What could have prevented the Cold War?

Start of Communist fears was when USA effectively ended WW2 by dropping worlds most powerful bomb on Japan. This was the atomic bomb, which the USSR was yet to fully utilise.

examples - Berlin blockade, U2 incident, Cuban missile crisis

USSR bluff on weapons

Americans had more + superior missiles

Reasons it didnt esculate - was more a game of 'brinksmanship', meaning the two main superpowers (USA and USSR) were simply trying to scare the other country into laying down its weapons, which would bring about greater peace and eliminate the threat of nuclear war. However, the reason it at first esculated into a 'COld War' is that neither side was willing to back down, and so the atmosphere and actions became more extreme.

It took the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1963 to make both countries realise their could be no winner.

A telephone hotlink was established between Washington and Moscow, and agreements such as SALT followed.

NOOBU CONTRIBUTION However, the most impotant factor is the new leadership of Russia. Gorbachev was more willing to have diplomatic ventures with USA rather than the previous leaders. Gorbachev also introduced 2 reforms which may seem contentious to the communist hardliners. Perestroika and Glasnost deteriorated the economy of russia, this resulted in less spending in military armaments.