The cause of the Cold War is questionable. The Cold War was inevitable due to the differences between capitalist and communist ideologies. However, it is not possible to pinpoint precisely who was responsible for the Cold War. There are many factors that could have contributed to the Cold War. Many historians' perspectives on the causes of the Cold War vary to some extent. The orthodox view generally holds that the Soviet Union was responsible for the Cold War. It is argued that the Soviets were inevitably expansionist, due to their suspicion of the West. Thus, Stalin violates the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, occupies and imposes Soviet control in Eastern Europe, and decides to “plot” the spread of communism throughout the world with Moscow as the center. The revisionist view had an alternative perspective regarding the Cold War. They held the United States responsible for the Cold War. Revisionists see the motivations behind American foreign policy as intrinsically tied to the needs of capitalism. Looking at the different points of view of historians, one can see how the Cold War was seen as the only need for self-preservation that had plunged the two countries into their differences. However, many of the tensions that existed during the Cold War can be attributed to Stalin's policy of Soviet expansion. Stalin's foreign policy could have helped increase tension between countries during the Cold War. The aim of his policies was to take advantage of the military situation in post-war Europe to strengthen Russia's influence. Stalin was significantly effective in his goal of conquering territory with victories in Poland and other countries. Stalin's success was seen as the beginning of the creation of Russian aggression. The Western view saw Stalin... in the center of the map... more in territorial gain. Stalin took part in the Cold War because it created aggression and tension in other countries. No party is solely responsible for the Cold War. You can't blame the US without also blaming the USSR and vice versa. Both countries were aggressive with their foreign policies. Both of these countries were attempting to “overtake” the other side in an attempt to push communism or capitalism all the way to Europe. Therefore, both countries, as well as Stalin, are the main cause of the Cold War. Each country had its own responsibility for the outbreak of the war. It is not possible to fully determine who was the ultimate cause of the Cold War due to the different perspectives of historians, Stalin's foreign policy and each country's attempt to create plans for the country such as in the Marshall Plan or the Molotov Plan..