The Cold War

The Cold War was initiated by the Yalta conference, where Russia claimed control over great parts of Europe, according to their loss during World War II. The other leaders agreed that Soviet needed a solid compensation for their great loss. The issue they did not agree on however, was how the different countries best could be governed. Whereas Russia claimed communism to be the best way to organize society, the USA held on to the system of market economy.
Disagreements arouse as a result of the different ideologies. The states belonging to western Europe trusted the USA, and put their faith in market economy - laissez faire. These states also accepted the Marshall help, financial support from the USA, named after the foreign minister George Marshall.
Furthermore, the USA thought that communism was a dangerous threat to the American way of life and the USSR felt that the US wanted to control the world. The Cold War was fought using propaganda, industrial espionage and spies. The Soviet Union and the USA did not fight directly, but very often supported countries that did. At the same time both countries built up their nuclear forces. The space face between the two states was also a part of the war.