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Cold war - cold war - a detailed summary
BA (Hons.) History
University of Delhi
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Cold war
The term "cold war" refers to a period of tension between two countries in which each party pursues measures to enhance itself while weakening the other. there is always the threat of war. As a result, there is neither peace nor conflict in this situation.
Here the term "cold war" refers to the period of tension between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union.
The ideological differences between the two superpowers were the fundamental cause of the cold war. the USSR believed the USA to be the head of the capitalist world and used democracy to stop soviet expansion. Thus, the military standoff between the two superpowers led to a situation in which both countries attempted to expand their bases by forming alliances while also significantly developing their military strength.
Both superpowers are accountable for the start of the cold war, according to objective analysis. There are several reasons that culminate into cold war.
Misconceptions: the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was rooted in mutual misunderstanding rather than clashing objectives. Both Soviets and Americans have a tendency to see each other in the same light.
Mutual antagonism: Mutual antagonism is sometimes seen as a cause of the Cold War. The history of the cold war's origins shows that mistrust and, as a result, fear were at the heart of the conflict. Stalin was as cautious of the Americans as they were of him.
Ideological incompatibility: ideological incompatibilities were another cause of the Soviet- American confrontation. The Soviet communist doctrine alarmed many Americans. There was a widespread fear that communism was a crusading, expansionist philosophy bent on bringing universal revolution. While the Soviet Union believed in communism, the United States believed in capitalism.
Economic Interests: While the western bloc (the United States) favoured a capitalist economy promoting individual initiative and enterprise, the eastern bloc (the Soviet Union) favoured a socialist planned economy under state control. While the western nations are developed, their development is nourished by the explanation of poor third-world countries.
Objective Law: Many historians believe that it is a natural law that triumphant powers fight one other after a win. The victorious after the Napoleonic war fought amongst themselves over the distribution of the spoils of war.
Other Reasons: The leaders of the two countries were also to blame for the cold war because they had opposing viewpoints on the world. They placed various conceptions of reality on occurrences. In the end, people become enslaved by their own perceptions of reality. "The creation of a power vacuum" was another cause.
The following are the major developments during the Cold War:
- Germany as the Cold War's epicentre: When it came to Germany, the USSR adopted a stance that was highly opposed by the western nations. The split of Germany into the Federal Republic of Germany (pro-west) and the Democratic Republic of Germany (pro-USSR) was
influenced by the USSR's and western countries' attempts to maintain control in their separate occupation zones. 2. The Berlin issue and the Cold War: In 1948, the Cold War expressed itself in the shape of the Berlin Blockade, in which the USSR determined to rapidly implement its own economic reforms in order to prevent western economic intervention in Berlin. In Berlin, the USSR opted to use the new East Zone currency and products. 3. NATO Organization and German Division: The immediate result of such measures was the formation of NATO on April 4, 1949, by the United States and its allies, and the subsequent formation of the Federal Republic of Germany on September 21, 1949. The soviet retaliation came on October 7, 1949, when the soviet occupation zone in East Germany was declared the German Democratic Republic state. 4. The development of communist China and the Cold War: The ascension of Mao Zedong's communist party to power in China in 1949 offered a significant boost to Soviet influence in world politics, prompting a reaction from the US in the form of a stronger commitment to restrict communism. The United States then signed a security treaty with Formosa China, declaring it to be the genuine article. 5. 5. The Korean War and the Cold War: In 1950, the Korean War laid the groundwork for Cold War politics in the Far East. The scenario produced by North Korea gave a chance for the United States and other Western nations to try to restrain communism by assisting democratic South Korea in its fight against communist North Korea. 6. 6. SETO and WARSHAW PACT; from 1953 to 1963, the United States pursued a military and economic offensive modelled after NATO, forming the SEATO and MEDO. These organisations were created to prevent communism from spreading over Southeast Asia, Asia, and the Middle East. On the other hand, on May 4, 1955, the USSR was successful in forming the Warsaw Alliance, a communist defence pact encompassing eastern European socialist governments. It was created in order to "fight imperialist and capitalist attacks." 7. 7. Nuclear Arms Race and Cold War: The advent of a nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, followed by a space race, exacerbated the cold war. During the Cold War, this nuclear arms race created a highly perilous situation. 8. 8. Cold War to Hot War: Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): The Cuban Missile Crisis erupted between the United States and the Soviet Union in October 1962. It led them to the brink of war when, as Soviet missile-carrying ships approached Cuba, the United States ordered the island to be blockade. The US government declared that any missile launched from Cuba against any nation would be considered an attack by the USSR on the US, necessitating a complete retaliation response. On October 23, 1962, the United States agreed to take all necessary steps to eliminate the threat to the continent's peace and security. The US blockade of Cuban ports went into effect on October 24, 1962.
The third of the three interpretations mentioned in the preceding paragraph was true, as the new cold war did not last long and the detente process was restored. When Gorbachev took power in 1985, he introduced the world to a new way of thinking about politics.
America was initially sceptical of Gorbachev's sincerity of purpose. In November 1985, the presidents of two superpowers resumed summitlevel negotiations that had been suspended following the 1979 Afghanistan crisis. Since then, a series of such summits have taken place on an annual basis, fostering an atmosphere conducive to amicable Soviet-American relations and lowering the arms competition. In 1987, the Geneva Accord on Afghanistan was reached, and Soviet soldiers were subsequently removed from Afghanistan. The INF Treaty was signed the same year, reviving détente between the two superpowers. The East Bloc died out with the fall of
Cold war - cold war - a detailed summary
Course: BA (Hons.) History
University: University of Delhi
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