The Cold War

During the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union had worked together to defeat Nazi Germany. But in the years after the war ended, the former allies became bitter rivals. The two superpowers did not fight each other directly; instead, they tried to get other countries to support their political and economic systems. The Soviet Union supported the establishment of Communist governments that would answer to Soviet leaders. The United States spent billions of dollars to rebuild Western Europe and sent military advisers and troops to many places in order to counter the threat of Communist expansion. The period of U.S.-Soviet tensions, from 1947 until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, is known as the Cold War. This book in the MAJOR U.S. HISTORICAL WARS series examines the events that led up to the Cold War. It discusses the political and military strategies that the world's two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, employed, and provides information about key people, battles, and events. The policies of the Cold War had an enormous impact on the modern world. Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, chronology and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.