Importance of Soviet Aggression in Causing the Cold War

Soviet aggression was important in causing the start of the Cold War as seen by the actions the Soviets has taken to build up their Soviet empire, and only forcing the US to take a harsh approach towards them. This had led to a breakdown of relations between the US and Soviets which ultimately led to the start of Cold War, ending all possibilities of cooperation with the US in 1947. However, American aggression had a greater responsibility in causing the start of the Cold War as seen by the American bid to build an informal empire which led to the start of the Cold War in terms of an economic schism, cutting off all chances of cooperation with the Soviets. In addition, in certain cases American actions, as well as Soviet ones, were misinterpreted as aggression, further deepening the crack is US-Soviet relations. Thus this essay takes the stand that American aggression played the bigger role in causing the start of the Cold War.

The start of the Cold War was caused by Soviet aggression as seen by American reaction to instances of Soviet empire building, highlighting the impact it brings on the US-Soviet relation. This can be seen when the Soviets had plotted and allowed Kuomintang (KMT) to be the legitimate government, but at the same time handed Japanese weapons to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and allowed them to establish foothold in Manchuria and Northern China. Although they did not show overt aggression, this had cause the Americans to send 50000 marines to help the nationalist government restore control of North China, breaking the trust between the US and Soviets, which led to a breakdown of relations between them. Also, during the post war period, Soviet troops remained in Iran and encouraged separatist movements in the northern provinces of Azerbaijan and Kurdistan. This had caused the decision of the US and Britain to exclude Soviets from Iran. Therefore, this highlights that the US had shifted away from their perception on the possibility of cooperation between the two, leading to the breakdown of relations and causing the start of the Cold War.

However, more importantly, the start of the Cold War was caused by American aggression on their bid to build an informal empire which had caused the strain in relation between the US and the Soviets. This is highlighted when the US had implemented dollar diplomacy which was targeted at the USSR. The Soviets had requested for a $6 billion loan from the US in January 1945 in which the US immediately imposed conditions of the opening of Eastern European markets to US manufactured products. They further left the Soviets in desperation by terminating the Lend-Lease in May 1945 without notice. Also, in another practice of dollar diplomacy, the US imposed conditions of dropping trade barriers in Eastern Europe and compensation for US assets served in Romania and Bulgaria on a request by the soviets for a loan in early 1946. Both of these actions reaffirmed the Soviet's conviction