Topic: Cold War Origins of the Cold War Following the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945 near the close of World War II, the uneasy wartime alliance between the United States and Great Britain on the one hand and the Soviet Union on the other bega

1. Introduction 1.1 Background of World War II 1.2 Defining the Cold War 1.3 Importance of Studying Origins 2. The Wartime Alliance 2.1 Formation and Goals 2.2 Key Conferences and Agreements 2.3 Strains in the Alliance 3. Ideological Differences 3.1 Capitalism versus Communism 3.2 Political Systems and Governance 3.3 Perceptions of Global Influence 4. Post-War Europe 4.1 Division of Germany 4.2 Eastern Europe and Soviet Control 4.3 Marshall Plan and Economic Reconstruction 5. Key Political Events 5.1 Yalta and Potsdam Conferences 5.2 Iron Curtain Speech 5.3 Truman Doctrine 6. Military Developments 6.1 NATO and Warsaw Pact 6.2 Nuclear Arms Race 6.3 Strategic Defense Initiatives 7. Influence of Key Figures 7.1 Harry Truman and Stalin 7.2 Winston Churchill’s Role 7.3 Influence of Post-War Leaders 8. Conclusion 8.1 Summary of Key Points 8.2 Long-term Effects of the Origins 8.3 Implications for Modern Relations

1. How did ideological differences between capitalism and communism contribute to the emergence of tensions in the wartime alliance between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union after World War II? 2. In what ways did the division of Germany and the subsequent control over Eastern Europe influence the strategic objectives of both Western Powers and the Soviet Union during the early stages of the Cold War?