The Cold War in Europe
Disagreements between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies eventually caused the alliance that had defeated the Axis Powers to dissolve. In its place, a new rivalry emerged. One side was the Soviet, supported by the communist nations of the world. The Soviet Union and its allies were called the Eastern bloc. On the other side was the United States, supported by the Western democracies and other noncommunist nations.
This conflict and disagreement over communism and democracy occasionally led to bloody local wars. It was a war of ideas and world views waged by the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union and the United States were afraid of each others power.
The Soviets regarded the Truman Doctrine as an effort to encircle and undermine the Soviet Union. The denounced the Marshall Plan as an American capitalist effort to dominate Europe economically. In September 1947 the Soviets established the Communist Information Bureau, or Cominform, to oppose the Marshall Plan. This organization included all European communist parties. The Cominform was unsuccessful in opposing Marshall Plan aid. Its major effect was to create tension between communist and noncommunist parties in Europe.
As the West put its containment policy into place, the Soviets tightened their grip on Eastern and Central Europe. In 1948 communists overthrew the democratic government of Czechoslovakia. They turn the nation into a one-party communist state and a member of the Eastern bloc. Only one break appeared in the division between East and West. Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia, a devoted communist, objected to Soviet domination of his country. He announced that Yugoslavia would follow an independent path.
This conflict and disagreement over communism and democracy occasionally led to bloody local wars. It was a war of ideas and world views waged by the two superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union and the United States were afraid of each others power.
The Soviets regarded the Truman Doctrine as an effort to encircle and undermine the Soviet Union. The denounced the Marshall Plan as an American capitalist effort to dominate Europe economically. In September 1947 the Soviets established the Communist Information Bureau, or Cominform, to oppose the Marshall Plan. This organization included all European communist parties. The Cominform was unsuccessful in opposing Marshall Plan aid. Its major effect was to create tension between communist and noncommunist parties in Europe.
As the West put its containment policy into place, the Soviets tightened their grip on Eastern and Central Europe. In 1948 communists overthrew the democratic government of Czechoslovakia. They turn the nation into a one-party communist state and a member of the Eastern bloc. Only one break appeared in the division between East and West. Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia, a devoted communist, objected to Soviet domination of his country. He announced that Yugoslavia would follow an independent path.