Origins of the Cold War Outline

        The U.S.S.R is to blame for the Cold War, because of the Berlin Blockade, the U.S.S.R takeover of eastern European countries, Stalin's demands at Yalta and Potsdam, the U.S.S.R's refusal to take help from the Marshal Plan, and the U.S.S.R having very different goals than the U.S.A. However, some people say that the U.S.A is to blame for the Cold War because of the Truman Doctrine.

The Berlin Blockade

• By separating the U.S.S.R's zone,  Stalin clearly demonstrated that the U.S.S.R and the U.S.A were on bad terms to the world, which created more tension between the U.S.A and the U.S.S.R
• Stalin went against the wishes of Roosevelt  ,who wished that Germany be reunited, creating tension for the United States 
• By separating the U.S.S.R's zone, Stalin demonstrated his power over East Germany and demonstrated that he could easily operate without the Allies, creating fear and tension in the U.S.A
• By closing off East Germany from West Germany, Stalin demonstrated 

The Takeover of Eastern European Countries

• Stalin outlawed the democratic party in the eastern European countries, which forced the countries to be communist which created tension in the U.S.A
• By forcing the eastern European countries to be communist Stalin broke the promise he had made at Yalta, which created tension in the U.S.A
• By taking the eastern European countries and making them be communist the U.S.S.R spread communism, which was directly against the U.S.A's dream of spreading democracy. 

Stalin's demands and actions at Yalta and Potsdam

• Stalin wanted to cripple Germany to ensure safety from further invasions, while Roosevelt didn't want the Treaty of Versailles to happen all over again; these different goals created tension between the two leaders and thus tension between the two countries
• At Potsdam Stalin refused to give up any power that he had over the eastern European countries in his control, therefore the U.S.A believed that this was evidence that Stalin was planning on taking over Europe to build a Soviet Empire, which created fear and tension for the U.S.A and caused Truman to adopt a 'tough' attitude towards Stalin which amplified the tension between the two leaders and made it even harder to come to any agreements at Potsdam
• At Poland Stalin demanded the U.S.S.R's border to move into Poland, which created more tension and fear in the U.S.A that the U.S.S.R was aiming for world domination. 

 The U.S.S.R's refusal to take help from the Marshal Plan

• Stalin refused to take money from the Marshal aid
• Stalin demanded that the eastern European countries in his control not take any of the money from the Marshal Aid. 
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U.S.S.R having very different goals than the U.S.A.

• The U.S.S.R wanted to spread communism, while the U.S.A wanted to spread democracy
• The U.S.S.R wanted to have a closed market, while the U.S.A wanted to have a free market
•  The U.S.S.R wanted to keep Germany divided and weak, the U.S.A  wanted to reunited Germany

The U.S.A is to blame because of the Truman Doctrine

• The purpose of the Truman doctrine was to prevent the spread of communism  and Stalin's dream was to spread communism and so this created tension in the Soviet Union
• The Truman Doctrine was meant to make sure that the U.S.S.R didn't take over Greece or Turkey, which created tensuion in the U.S.S.R
• The Truman Doctrine demonstrated the U.S.A's distrust in the U.S.S.R which created tension in the U.S.S.R