As we are all connected to history in one-way shape or form it is important to realize how history is moving us in certain directions. The era of the cold war and just after that played a major role in directing events in the USA. This included technology advancements, human rights, and then the USA policies concerning the world. We find that the world has been deeply influenced in this period and continues to project into our future. During the […]
Power is a vital part within the system. Its elucidation and primary usage of the concept of power varies on whichever you would apply it with. Power is often associated with politics. However, within politics, the context of power is best depicted into substantially three concepts. The first one is in terms of capability. Power in this concept depicts possession, possession of things that they perceive to be of great advantage to their nation. Power in this concept brings some […]
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The battle of the Cold War was the first time in U.S. history in which military technology had developed to a point that mutual annihilation was ensured. The presence of two global superpowers, each diametrically opposed to the other on the basis of political belief meant that there had to be a new way of dealing with foreign affairs. Pure isolationism would not work because of Soviet leaders and their desire to actively export their brand of communism to the […]
The United States sought to defeat the communist ideology of the Soviet Union on multiple fronts during the Cold War. Through indirect military interventions, cultural triumphs, and competitions occurring at the national level the two nations would oppose one another. These sorts of competitions proved incredibly effective as a project to help the bankrupting of the Soviet economy and ultimately played a pivotal role in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. The Space Race between the two nations was […]
High strung tensions of a possible nuclear war were a major fear portrayed throughout the Cold War. Cooperation between Americans and Soviets seemed inconceivable and many believed the constant conflict would never end. When relations looked like a turn for the worst, a monumental change occurred in 1985. Mikhail Gorbachev became the new leader of the Soviet Union and the unimageable became possible. Gorbachev would take control of a dying political and economic state of the Soviet Union. In response, […]
For China, 1840 was the start of a century of “national humiliation.” The British started a war with China over trade, a few rebellions sprung up during the 1850s, and the Qing dynasty started weakening. All these rebellions – which mostly were caused by anger at foreign interference – were usually shut down by Western powers, making China loathe the West even more as they took advantage of their position with unfair treaties and extraterritoriality. Eventually, the KMT, eventually a […]
In 1945, the United States emerged from World War 2 as a global power, contemporaneously with forty countries liberating themselves of colonialism. It was the intention of the United States for these newly developing nations to side with the West and Capitalist ideals, not the Soviet Union and its Communism.“In 1956 the State Department was persuaded that jazz was an important tool in achieving this diplomatic objective,” (Monson 111). As U.S. cultural diplomacy was establishing its primacy, the Soviet Union […]
Many people believe the Cold War was an actual war however, this war was an event that included a sequence of divergent competitions. The Cold War was caused by several events, which took place at the Yalta conference. This conference lead to the Cold War by allowing the Soviet Union to have control over the Eastern Europe. The Europeans felt that the Soviets were going to impose in the communist systems on all the countries they possibly could. The U.S. […]
Beginning after World War II in 1947 and ending with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, The Cold War was a war over true freedom and power. While the Soviet Union spread their communist ideas around, the United Sates fought on the side of capitalism. Give Me Liberty states Among other things, the Cold War was an ideological struggle, a battle, in a popular phrase of the 1950s, for the hearts and minds of people throughout the world. […]
How did the Duck and Cover PSA impact America? American kids during the Cold War had experiences that kids before and after would not and did not have. They watched the adults around them react to the perceived threat to America and its way of life by the Soviets and the Cold War. Kids during this time would learn to fear this threat and its impact on their future, the threat of nuclear weapons had increased after Soviet Russia acquired […]
Introduction The Cold War is a perfect example of the quest for dominance between the United States of America and the Soviet Union present day Russia. As alluded to by George Orwell, a British Author, living under the prospect of a nuclear war was dubbed ‘a peace that is no peace.’ The term, Cold War, would come to characterize the political, social, and monetary history of the second phase of the twentieth century. More than simply a military standoff, the […]
