The Cold War started mainly because the USA and the USSR had very different ideas about how society should work. These differences created a big gap in how each country saw the world.

Capitalism vs. Communism:

• The USA supported capitalism. This means they believed in free markets where people could earn their own money. They thought that if people could compete and own things, everyone would be better off.
• On the other hand, the USSR believed in communism. They thought that everything should be shared and owned by the community, not by individuals. They wanted to get rid of social classes and believed that capitalism usually leads to unfairness and taking advantage of others.

Democracy vs. Totalitarianism:

• America’s government is based on democracy. This means people have personal freedoms, rights, and laws that protect them. In the USA, the belief is that the government should listen to the people.
• The USSR, however, was a totalitarian state. This means the government controlled nearly everything in people's lives. Personal freedoms were often taken away to keep the Communist Party in power, and anyone who disagreed faced serious consequences.

Foreign Policy and Expansionism:

• The USA wanted to spread democracy and capitalism around the world. They felt it was their duty to show others the benefits of their system. They actively worked to stop what they saw as the spread of communism.
• Meanwhile, the USSR wanted to make communism known everywhere. They supported groups fighting for leftist ideas in different countries as a way to stand against capitalism. This led to conflicts and made tensions worse in many places.

Mutual Suspicion and Propaganda:

• Both countries used propaganda to show the other as dangerous and evil. The USA viewed the USSR as a threat to global democracy, while the USSR painted the USA as an empire that disturbed world peace.

These big differences created distrust and anger between the two nations. This tension played a huge role in starting the Cold War, leading to a long period of conflict between them.