US and USSR relations leading up to the Cold War

1. For this essay, students should discuss how the intricacies of the alliance in WWII set the conditions for Cold War conflict in the post-war period. How did WWII, and the decisions, strategies, and goals exchanged between the Soviets and Americans during the conflict contribute to the deterioration of relations that ultimately triggered the Cold War? In short, why did the Soviets and Americans emerge from WWII as rivals rather than friends? 2. The analysis should cover Soviet-American relations during the entire span of WWII. In other words, do not simply discuss the nature of Soviet-American relations during a single year, or single episode. 3. The analysis should exhibit a sophisticated understanding of the Text: The United States and the Origins of the Cold War, 1941-1947 By Gaddis THIS IS THE ONLY SOURCE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO USE 4. The analysis needs to contain explicit discussions of exchanges/policies/aims between the Soviets and Americans during WWII that tie directly to the essay topic. Avoid presenting general information about WWII. Essays that discuss WWII, the Cold War, and Soviet-American relations in a manner that does not explicitly attempt to answer the topic/prompt/question will be penalized.