Why did US have trouble trusting the Soviet Union after World War 2?

Answer 1

"Mutually assured destruction." Both sides of the cold war had the ability to destroy the earth several times over. That certainly seems like a good reason to fear your enemy.

Strategic nuclear missiles were aimed to most large cities in the US, as well as in the USSR.

Also the mobilised military forces of the Warsaw pact was much larger then that of NATO.

The lack of openness in the communist empire made it difficult to know what was really going on, and their people could easily be manipulated with false information about the rest of the world.

The USSR was ruled by leaders, whose behaviour could be difficult to predict.

The Russians showed that they were ready to use armed force to stop any democratic reforms, e.g. in Hungary 1956 and Czechoslovakia 1968.

Soviet supported anti-US governments and guerilla groups in America with counsellors and weapons.

Soviet supported communist takeovers or revolutions around the world, while USA were resisting such, e.g. in Vietnam. Spread of socialism would reduce US worldwide influence.

Soviet began stationing missiles on Cuba.

USA discovered many people spying for the Soviet powers.

Answer 2

At the begining of WWII the Soviet always wanted to get on the other side of the war (siding with Germany, Italy, and Japan) but they were kind of rejected so by many mishaps they fought on our side. By the end of WWII the major country's that fought in the war were pretty exhausted militarily and economically, only the US and Soviet stayed somewhat strong. Both sides (US and Soviety) were already weary of each other, that's one of the reason's why we bombed Japan, to give them the heads up on our neuclear power if they had any ideas. Then after WWII the Soviet goes on to take many of the nearby country's, and since every was exhausted no one really did a thing about it at the time, which many of European countries at the time called the the betrayel of the US, meaning we just stood there and did nothing. US and Soviet then went into a silent war call "Cold War" and many proxy wars instead of an all out war.

Answer 3

After WWII, the Soviet Union controlled Eastern Europe and was communist. The US and the Allies controlled Western Europe and were capitalist. Communism sought to spread and overtake capitalism, therefore Western European countries were always at risk of aligning with the USSR and becoming communist. The same was true for the Eastern European countires, who sought to become capitalist.

Answer 4

The United States didnt just mistrust the USSR after the war, in fact all democracies worldwide were directly threatened by world communism before, during, and after WW2. The Soviet Union under Stalin was a murderous and oppressive regime and took part in the rape of Poland in 1939. In spite of the nominal and economic alliance with the USSR during WW2 (which was necessary to defeat the axis powers), the ideologies between America and Soviet Russia were polar opposites. And the fact that the 2 remaining superpowers on earth after the end of the war were ideological enemies gave birth to the Cold War.

Answer 5

They were afraid of the spread of communism.

Answer 6

The USA feared the Soviet union because of their ideological differences. They feared the spread of communism and the constant threat of China and Soviet Pact.

Answer 7

us had a nuke