The Origins of the Cold War—the Soviet Union's Foreign Policy and Its Transformation After the War

Focusing on the evolution of the Soviet Union's foreign policy after World War II, this article analyzes the strategic adjustments of the Soviet Union's policies toward the United States and Europe during the Stalin period based on declassified archives, and explores how the game between ideology and practical interests promoted the formation of the Cold War pattern. It focuses on the Soviet Union's decision-making logic in key events such as its expansion in Eastern Europe, swings in its policy toward China, and the Berlin Crisis.