Cold War

Cold War meaning

It describes the struggle /hostility between the capitalist west and the communist east i.e. The West – USA and her allies championed the capitalist system . The East -USSR and her allies advocated communist policies

The hostility created mistrust and suspicion between the super powers but the mutual hostility was not expressed in open fighting

Weapons of war were:

• Propaganda
• Economic sanctions
• Military assistance to the enemy/allies of the enemy
• Financial aid to the enemy
• General policy of noncooperation Note: In some cases, it developed into real war e.g. in Vietnam, Korea and Afghanistan.

Causes of the Cold War

• Mistrust and suspicion based on ideological differences between the capitalist West and the communist Soviet bloc
• The USA and USSR disagreed on disarmament and hence continued to stockpile weapons
• The Iron Curtain policy adopted by the USSR which sealed Eastern Europe from the West. This made the international relations to deteriorate
• Conflicts in Europe in the late 1940s, such as the civil war in Greece increased the tension between the 2 superpowers
• The formation of military alliances by the 2 power blocs
• The Marshall plan of 1947, initiated by the USA intensified the cold war
• The declaration of the Truman Doctrine of 1947 by USA which threatened the spread of communism by the USSR.

Cold War Summary;  Factors that led to the end of the Cold War

• The adoption of the détente policy — geared to easing of hostility between USA and USSR
• Khrushchev assumed presidency in the USSR in 1953. He favoured a policy of peaceful co-existence
• Convening of disarmament conferences e.g. in 1955 signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
• 1968—the Non-proliferation Treaty was signed (to halt the spread of nuclear weapons)
• 1972 — signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)
• 1972 — signing of SALT 11
• Collapse of communism and the establishment of the Western democracies in former Soviet controlled areas in Eastern Europe e.g. in East Germany, Poland
•  Accession of Mikhail Gorbachev to power in the Soviet Union in 1985. – He adopted a liberal policy, – Initiated reforms based on  glasnost’ i.e. openness and ‘Perestroika ’ i.e. economic restructure
• Attempts by USA to foster friendship ties with USSR
• 1985 — reopening of talks between USA and USSR on limitation of strategic arms
• 1991 — Cancellation of the Warsaw pact
• 1991 — Disintegration of the USSR into separate republics

Effects of the Cold War

• Led to the splitting up of countries e.g. North and South Korea
• Suspicion and mistrust between nations
• Led to international insecurity and disruption of world peace
• Led to the space race, spearheaded by the USSR in 1957
• Intensified the arms race and stockpiling of weapons
• Competition for dominance between the 2 power blocs culminated in crisis in various regions e.g. The Suez Canal crisis in Egypt, the Cuban missile crises
• In certain areas, the 2 powers engaged in direct armed conflict e.g. InVietnam
• Super power rivalry in Africa
• Division of Germany into 2 (has now reunited).

Effects of The End of The Cold War on International Relations

• It led to the emergence of nationalism e.g. in former states of USSR
• It led to the secessionist movement
• Yugoslavia which broke up in 5 states; 1) Serbia — Montenegro 2)Bosnia- Herzegovina 3)Croatia 4)Slovenia 5)Macedonia
• The unification of Germany created a refugee problem as Germany had to host refugees from Eastern Europe. Nations such as Poland were suspicious of a united and powerful Germany
• Differences have emerged between the Western allies over a) Trade issues b) Provision of peace keeping forces
• Former communist states have suffered from economic collapse and intense poverty
• Establishment of better weapons supervision and control of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons