How the atomic bomb caused the Cold War
Stalin's Attitude
The atomic bomb could have caused the Cold War by angering Joseph Stalin into wanting to seek a confrontation between the USA and the USSR. Stalin felt that Truman did not fully share the information of the US having an atomic bomb. This grew Stalin's anger as well as him believing that the dropping of the bomb took away the place that Russia had earned by being victorious in World War I. He saw the US as snatching away all that Russia had done. Stalin saw the dropping of the atomic bomb, by the US, as directed more at Russia than Japan. In February 1946 Stalin gave his "Bolshoi speech" in which he said that America was using its atomic advantage for imperialism. It is clear that Stalin had grew furious with the United States.
Truman's Attitude
The atomic bomb could have caused the Cold War, not just becuase it angered Stalin into wanting to seek a confrontation, but because it also encouraged Truman to seek a confrontation. When Truman knew that he had the bomb, he switched to anti-communist advisors such as James F. Byrnes and Henry L. Stimson from a pro-Soviet advisor in Davies. Truman wanted to drop the bonbon Japan so they would surrender before Stalin had a chance to enter the war there in Pacific region. On October 27 1945, Truman made his Navy Day Address speech. In his speech he talked about twelve key points, which he called fundamentals of the foreign policy of the United States. In point number one Truman said the the US did not intend to go to war with any country, big or small. He included a promise that the US did not seek any territory for expansion or selfish advantage. Later in the speech Truman announced that the US would be seeking defensive military bases, and that the secrets of the atomic bomb would stay with the United States and would not be given to any other country. It is clear that Truman had grew an attitude of confronting with the USSR.
Affects of the atomic bomb on the Cold War
The arms races between the US and USSR was started with the creation of the atomic bomb. The arms race lead the two side to the finding of how to create an even more powerful weapon in the nuclear bomb. Once both sides realized the destruction that could be done with these new weapons both knew that it would end the human race as we know it. This stopped them from letting the Cold War go "Hot", and ending in M.A.D.
Conclusion
Without the creation of the atomic bomb the US could not have dropped the bomb. Without the dropping of the bomb Stalin could not have grew furious with America. Without the atomic bomb Truman could not have thought of confronting the USSR. Without these two men willing to start a war the Cold War may have never happened in the first place. But because of the atomic bomb the Cold War was started and therefore the course of history was changed forever. If it were not for the atomic bomb showing the way for the nuclear bomb the Cold War could have very well gone "Hot" and an all out nuclear war may have ended the world as we know it.