... of a "capitalist encirclement" and, on the opposite side, Americans' suspicion against an "international communist conspiracy". Each side saw the other as aggressive and intransigent. The Cold War contest rapidly became the dominant feature of international relations. In the late 1980s a revolutionary policy brought forward by the Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbaciov led to dramatic changes in Eastern Europe and Russia. Millions of people celebrated the end of the Cold War. If it is easy to identify the period of time and the events that led to the end of the Cold War, it is instead not so clear to define its starting-point. This subject has been matter of debate between historians for many years, and various theories have originated. Historians agree that the events of the Second World War marked a dramatic turning point in the world political system, but it would be a superficial interpretation to consider the Cold War ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now