- Cold War:
- A period of extreme of extreme tension between states stopping just short of war - German Socialist Eduard Bernstein, 1983, described arms race between Germany and its neighbours as a kind of "cold war" where "there is no shooting but... bleeding."
- British Writer George Orwell (Animal Farm) predicted that there would be conflict between Russia and USA and would be "unconquerable and in a permanent state of cold war" with each other
- Military Arms Race:
- Both sides built up nuclear and conventional military weapons
- Prolonged arms race - Ideological Struggle:
- Stalin and USSR was an Authoritarian Marxist-Leninist State (Communism with additions of Lenin)
- Believed conflict between Capitalism and Communism was inevitable and unavoidable
- USA was Capitalist Liberal Democracy; viewed USSR as "evil empire," intent on the destruction of democracy - Geopolitical Struggle:
- Struggle for power and resources between two superpowers - Anders Stephanson (1994) defined essence of Cold War as:
- Both sides denied their legitimacy as a regime
- Attempted to attack each other by every means short of war
- Conflict became "bipolar," struggle between two great superpowers
- Intense build up of both nuclear and conventional military weapons
- Prolonged arms race
- Both sides suppressed internal dissidents - When the the Cold War Occur?
- David Reynolds argues that there were 3 Cold Wars: 1948-53, 1958-63, 1979-85
- "Punctured by periods of détente"
- Easing of tension
- 1945-1989 forms the "Cold War era," where superpowers competed for economic, ideological and military supremacy
- Began directly after WW2, ended with collapse of Soviet Regimes in Eastern Europe 1989 - Origins of the Cold War, 1917-1945:
- Before Bolshevik Revolution 1917, USA and Russia were allies in WW1, then became rivals
- Howard Roffman (1977), "the Cold War proceeded from the very moment the Bolsheviks triumphed in Russia 1917."
- USA and other Western states intervened to try and crush Bolsheviks during Russian Civil War 1918-1920
- Ideological clash between US President Wilson and Bolshevik Leader Lenin
- Wilsons "14 Points" published in 1917 advocated an end to empires, self-determination for all peoples', free trade and collective security through League of Nations
- Lenin preached World Revolution and the overthrow of Capitalism
- Comintern, (Communist International) set up 1919 to inspire revolution in Capitalist world
- Despite ideological differences, 1920-1930 both nations were "isolationists," withdrew from world affairs and focused on their own economic development
- Growing divide between Axis powers of Germany, Italy, Western Democracies (Britain and France)
- Hitler's invasion of USSR, declaration of war on USA 1941, USSR and USA became allies - Beginnings of the Cold War, 1945-48:
- Defeat of Hitler 1945 led to power-vacuum in Europe
- USSR occupied Eastern Europe
- USA and Allies occupied Eastern Europe
- Disagreements during Yalta and Potsdam conferences, 1945 to fairly divide Europe, both sides collided
- Stalin promised to support democratic governments in Eastern Europe, however 4 years later he forcefully constructed communist regimes
- Due to perceived aggression by USSR, USA intervened to stop spread of Communism in Europe marked beginning of Cold War
- Truman Doctrine 1947: offered military help to states resisting communist aggression like Greece
- Marshall Plan of 1947: offered economic help to rebuild Europe and negate the temptation of Communism
- USA decided to rebuild Western Germany as a Capitalist state by merging the occupation zones of UK, France & USA and introduced a new currency - 1948, Cold War began as confrontation and tension rose dramatically
- USSR determined to stop USA from rebuilding Germany (Berlin Blockade, 1948/49), however blockade broke when allies airlifted supplies into West Berlin for 11 months
- Berlin Blockade reinforced divisions in Europe:
- Led to the creation of rival military alliances
- NATO/Warsaw Pact
- Soviet Nuclear Weapon 1949
- Creation on Federal Republic of Germany (FRG/West)
- German Democratic Republic (GDR/EAST) - The "First Cold War," 1948:
- Asia, tensions rose after Communist won in Chinese Civil War, 1949
- Followed by the invasion of South Korea by the armies of Communist North Korea on 25th June 1950 - Korean War, first direct military confrontation of Cold War
- UN sent American-led military force to push back the Communists, only to face a Chinese invasion force over 1 million people
- War ended in 1953 with an armistice agreement
- Death of Stalin 1953 led to reduction in tensions - The "Second Cold War," 1958-62:
- 1958, Khruschev threatened USA and Western Europe with latest missile technology in order to force the West to withdraw from West Berlin
- Many East Germans were illegally escaping to the West through West Berlin which was a serious threat to Communist East Germany
- Crisis solved when USSR built Berlin War in 1961
- Tensions rose in 1962, USA spotted Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba
- Nuclear standoff almost ended in nuclear war - Period of Détente, 1963-1979
- USA and USSR faced challenges which distracted them from direct confrontation
- USA became increasing embroiled in the Vietnam War
- USSR faced challenges which distracted from direct confrontation
- Both sides agreed to reduce tensions leading to the Test Ban Treaty (1963)
- Agreement on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1969
- Helsinki Accords 1975 - The "Third Cold War," 1979-91
- USSR deployed a new range of nuclear missiles in Europe and invaded Afghanistan
- USA responded by basing Cruise missiles in Europe which sparked a new arms race
- 1983, President Reagan launched "Strategic Defence Initiative" which planned to shoot Soviet missiles out of the sky from space
- USSR became increasingly unable to deal with huge cost of new arms race
- Occupation of Afghanistan and conflicts at home - End of the Cold War
- USSR faced economic collapse and bankruptcy
- New Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev launched series of reforms known as "Glasnost" (openness) and "Perestroika" (reform) in 1985
- Reforms sought to improve Soviet economy by capitalist elements and brought an end to one party rule
- Soviet military in 1989 wouldn't oppose any uprisings in Eastern Europe
- Regimes collapsed like a house of cards
- 1991 USSR was dissolved and Cold War ended