After the end of World War II, the USSR and America emerged as global superpowers thanks to their help in winning World War II for the Allied powers. Even though these two countries fought on the same side during World War II, they had very different ideas on how a country should be run. America was a capitalist system, that relied on a small amount of government interference in the economy. The USSR relied on the economic system of communism. Communism is extremely different than capitalism, as this system focuses on government control of the means of production (aka the products made in a country), the price of goods, and other economic elements.
After the end of World War II, these two countries turned into enemies, as they competed for global influence and power. America feared a Europe filled with communist countries thanks to the USSR's military and political power. This difference on how a country should be run directly results in the Cold War period.
