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就導致冷戰於第二次世界大戰後出現一事而言，評估美國及蘇聯的相對重要性。
背景 冷戰在二次大戰結束後緊接出現，以美國為首的資本主義陣營與以蘇聯為首的共產主義陣營互相抗衡，導致了冷戰的對立局面出現。 // 立場及架構 就導致冷戰出現一事而言，美、蘇兩國均極具重要性，但從政治、經濟、軍事方面的對抗局面衡量下，足見蘇聯的重要性大於美國。
主旨句 政治方面，就導致冷戰的政治對立局面而言，美、蘇兩國各具重要性。 // 項目A重要性 美國方面，美國總統杜魯門於1947年發表「杜魯門主義」，直指美國需要擔任世界警察的角色，阻止共產主義於世界各地的傳播，結果導致與共產主義國家的對立形勢出現。 // 項目B重要性 至於蘇聯方面，蘇聯在二次大戰後為防自由思想傳入東歐，中斷了東歐與西歐之間的所有交通、通訊和貿易，並沿著衛星國邊界裝上一道有刺的鐵絲網，結果引起了英國首相發表「鐵幕演說」批評，掀起了冷戰的序幕。而且，蘇聯更於1948年封鎖了西柏林，中斷了西柏林與西方國家的陸路接觸，以致「柏林危機」的出現，成為二次大戰後列強間的首次正面衝突，是冷戰出現的重要標記。
主旨句 相比之下，蘇聯才是冷戰出現的始作俑者，重要性大於美國。 //駁論 其一，就因果關係而言，美國原本於戰前實行孤立政策，避免干預歐洲的事務，但至二次大戰起，蘇聯不斷擴張共產主義，更嚴格控制東歐的衛星國，中斷了東歐與西歐的接觸，美國為防共產主義赤化更多的歐洲國家，才提出「杜魯門主義」，以援助希臘及土耳其，使兩國避免受到蘇聯共產主義的威脅。其二，就柏林危機的出現而言，雖然美國與英、法兩國合併在德國的佔領區是導致蘇聯封鎖西柏林的原因，但根據《波茨坦協定》的規定，美國對其管轄區有推行政策的權力，而蘇聯卻無理封鎖西柏林，使柏林人民陷於孤立無援，此才是導致柏林危機出現的導火線，使雙方關係陷於緊張。 // 小結 可見，儘管兩國對於政治對立的局面出現各具重要性，但明顯地，蘇聯的重要性大於美國。
經濟方面，在導致冷戰的經濟對抗形勢而言，美、蘇兩國各具重要性。美國方面，美國為防共產主義的擴張，於1948年推出馬歇爾計劃，提供130億美元的援助予西歐國家，以避免二次大戰後惡劣的經濟環境成為共產主義滋長的溫床。美國的對外援助導致蘇聯作出反抗衡，在東歐建立起經濟合作以團結其衛星國，共同對抗美國為首的西歐經濟陣營，結果形成了冷戰的抗衡局面。蘇聯方面，蘇聯在1947年時實行了莫洛托夫計劃，提供商品援助予東歐國家，建立起東歐國家的合作，並且又於1949年成立經濟互助委員會，牢牢控制東歐國家以抗衡西歐的經濟合作，最終導致東、西歐的經濟互相抗衡、不相往來，塑造了冷戰的對抗形勢出現。
相比之下，蘇聯在導致經濟抗衡的冷戰局面一事上較美國重要。就因果關係而言，其一，美國提出馬歇爾計劃的130億援助予西歐國家是基於蘇聯在1940年代大肆擴張共產主義，赤化了許多東歐國家，包括波蘭、羅馬尼亞等，才令美國推出馬歇爾計劃，作為對抗蘇聯共產主義擴張的圍牆。其二，比較性質而言，美國於1947年提出馬歇爾計劃時，曾邀請蘇聯及東歐國家的參與，伸出友誼之手，是良性。相反，蘇聯猜忌美國的馬歇爾計劃是希望加強對東歐的控制，更另起爐灶而推行莫洛托夫計劃，同時禁止東歐國家參與馬歇爾計劃，作出對抗的姿態，是惡性。可見，雖然美、蘇雙方對於冷戰出現一事上均各具重要性，但蘇聯的重要性大於美國。
軍事方面，美、蘇兩國對於導致冷戰的軍事對立局面各具重要性。美國方面，自美國於1945年研發出原子彈，並且利用原子彈終結了對日本的戰爭，使蘇聯大感威脅，結果掀起了核武備的競賽，使冷戰在核軍備競賽的氛圍下出現。此外，美國也積極介入世界各地的地區性戰爭，例如在中國內戰中提供資金及武備以支持國民黨，使地區性戰爭更趨惡化。再者，美國於1949年成立「北約」，開啟了與蘇聯為首的東歐集團的軍事對抗，使冷戰形成。蘇聯方面，蘇聯在核軍備方面與美國進行競賽，例如蘇聯在1949年試爆原子彈，使核軍備的競賽變得更加激烈。此外，蘇聯也極力干預世界各地的地區性戰爭，例如在二次大戰後將繳獲的日軍武器交予中國共產黨，使中國共產主義軍力大為加強，令地區性戰爭爆發，導致兩大陣營對立的冷戰形勢出現。
相比之下，蘇聯在導致軍事敵對的冷戰形勢出現一事上，重要性大於美國。雖然美國在1945年率先研發出原子彈，掀起了惡性的核武備競賽，美國在此事上的重要性大於蘇聯。然而，在地區性戰爭的惡化及軍事同盟的出現而言，蘇聯責無旁貸。其一，就導致地區性戰爭的出現及惡化而言，蘇聯是世界各地爆發資本主義與共產主義內戰的主腦，蘇聯早於1921年成立了「共產國際」，推動世界共產主義革命，結果才使各地的共產主義黨出現，包括中國共產黨(1921年)、朝鮮共產黨(1925年)等，並發起武裝鬥裝以奪取國家政權，導致地區性戰爭出現。其二，在導致軍事同盟的出現而言，美國於1949年成立北約乃基於蘇聯在1948年強硬封鎖西柏林，美國與西歐國家為防受到蘇聯的攻擊，才成立防衛性的北約，以抵抗蘇聯的武力威脅。因此，蘇聯在冷戰出現一事上的重要性的確大於美國。
總括而言，美、蘇兩國是資本主義和共產主義陣營的領袖，兩國對於冷戰出現的責任無可推諉。然而，仔細端詳之下，蘇聯的重要性大於美國，基於蘇聯不斷擴張共產主義，以致美國需要擔起世界警察的角色，對抗蘇聯的擴張，結果才形成了冷戰的出現。
Assess the relative importance of the US and the USSR in bringing about the Cold War after the Second World War.
