What was the global significance of the cold war?
What was the global significance of the cold war?
Introduction
The cold war crisis has brought an unusual argument in the minds of analysts and scholars. This war took place between the 1940s until 1990s. What led to the war still remains a mystery to many. However, some analysts argue that there was a disagreement between America and the union of the soviet socialist republic. They have argued that, it was because of western aggression or the soviet expansions that caused disintegration amongst the two states. The soviet state was strongly campaigning for socialism in the third world countries but its counterpart the U.S could not agree at all.
Many questions are left unanswered about the cold war, could it be that the division of the Europe states would have been as a result of the cold war? Did the cold war happen due to materialism and power or lack of understanding in ideas? Could the war by any chance have been avoided or was it certain that it was bound to happen? Was it really justified? Notiably, the main power during this war involved boosting their respective defense systems that contributed to a lot of spending on their national resources.
The cold war was comfortably indicated in the form of propaganda, espionage, military coalition, as well as weapons development. It was carried out through the period of technical development and industrial improvements. As a result, infant and subsidiary industries emerged some of which dealing with the manufacturing of weapons to be used for war. Tension begun to rise amongst the warring parties when these activities heightened. Henceforth, it was colluded that this war mainly took place in the form of the military partnerships.
Moreover, several proxy wars emerged and modern developments in both conventional as well as nuclear arms also emerged. As a result, several nations worldwide possessed nuclear weapons and this posed a threat to the existing world.
The cold war also known contributed to significant outcomes in neighboring nations together with those far away. The effects experienced during that time include the Berlin Blockade, the Vietnam fighting, international disagreement between the Korean and the invasion of the Soviet state to the Afghanistan. These took place in the year 1979 and it was the direct manifestation of this war, which resulted in several nations experiencing losses in form of life and wealth. This was concluded that the cold war resulted in more expenditure, as well as neighboring countries undergoing through trick significant. (John G. 1997).
The cold war also resulted to the Cuban Missile Crisis which occurred in 1962 therefore resulting in high tensions to the third world nations. In November 1983, a ten day NATO command carried out an exercise that spanned the main part of Western Europe, which simulated a time of disagreement and heightened nuclear alerts. This resulted in a more culminated as well as proper coordinated nuclear release
At that time when the cold war ended, many nations including the Soviet Unions suffered monumental economic stagnation, resulting from investment in the cold war. As a result, the effects of this war were far reaching and it later contributed to the last collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was because of this collapse that America was left as the sole superpower.
The cold war had also a more elaborated effect on America, and the Soviet Union, as more ballistic missiles were being manufactured. It also contributed to the formation of the Warsaw pact and dangerous atomic weapons. The demolition of the Berlin wall played a great role in the unifying the German nations leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union as a result of economic weakness. The cold war resulted to the Baltic States, former Soviet Republic and other American states in achieving their independence.
There was full participation in the economic toll around the world, as different countries were educated on how to embrace peace. The war caused a lot of damage to lives and property and it caused a negative impact in terms of social and economic standards .Therefore it is important to educate people on the importance of embracing peace. This activity was carried out during the 21st century.
When this war took place, America was considered as a superpower country. The whole idea made this nation to make ends meet and stop communism from spreading all over the world. However the Soviet Union never embraced the idea and strongly disagreed resulting to clashes with the U.S. The Soviet Union was regarded as the most powerful communist country during that time. (Jonathan, H. 2011).
During the cold war, East Europe and West Europe were separated. This resulted to West Europe being led by America and East Europe guided by the Soviet Union. Later on, it was confirmed that the leader of the two nations never went for the war directly, as there was a lot of the hostility between the two nations.
The cold war helped to mark some of the main events in the world history. These events included the Korean fight, erection of the Berlin wall, the missile crisis of Cuba as well as Vietnam War which took place in the Interim period of the Cold fight.
During the time of the cold war between Soviet Union and America, wars that already existed were affected. At the same time, several economies encountered a lot of suffering. A very good example is Japan, which suffered for many years after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb occasions. Although, several expert believe that this war started when America made a decision on dropping the atomic bomb on Japan. This appeared as a great shock to the whole world, which was taken as an indication of its Military powers.
The cold war also had some impacts in the developing countries. These differed with the fruits depending on all issues and include perceived strategic importance especially in the topic of geopolitics.
In 1949, China fell to the communists in East Asia. The nations near China formed alliances with each other against the threats and as a result Japan was able to boost its exports. A very good example is early transistor for America GIS, where South Korea directly received many amounts of US aids.
The cold war led to the struggle against Communism as well as their insurgencies in Central America which led to civil war together with the protracted. In addition, the cold war also resulted in the collapse of the Union of the Soviet socialist Republic in different parts of the world. This was experienced in defense spending in the main nations such as America, which went down in some parts.
The approach of the world order also reduced the situation on America after becoming the world effective police. This helped to give offer a way for peace in the major areas all over the world, like the Middle East. During the cold war, the Arabs nations were highly supported by the Union of the soviet socialist republic, but when the collapse occurred, Arab nations were less powerful in their stand against Israel as they were fully aware that America would not allow them destroy Israel.
During the end of the World War 2, there was also establishment of the foundation for the Eastern Block. This comprised of the Eastern Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, as well as Romania, and parts of Finland. There was also a resulting change as the Eastern European territories liberated from the Nazi and took part in the Soviet armed forces. As a result, the Eastern Bloc changed into a satellite nation which constituted of people from Poland, as well as East Germany, and the people of Republic of Romania.
The Soviet helped to minimize the soviet command economies, as well as adopting the brutal methods employed by Soviet secret police and Stalin Joseph, which suppressed the potential opposition. In other developed nations, the red Army had overrun Manchuria in the past months of the war and continued to take part in Korean territory established north of the 38th parallel. There were also establishment of the soviet style secret police system, which was formed to help in crushing anti-communist resistance.
In the year 1946, Long Telegram as well as Kennan’s F. George, both from Moscow played a great role in articulating Americas’ Government to impound a hard-line against the Soviets and hence it became the main agenda for America strategy during the time of the cold war (Jonathan, 132). Later on, a telegram was sent to America, portraying the nation as a monopoly state and was established by its military team to defeat other nations. America had the supremacy over other nations, since it had the capability and power to control and command the junior states.
In the year 1947, developed countries made every effort to try and come up with solutions towards a mission on envisioning an economically self-sufficient Germany which was successful. These entailed establishing a good infrastructure, improving on goods and services and constructing of functional industrialized plants. All these had earlier on been removed by the Soviets. Later in 1947, America introduced the Marshall plan in accordance with the Doctrine Truman, for all developed nations including the Soviet Union to participate in.
The main agenda for this plan was to establish the economy as well as the democratic systems of Europe and to perceive threats to Europe’s balance of power. It also elaborated that European success was contingent upon German economic recovery. On the other hand, Stalin believed that economic integration with the West would permit the Eastern Bloc nations to escape the control of the Soviet, as America was attempting to purchase a pro-America re-alignment of the Europe (Smith, & Simon 97). He decided to prevent Eastern Bloc countries from getting Marshall Plan aid. Moreover he became worried of Germany, which was reconstituted as his concern of a post-war. However, Germany never contained the ability to pose any form of the threat to the Soviet Union.
As a result of the twin policies of the Doctrine as well as the Marshal plan, there was an increase in number in the military as well as an increase in economic aids for developed nations of the world (Smith, & Simon 112). It is because of Americas’ involvement and assistance that contributed to the Greek military winning its civil war. There was also an increase in the espionage as well as intelligence activity, diplomatic expulsion as well as Eastern Bloc defections.