Nato+and+Warsaw+Pact

After World War 2 the major powers of the world were divided into two major groups. One was the "west", which included most western European countries, the United States and Canada. The other was what was referred to as the "Eastern Bloc" and included the USSR (Russia), East Germany and several eastern European countries. These two groups of countries divided themselves up into two military alliances. Canada and the west formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the USSR and Eastern Bloc countries formed the Warsaw Pact (named after the Polish city where they first came together). A real rivalry developed between these two groups that we call the "Cold War". We use this term because it seldom developed into real warfare (in fact the US and Russia had not fought since 1919 when the US and it's allies failed in it's invasion of Russia). The term is used to describe any lengthy period of hostile actions between nations that doesn't include armed battles. A cold war consists of threats, spies, and propaganda.

Capitalism vs. Communism There were two extremes of political and economic systems at this time, capitalism and communism. Below you'll find a chart that simplifies these two systems and what they stand for. Now, before you read this you must realize that many capitalist countries have elements of socialism or communism, some more than others. This is a fact. We don't live in a purely capitalist society. We know this because if you did, this school most certainly wouldn't exist in the way that it does.

Characteristic: 1. Political decisions Capitalist Democracy: Made by an elected government Communist Dictatorship: Made by one person or a small group who rules the state by force

Characteristic: 2. Economic decisions Capitalist Democracy: Made by many investors and entrepreneurs Communist Dictatorship: Made by one person who rules the state by force

Characteristic: 3. Private property Capitalist Democracy: Many individuals own private property Communist Dictatorship: The state owns most property

Characteristic: 4. Wealth distribution Capitalist Democracy: Wildly varies between different economic classes Communist Dictatorship: Divided fairly evenly by the state

Both political systems have problems but most would agree that a Communist Dictatorship has many, many more. Both systems are based on a theory, but in reality end up being much different in real life.

So, yes, we had two different political systems, but why did the cold war happen so fast? Weren't the US and Russia allies at the end of World War 2?

In 1946, Sir Winston Churchill, the former prime minister of Britain, called the dividing line between democratic countries and communism the **Iron Curtain**. Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union quickly chilled into the **Cold War**. The two superpowers would use any means, short of directly battling each other, in their struggle for world supremacy. This tension increased when the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb in 1949.