The two sources that I will be analyzing is “From Civil War to ‘Civil Society’: Has the End of the Cold War Brought Peace to Central America” and “Latin America and the End of the Cold War” The source that will be evaluated first will be Jenny Pearce’s journal, “From Civil War to ‘Civil Society’: Has the End of the Cold War Brought Peace to Central America?”, which was written in 1998. Jenny Pearce has been an Honorary Visiting Professor […]
The Cold war was a war that is forever imprinted into our minds as a time of many struggles.It has many contributing factors that made it as big as it was. Major contributing factors of the war was the Space Race, Vietnam war, and the Korean War. Many plans and Ideas came to play with this war. Plans that were specifically major contributors were the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine these had impactful plans. There were also groups that […]
The Cold War Events with the tribulations of Nazi Germany coming to an end, Adolf Hitler’s suicide, and the definitive surrender of the Germans, it seemed that anticipation of an optimistic future was within reach, however, a new threat loomed not so shortly after with the Soviet Union establishing communist governments and the U.S.S.R. became the new face of adversary. The Cold War was the dynamic struggle between communism and capitalism after World War II causing merciless animosity between the […]
The Cold War was a period of extreme tension that divided the globe between democracy and communism. Diplomacy was essential in preventing conflict between global superpowers. Diplomacy is quite an interesting subject however, as it shows up in many different forms. One of the most important forms of diplomacy in this time period was that of sport. Many nations prided themselves on the dominance of their sport programs, and in many cases used sport to provide a common ground between […]
Introduction Richard M. Nixon once said, The Cold War isn’t thawing; it is burning with a deadly heat. Communism isn’t sleeping; it is, as always, plotting, scheming, working, fighting. The Cold War was a period of high tensions that lasted from 1947 to 1991. The two sides of the conflict were the Soviet Union and its allies (supporters of communism) and the United States and its allies (supporters of democracy). Each side of the Cold War aimed at spreading their […]
The Significance of Western Sports Media in the Cold War Era During the Cold War, the battle of ideologies spanned much more than the political spectrum. The rivalries between Western and Eastern Bloc countries in the field of international sport were a tool used by the both sides alike to establish dominance over each other, as well as to display the success of their ways of living on a world stage. During these times, western sports media was used almost […]
The Cold War differed from the normal combat that had existed in almost every prior war in that the two countries involved never engaged in direct physical fighting with each other. The term represented a standoff with words, however, it was a war much larger than words. It was a war of ideologies, a war of preparation for wars, and a war of covert activities. The Cold War led to many changes. People were fearing for their lives every day, […]
American Society in the Cold War teaches us that conformity is society’s response to the changes in social beliefs or behaviors by conforming to the group pressures to gain approval from the majority. The real definition of the word conformity is, “A type of social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group” (McLeod, 2007). Psychologist Kelman distinguished three different types of conformity. The three were compliance (group acceptance), internalization (genuine acceptance […]
In May of 1945, Nazi Germany surrendered, thus starting the beginning of the end of World War II. The already uneasy wartime treaty between the allied United States and Great Britain and the Soviet Union began to unravel. By 1948, the Soviets had placed left-wing governments into the countries that had been liberated by the Red Army. The Americans and British both feared the permanent Soviet control of eastern Europe and the threat of Soviet-influenced communist parties coming over and […]
The Vietnam War had a big effect on the Cold War, being a very deadly war with, at times, no end in sight. After China became a communistic country, communism began to spread throughout Indochina. In 1954 Vietnam had gained its independence from France. But Vietnam was split into two parts at the time, Communistic North Vietnam under the rule of Ho Chi Minh and South Vietnam under the rule of dictator Ngo Dinh Diem. Both leaders wanted to unify […]
While America did not like Communism from an ideological standpoint and they threat of Soviet atomic nukes played a role in leading to the Cold War. The dollar gap played a much bigger role in the Cold War because the Soviet Union would gain more power if the European economies did not improve. America needed Europe to trade with them to keep their capitalist economy going, and both America and the Soviet Union needed Europe to support their economic plans […]
The Film “The Century of The Self” by Adam Curtis, opened with Sigmund fraud’s theory about the dangerous instinctual drives inside humans. His nephew, Edward Bernays eventually figured out how to use those drives to manipulate large quantities of people. Bernays was able to show companies that products can be marketed to someone’s unconscious desires and emotions. One of his earliest successes was getting women to smoke cigarettes because it was considered a taboo. Throughout the ’20s he was able […]