Cold War broke out right after the end of WW2. The US-led capitalist bloc counterbalanced the influence of USSR-led communist bloc, causing the confrontation in Cold War. In mentioning the reasons causing the Cold War, both US and USSR had great significance. However, in analyzing the political, economic and military aspects, the USSR had greater significance than the US.
Politically, in shaping the political confrontation in Cold War, both the US and USSR had great importance. As for the US, President Truman announced the Truman Doctrine杜魯門主義 in 1947. He directly mentioned that the US had to play the role of world police世界警察 and deter the spread of communism in the world. As a result, confrontation against communist states was formed. As for the USSR, in order to prevent the spread of liberalizing ideas to Eastern Europe, she cut the transport, communication and trade between Eastern and Western Europe. She also installed barbed wires along the borders of satellite states. This prompted the British Prime Minister to criticize her in the Iron Curtain Speech鐵幕演說 and started the Cold War. Also, the USSR blocked West Berlin in 1948 and cut the contact in land between her and other Western countries. This led to the occurrence of Berlin Crisis柏林危機 and it became the first direct conflict among powers after WW2. This was a major indicator showing the outbreak of Cold War.
In comparison, the USSR was the initiator of Cold War and had greater significance than the US. Firstly, in looking into the casual relationship, the US adopted the isolationist policy孤立政策 before war and prevented to intervene in the European affairs. However, since the Second World War, the USSR kept spreading communism. Worse still, she strictly controlled the satellites in Eastern Europe and stopped the contact between Eastern and Western Europe. In order to prevent communism from Sovietizing more European states, the US introduced the Truman Doctrine杜魯門主義 and provided assistance to Greece and Turkey so that they could be freed from the threat of Soviet communism. Secondly, in the occurrence of Berlin Crisis柏林危機, the merging of US, Britain and France occupied zones in Germany caused USSR in blocking Western Berlin. However, according to the Potsdam Agreement波茨坦協定, the US had the power to implement policies in her jurisdiction. It was the Soviet illegitimate blockade of West Berlin to isolate citizens there that triggered the Berlin Crisis. The relationship between them was tense. This showed that although both countries had significance in leading to the political confrontation, the USSR had greater importance than the US.
