THE COLD WAR
The Cold War was a period of intense political and military rivalry between: the United
States and the Soviet Union (USSR). It lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 to the
termination of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term "cold" war refers to the fact that, unlike
traditional wars, there was no direct military confrontation between USA and the USSR.
Instead, the conflict played out through proxy wars, espionage, political influence, and an
arms race. The arms race was an intense build up of nuclear weapons. Although USA and the
soviet union fought together as allies against the Nazi’s, they had various ideological
differences.
USA embraced capitalism and democracy . But the USSR followed communism and
authoritarianism where the power is centralized under the communist party. These ideologies
led to distrust and competition. USA viewed communism as a threat to individual freedoms,
while the USSR saw capitalism as a system of inequality.
Besides that there were significant events during the cold war
1. The Berlin Blockade (1948-1949)
o In response to the introduction of a new currency in West
Berlin by the USA and its allies, the Soviet Union attempted to
block access to the city. This caused the Berlin Airlift, where
the Allies delivered supplies to West Berlin by air for almost a
year. The blockade was a failure for the USSR.
2. The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
o 13-day confrontation between USA and the USSR over the
Soviet placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba brought the
world close to nuclear war. The crisis ended with the USSR
agreeing to remove the missiles in exchange for USA to
promise not to invade Cuba.
3. The Vietnam War (1955-1975)
o A conflict where the USA supported the government of South
Vietnam, while the USSR supported the communist forces of
North Vietnam. The war ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975,
marking a victory for the communist forces
2 important ways on how the cold war played out
Arms Race: The Cold War saw an intense buildup of nuclear weapons between the
USA and the USSR. Both nations sought to outdo each other in the number and
quality of their nuclear arsenals, leading to various issues.
Space Race: This was a competition for technological and scientific supremacy in
space exploration. The USSR's launch of Sputnik in 1957 marked the beginning of the
space race, and the USA's response was to land the first man on the Moon in 1969
(Apollo 11). The idea if it was the technological advancements and it served as a
symbol of each superpower’s scientific and technological might.
Not only did the cold war affect USA and USSR it affected countries around the world.
In regions such as Korea, Vietnam and Africa,USA and USSR supported
opposing sides in conflicts, leading to prolonged and devastating wars
that shaped global politics for decades. Many countries aligned with either
USA or the USSR. Many nations were pressured to adopt either capitalist
or communist systems based on their alignment, which influenced
economic policies and governance structures.
The Cold War ended primarily due to the internal collapse of the Soviet Union. The USSR
faced economic stagnation and an inability to keep up with USA in terms of technological
and military spending. Several key events led to this outcome:
Reforms in the USSR: Under Mikhail Gorbachev, the USSR
introduced reforms such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika
(restructuring).
Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989): The collapse of the Berlin Wall
symbolized the end of Soviet control in Eastern Europe and the
weakening of communist regimes.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991): The formal end of the
Cold War came with the collapse of the Soviet Union, marking the
USA as the dominant global power and the triumph of capitalism
over communism.
In summary, the Cold War was a prolonged ideological, political, and military conflict
between the USA and the USSR, driven by their differing ideologies of capitalism and
communism. Key events such as the Berlin Blockade, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the
Vietnam War shaped the course of history, and the ultimate resolution came with the end of
the Soviet Union in 1991.
