The 1950’s and its ensuing twenty years saw much change in the technology realm. Men walked on the moon and bombs were created with the capacity to obliterate anything in their paths.  Before this era, there was little interest in these advances, so why this period?  The finger can be pointed most undoubtedly at the post-World War II age, known most commonly as the Cold War.  The once-allies, the United States and the U.S.S.R, started to realize their differences in the way they ran their countries.  The United States vowed that as a capitalist country, they would do their part to keep the communistic influence from spreading throughout the world.  The Soviet Union focused, instead, on elevating their status. This tension would then lead to competition.

            At the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were considered allies.  Marking this alliance, the Yalta Conference was held in early February of 1945.  In attendance were U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and USSR’s Premier Joseph Stalin. Together, all agreed to certain post-war conditions set forth in the Yalta Declaration. 

The Yalta Declaration was issued by the conference on February 11. It declared the Allied intention to “destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world”; to “bring all war criminals to just and swift punishment”; and to “exact reparation in kind for the destruction wrought by the Germans.” Reference was made to a decision to divide Germany into three zones of occupation and to govern it through a central control commission, situated in Berlin; however, provision was made to invite France “to take over a zone of occupation, and to participate ... [in] the control commission.” Provision was made for a reparations commission to work in Moscow. The declaration also announced that a “conference of United Nations” would be held in San Francisco in April.

With respect to the “establishment of order in Europe,” the declaration stated the intention of the signatories to assist liberated countries or former satellites of the Axis powers in Europe in the formation of democratic interim governments through free elections. It confirmed the possession of eastern Poland by the USSR, declaring that by way of compensation, “Poland must receive substantial accessions of territory in the north and west,” that is, at the expense of Germany. (“Yalta Conference”)

Also provided for in the declaration was an agreement between the nations that allowed the Soviets to enter into war with Japan after the end of World War II.  After defeating the country, the agreement included such provisions that certain islands, including the Kurile Islands and the southern part of Sakhalin, to be returned to the Soviets, among other things. (“Yalta Declaration”)  In several years, however, the U.S. and Britain would realize that their previous ally was not going to follow the agreements made at the Yalta Conference.

Recognizing its strength, the U.S.S.R. soon began exerting it.  Starting with Poland, Hungary, and Romania in 1947, the Soviet leader, Stalin, soon created Communist governments in all Eastern European countries.  Rather than having the leaders of those states rule the country, Stalin controlled everything.  After these events, “Winston Churchill [warned] that an "iron curtain" was descending through the middle of Europe” (van Hoesel). Not being satisfied with Eastern Europe alone, Stalin used his influence to control parties in Western Europe as well.  But he certainly did not stop there.  He heavily supported Communist movements throughout Asia and the Middle East.  Stalin saw his actions as a means to strengthen the U.S.S.R. from future attacks.  The United States saw it as a threat. (“Did Stalin…?”)

As a response to Stalin’s actions, the United States developed an anti-Communism stance.  President Truman issued what came to be known as the Truman Doctrine.  In the document, he stated his opinions of communistic rule compared to free government.  He states:

 “One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression.

The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections and the suppression of personal freedoms.

I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” (“Truman Doctrine”)

This speech garnered support from Congress, who allocated $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey, as well as military assistance in postwar reconstruction.

            The Soviets continued its attempt of spreading its influence, while the United States held strong in its anti-Communist fight.  With so much tension between the two countries, war was bound to break out.  And in a sense, war did break out.  It came to be called the Cold War, but instead of war that history is used to, with victories being won on battlefields, this was a war fought through who could dominate the technology field first.  So from the tension, an arms race of massive proportion and the Space Race were created.