Over time, humanity has faced a plethora of global extinction level events that could have driven us to the end of humanity. The Black Plague, World War 2, Cold War and several other global events have tested us and somehow we have withstood against all odds and are still thriving on earth. In the 21st century, we face a new crisis called HIV/AIDS, that needs to be contained as soon as possible before it can wipe out the entire human […]
In 1958, Jimmy Wilson would be the center of international attention. After he was sentenced to death in Alabama for stealing less than two dollars in change, Wilson’s case was thought to encapsulate the harsh consequences of Americans racism. This in turn brought to the surface international anxiety about the Americans race relations. Because United States was the leader of the free world, racism in the country would be an international concern. Racism has been the talk since before the […]
In the early 1990s, the condition of the world was more desirable than ever. The Cold War concluded and the forces of liberal democracy and free market capitalism had prevailed over communism. Intellectuals did not hesitate to bourgeon visions of optimistic forecasts about the future, such as Francis Fukuyama’s daring claim that the world was on the verge of the end of history, where liberal democracy would prevail as the supreme ideology indefinitely. Amid this enthusiasm came an ominous warning […]
Historically war has proven to be an excellent facilitator in the spread of disease. War takes advantage of the crowded unsanitary conditions wounded soldiers are placed in. The movement of sick troops from one base to another spreads any infectious diseases from person to person often unexpectedly. The American Civil War was no exception to this phenomena, with diseases spreading rapidly throughout the troops of both sides. Disease and sickness played such a tremendous role in this war that the […]
The Cold War was about how North Korea’s leader Kim Il Sung desired to have communist while the South Korean’s were against it. This horrific atrocity happened to take place in Korea on June 25th 1950. While the war had begun North Korea received plentiful help from China’s leader Mao Zedong and while the US and the Soviet Union’s took interest in helping the South Korean’s who were all opposed to communism. During the Korean war 178,000 Americans were killed […]
On August fourth, American destroyers were assaulted by North Vietnamese watch boats. The US painted this as an unjustifiable assault, while truly, the US was running enemy of uprising endeavors in North Vietnam (Moyer). After two days, another “assault” occurred against similar destroyers, which was a misperception (Moyer). After assaults in the Gulf of Tonkin, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin goal, permitting the president to take ‘every single vital measure, including the utilization of outfitted power’ against any assailant […]
The aftermath of the First World War proved it difficult for capitalism to be transformed into socialism in and peaceful way. A new ideology found its way in driving the world economy to respond to the changing economic and political spectrum that Britain and its empire was embedded. Capitalist competition was increasing amongst the states and their colonies. The nations were not only in need for a strong economy and political power but there was great scramble for military strength. […]
The Cold War represented a prolonged period of economic, political, military, and social conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. This strife lasted for several decades, ending only when the Soviet Union dissolved. Triggered by mutual threats and propaganda, the Cold War led to the fear of nuclear disaster and the emergence of anti-communist sentiment in both countries.
In the political sphere, the Cold War was marked by America’s determination to prevent the spread of Soviet communism to neighboring countries. By the war’s end, American officials concurred that the most effective defense strategy was “containment,” a policy designed to curb Soviet expansion.
The social aspect of the Cold War was embodied in the Yalta Conference, the second meeting of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During the conference, the three leaders resolved to demand Germany’s unconditional surrender.
Economically, the Cold War was manifested through the Berlin Blockade, a Soviet attempt to restrict the ability of France, Great Britain, and the United States to access their sectors of Berlin. Russia further enforced the blockade by shutting down all highways, railroads, and canals from Germany into Berlin.
In military terms, the Cold War saw the erection of the Iron Curtain, a barrier created by the Soviet Union post-World War II to isolate itself from the West and other non-communist areas.
Both containment and the domino theory influenced U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, as they were integral to defense strategies and preventing the spread of communism. For example, containment served as a defensive mechanism to thwart the spread of communism to other countries, an idea underpinning the domino theory. This theory posits that if one country adopts communism, others will follow suit. The “domino effect” was suggested by President Dwight D. Eisenhower due to the concerns of hesitant U.S. ambassadors. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson both invoked the domino theory to justify aid to South Vietnam.