Economically, in causing the economic confrontation of Cold War, the US and USSR shared some significance. As for the US, in order to prevent the spread of communism, she implemented the Marshall Plan馬歇爾計劃 in 1948 and provided USD$13 billion economic assistance to Western European states. This was to prevent the poor post-war economic situation from becoming a breeding ground of communism. The external assistance of the US led to the counterbalance of the USSR. She started the economic cooperation in Eastern Europe and united the satellites. This was to mutually confronted the US-led Western European economic bloc. Such act formed the confrontation in Cold War. As for the USSR, she implemented the Molotov Plan莫洛托夫計劃 in 1947 and provided economic assistance to Eastern European states. Economic cooperation between Eastern European states was formed. Apart from that, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance經濟互助委員會 was formed in 1949 which strictly controlled the economic cooperation of Eastern Europe in the hope of counterbalancing the Western Europe. This resulted in the economic confrontation between Eastern and Western Europe and they did not trade with each other. This shaped the confrontation in the Cold War.
In comparison, the USSR had greater significance in causing the economic confrontation of Cold War than the US. In the casual relationship, firstly, the reason for the US in introducing the Marshall Plan馬歇爾計劃 and proving USD$13 billion to Western European states was that the USSR kept expanding communism in the 1940s. She Sovietized numerous nations, including Poland波蘭 and Romania羅馬尼亞, and this made the US in introducing the Marshall Plan to counterbalance the expansion of communism. Secondly, in terms of nature, the American Marshall Plan was more positive since the US showed its friendliness by inviting the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries to join its program when proposing the Marshall Plan in 1947; in contrast, the Soviet Molotov Plan was more unhealthy since the Soviet Union created the Plan purely due to its suspicion that the US attempted to extend its influence in Eastern Europe with its economic program, and the Soviet Union even chose to prohibited Eastern European countries from joining the Marshall Plan to show its hostility. This showed that although the US and USSR had some significance in leading to the Cold War, the USSR had greater importance than the US.。
Militarily, the US and USSR had some significance in leading to the militarily confrontation in Cold War. As for the US, she invented the atomic bomb原子彈 in 1945 and used it to end the war against Japan. The USSR felt that she was threatened and started the armament race of nuclear weapons. The Cold War broke out under the armament race of nuclear weapons. At the same time, the US actively intervened in the regional wars in the world. For instance, she provided capital and weapons to support the Kuomintang國民黨(KMT) in the Chinese Civil War中國內戰. This worsened the regional wars. Moreover, the US formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 北約(NATO) in 1949 and started the military confrontation again the USSR-led Eastern Europe. Cold War was thus formed. As for the USSR, she participated in the armament race against the US in nuclear power. For instance, USSR conducted a nuclear test in 1949 which intensified the nuclear armament race. Apart from that, the Soviet Union actively intervened the regional wars in different parts of the world. For instance, she gave the weapons which were obtained from Japan after WW2 to the Chinese Communist Party of China中國共產黨(CPC) and increased its military strength. Regional wars hence broke out and led to the confrontation of the two blocs in Cold War.
In comparison, the USSR had greater importance in leading to the military confrontation in the Cold War. The US firstly invented the atomic bomb in 1945 and started the vicious nuclear armament race. She had greater importance in this incident. However, the USSR had definite responsibility in the worsening of regional wars and the occurrence of military alliances. Firstly, in mentioning the outbreak and worsening of regional wars, the USSR was the mastermind behind the civil wars between capitalism and communism. The USSR established Comintern共產國際 as early as in 1921 and fostered the communist revolutions in the world. This resulted in the occurrence of communist parties in the world. It included the Communist Party of China (1921), and Communist Party of Korea (1925). Military conflicts sparked out in grabbing the regimes of countries. This led to numerous regional wars. Secondly, in leading to the military alliance, the reason for US in forming NATO in 1949 was the blocking of West Berlin封鎖西柏林 of USSR in 1948. In order to prevent the attack of USSR, the US and Western European states formed the defensive NATO and counterbalanced the military threat of USSR. Hence, the USSR had greater significance than the US in causing the Cold War.
To sum up, the US and USSR were the leaders of capitalism and communism and had definite responsibility towards the outbreak of Cold War. However, in viewing them in details, the USSR had greater significance than the US. Due to the expansion of communism by the USSR, the US had to take up the role as a world police and counterbalance her expansion. This resulted to the outbreak of Cold War.
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