasters in history. In 1964, China explodes its first nuclear bomb. In 1965, American forces enter Vietnam and the Chinese support North Vietnam while the United States take the South's side. Mao, in the end wants to restore peace with the United States and current President Richard Nixon. The United States was unsuccessful in stopping the spread of communism throughout China, while the Soviet Union was gaining power.
Stalin became concerned about the Soviet Union's security and requested reparations. Americans believed that Germany must get back on course before there could be a full European recovery.
