The Cold War is a time period from approximately 1945-1990, when the United States of America and the Soviet Union rose up as the world's superpowers. The origins of the Cold War are argued by historians and social scientists alike, as some say the tension between the United States of America and the Soviet Union goes back to the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Others say that the Cold War did not arise until the end of World War Two. Whenever the Cold War began, and for whatever reasons, the fact remains that there were many crucial factors involved, including political, ideological, economic and strategic factors. The most crucial political factors include the politics between the United States of America and the Soviet Union, as well as political events occurring in Europe and parts of Asia at the same time. The crucial ideological factors include the conflict that arose between socialism and capitalism in the governments of the time. Economic factors that influenced the Cold War were the costs of arms build up and the inclusion of the Third World. Strategies were implemented by both the United States of America and the Soviet Union in the Cold War, including the Truman doctrine, containment, Ostpolitik, Glasnost, Perestroika, the Sinatra doctrine and the Brezhnev doctrine. There were therefore many factors influencing and playing a part in the Cold War.
It is generally accepted that the Cold War began in 1945, but, as Scott states, "the issue of when the Cold War began, for example, is closely bound up with the question of who (if anyone) was responsible."" Some historians believe that the Cold War began with the Russian Revolution in 1917 but most concede that events that took place after 1945 were the catalysts. LaFeber, however, states that, .
that conflict did not begin in 1945 or even with the communist .
victory in Russia during 1917. The two powers did not initially come .