U.S. foreign policy encompasses how the country interacts with other nations and establishes standards for international entities, corporations, and its own citizens. The four primary goals of U.S. foreign policy include preserving national security, promoting world peace, securing a global environment, and maintaining a balance of power among nations.
The Iron Curtain served as a political and military barrier, allowing the Soviet Union to isolate itself from non-communist regions. Originating from Stalin, this curtain of control saw the installation of communist regimes in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Albania. In a significant 1946 speech in Missouri, Winston Churchill condemned the Soviet Union’s policies in Europe, acknowledging that the region was essentially under Soviet control.
The Vietnam War, a struggle between the communist government of North Vietnam and South Vietnam, backed by the United States, was intensified by the Cold War. The war concluded with communist forces seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975.
The Korean War, marking the first military action of the Cold War, saw the entry of American troops in support of South Korea. It was essentially a fight against the forces of international communism. The alternative would have been a broader war involving Russia and China. The Korean War represented the initial phase of a communist campaign to seize global control.
The Warsaw Pact, also known as the Treaty of Friendship, was established on May 14, 1955, by the Polish People’s Republic. It comprised the Soviet Union, Albania, and Czechoslovakia. This pact mandated member states to assist any member attacked by an external force, leading to a united military front. This agreement was held until 1991. According to History.com, “The rise of non-communist governments in other Eastern Bloc nations, such as Poland and Czechoslovakia, throughout 1990 and 1991 marked an effective end of the power of the Warsaw Pact.”
These defense mechanisms were intrinsic to U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War because the United States aimed to prevent countries like Korea and China from endorsing communism. The goal was to create a level playing field and avoid being outmatched.
Based on the 1960s writings of Charles Osgood, Graduated Reciprocation in Tension Reduction (GRIT) is a strategy of unilateral and risk-free initiatives showing a willingness to start and continue a process of disarmament. The goal is to reduce a conflict spiral and create a mutual trust that will make negotiations easier. GRIT begins by announcing unilateral concessions publicly and making clear intentions; a state invites reciprocation but does not demand it. GRIT continues out concessions without demanding reciprocity, and it may take several concessions in order for it to be noticed. In order for it to be considered substantial, the concessions need to be moderately costly, slowly building in its cost.
This paper will analyze the conditions that made GRIT possible during the Gorbachev years of 1985-1989 between the Soviet Union and the United States. Although the conditions of the Soviet Union during the Gorbachev years made it possible to establish GRIT, ultimately, GRIT was not the sole cause of disarmament and reduced tensions between the two countries, but instead helped aid the negotiating environment. Conditions of the Cold War In order to understand why the conditions for GRIT worked, one must understand the conditions of the Cold War that did not make de-escalation possible. Even if both decision-makers from both countries wanted to de-escalate, they could not find common ground because they were unable to accurately draw inferences about the motives and intentions of each other.
After World War II, the large superpowers were battling for global hegemon. Mistrust stems from the security dilemma: the means a state takes to increase its own security decreases the security for others. In the context of the Cold War, this meant the proliferation of nuclear weapons. In the 1950s, the United States viewed the Soviet Union’s proposals for German reunification as devices to divide NATO, weaken the West, and encourage neutralism. Additionally, expectations can largely determine how people construe other states’ behavior, and human psychologically suggests foreign policy officials interpret another state’s actions in a way that is consistent with their pre-existing beliefs.
Mistrust is irrational but also difficult to dispel, and in the context of the Cold War, the possibility of nuclear warfare heightened fears and paranoia, making trust even more difficult to achieve. Additionally, the propaganda of both countries fueled these fears on the government and domestic levels. Mistrust was at its peak during the Cold War. A key example is said mistrust is in the 1957-1962 Khrushchev years.
Due to the United States’ assumptions that the Soviet Union wanted to expand its communist propaganda, the US would set unrealistic suggestions for disarmament. Secretary of State John Foster, during a National Security Council meeting, once stated, ‘Disarmament proposals are probably an operation in public relations rather than actual disarmament proposals.’ Foster’s statement helps to understand the conditions of the Cold War that made it seem unlikely for the two countries to come together to reach conditions of reduced tension and an end to the Cold War.
