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Name Causes of the Cold War Explain how each of the following led to the rise in tension between the United States and Soviet Union and the beginning of the Cold War. Then categorize as a social, political, or economic cause of the Cold War. Which of the above do you feel contributed most to the rise in tension between the United States and the Soviet Union? Explain. qquad qquad qquad

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1. **Yalta Conference (Political Cause)**: - **Explanation**: The Yalta Conference of 1945 highlighted differing ideologies and territorial ambitions between the United States and the Soviet Union. Despite agreements on the division of Germany and the establishment of the United Nations, disagreements over the future of Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, emerged. 2. **Truman Doctrine (Political Cause)**: - **Explanation**: The Truman Doctrine, announced in 1947, symbolized the United States' commitment to containing the spread of communism globally. It marked a shift in American foreign policy towards a more confrontational stance against Soviet expansionism, especially in Europe and the Middle East. 3. **Berlin Blockade (Economic and Political Cause)**: - **Explanation**: The Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948 was a response to Western efforts to consolidate their zones of occupation in Germany. The blockade aimed to force the Western powers to abandon West Berlin. This event heightened tensions as the West responded with the Berlin Airlift, showcasing the determination to resist Soviet pressure. 4. **Division of Germany (Political Cause)**: - **Explanation**: The division of Germany into East and West after World War II was a direct consequence of Allied disagreements and conflicting ideologies. The creation of West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) and East Germany (German Democratic Republic) became symbols of the broader East-West divide. 5. **Arms Race (Political and Economic Cause)**: - **Explanation**: The nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union intensified during the Cold War. Both superpowers competed to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons, leading to a precarious balance of power and fear of mutual destruction, known as Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).**Most Contributing Factor**: The ideological differences and geopolitical ambitions underpinning the Yalta Conference arguably contributed the most to the rise in tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. This conference exposed fundamental disagreements over the post-war reorganization of Europe and the balance of power, setting the stage for the subsequent ideological and strategic confrontations of the Cold War.