Describe the significance of the Cold War - Exlpain why it ended and how countries are adapted to the new political conditions that now exist.

Assignment 2

Modern World Study (Part A)

The Cold

War

By

Ryan Webster

Describe the significance of the Cold War. Exlpain why it ended and how countries are adapted to the new political conditions that now exist.

The Cold War was not acctually a physical war faught between two or more Countries, it was a conflict between Cummunism and Capitalism that was mainly between Russia (Communsits) and The United States of America ( Capitalism).

Both had different opinions on how a Country should be run, Russia believing in a Dictatorship whileAmerica believed in a democracy.

Before World War Two there was a sense of hatred and fear between the two different Factions, as it where. But they never engaged in a physical manner and never resorted to threats or worse scenarios.

But when World War Two started they had to put there differences behind them and unite for a common goal, the goal was to defeat Germany and its Allies, but still even though the War was going on the conflict was still there under the surface waiting to reapear once the final victory had come.

Though the partnership during the was as strong as possible, they where in reality fighting two wars, the first and most important at the time was the war against the Germans and her Allies, but the second was the fight to remain free from disagreement. Both didn’t trust one another during the War, but this was because the USA was afraid of Communsim, while at the same time Russia was wanting Communism to spread.

The War finally came to a bitter end after many years of misery, destruction and hatred, the War had left Germany in a terrible state, not just physically but at the same time financially. They had been completely devestated in a sense beyond repair for many years, but the Capitalist Countries thought that it would be a good idea to help the Germans, to help them rebuild to strengthen thier economy and give them a thriving chance once again. But Russia and other Communist Countries (but mainly Russia), wanted to see Germany suffer, not because they just wanted to make them suffer but because through the War Russia had lost a lot more men to the hands of the Germans while the bulk of the Capitalists just sat back and watched.

And so the so called Ideological gap was created, USA and Capitalist on one side and Russia and Communism on the other. USA and the majority of the other Capitalists where afraid that if they didn’t help the Germans re-build that another dictatorship would arise and take over from where Hitler left off, because of the hatred that would ever be growing, the Russians thought in a sense that this was rubbish and the only way to make Germany realise their mistake was to come down harsh on them and treat them with little respect and make them pay in the sweat and blood of their men for the crimes committed during the war times.

As Stalin was a man powered by rage and hatred he htought that it was mainly his duty to stop Germany.

The War was over but the only way to keep Germany as safe as possible was to spilt the Country into equal quantities(shown in map provided), each ‘Zone’ being controlled by one of four Countries, these where Russia, US, British and French, but in doing this Berlin, the Capital of Germany was in the Russian zone, so the only way to keep Berlin as safe as possible was to split Berlin, just the same as Germany had been done.

By this time Europe was being divided a sort of ‘Curtain’ was being created, not yet a physical barier but still a gap and conflict.

This Curtain seperated Communism and Capitalsim , the USA was afraid that more Countries would fall to Communsim through the influence of the USSR, they where afraid of the ‘Domino theory’, that if one country would fall so would the nexr and so on and so on and eventually full control by Communism.

So to stop this theory the US prompted the ‘Truman Doctrine’, this pretty much said that the US wouls assume responability for the stopping of Communsim, making out that they where protecting the free and would provide funding and supplies(Marshall Plan) to the less fortunate Countries in ...

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Now things where starting to hot up the now called ‘Iron Curtain’ was taking a phyiscal form and on June 24th USSR stopped all traffic reaching West Berlin, West Berlin was now all alone trapped in the Russian zone with no escape they would starve in no time , and so began the greta Airlft.

The Airlift was for planes to fly over West Germany as the airways where still open and supply the West with supplies, the USSR didnt think that this was enough to keep the West well stocked, but they where wrong, America’s airlift was so successfull that ALL the people where well supplied with food, the Berlin blockade lasted for nearly a whole year before the USSR fnally re-opened its doors to the others, it wasn’t beacuse they where feeling generous but because the Airlift was so successfull they where supplying the West with 13,000 tons of supplies every 24hours and so there was no need for the USSR to keep the bloackade as it was so inoffective.

The conflict between Communsim and Capitalsim was striking up all over the place Korea was spit, the North from the South, the conflict lasted for upto three years many men killed, both sides supplied from USSR and US, but it ended with a stalemate, neither side wishing to lose and USSR and US not willing to committ troops.

The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 sepreating East and West Berlin, further adding to the conflict between the two sides.

The in 1962 the World was on a knifes edge, the Cold War was close to becomind an acctuall War, it was all because of ‘The Cuban Missile Crisis’.The good thing is that it nothing happned because if it did occur there would be a good chance i will not be writing this, and our little Country held many of the US’s Nuclear Wepaons.

Cuba is a small Island just of off the South of the USA, what happnedwas that Russians where wnating Nuclear Weapons and here and if they did there wepaons where in reach of the majority of America’s major Cities. But this did not happen in an agreement, so the weapons where sailed back to where they had come from and the World could sigh a breath of relief once again.

But this all came to be because of the Arms Race, this was the building of Nuclear weapons between the two confilcing Counries, they both strived to have the most and consequently a mass production was intrduced for mass killers, the nuclear weapon. Both Countries spent a fortune on this Arms Race and because of this they where unable to supply there own Country never let alone others with supplies, so all the plans which had been made to strengthem the Countries had been put back to the end of the list.

During the Arms race the Atom Bomb was a possability to be used this was a very scary thought for both sides as this conflict would cause the great destruction to the World and especially too Europe.

Alsoas part of the Arms race NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) was introduced, the aim for both sides where for good, for defence not threat, but USSR saw it as a threat ad therefor created the Warsaw Pact as a deterrent from NATO.

Vietnam at this time was split North Communist, South Capitalist, US decided itwas thier duty to get involved and tostop the South falling to Capitalism but at the same time there motive was to turn the North Capitalsit but USSR interveined and a bitter war was to injure for many years with over 58,000 Americans being killed.

Mikhall Gorbachev became the president of the USSR in 1985, but it was at this time that the USSR was in a bad state, the lacked food and supplies and the Country was having it’sfait shair of problems which needed to be delt with.

It was Gorbachev that that believed that it was time that the Amiericans and the USSR limited the amount of Weapons being produced and that old weapons wouls be dismantled

Just before Gorbachev took over as President Detente was ended and all the years of peace was thrown out the window SALT I/SALT II had failed and it was his job to dowhat was necesary to provide for his Coutry once again.

So after the talks where made he was able to save a little money to help provide for his Country but unfortunatly it cosr nearly as much to dismantle the weapons as it did to buid them.

He also proclaimed Perestroika and Glasnost, the whole meaning behind these two words was that of reform, reform the economy and find a way to improve contacts from Western Europe and America. And the whole openness, the point of this was toget rid of the corrupt Communsim officials and make the whole leading government a more efficient and providing for the people, not just themselves. Thismeans that peoplewould get more say in what the Country was doing (leading away from Communism in a way), and giving the freedom of choice.

But the problem with trying to modernise Russia was that it was locked in the past, it’s like getting use to a house and then when u’ve found out where everything goes etc you move out and start all over again, the people where justnot willing, and consequently in doing this Russia was losing it’s power over the USSR, and after making his speech in January 1987 it was clear that Russia would not stand in the way of Countries turning Capitalist. They didn’t have the abilities or funds and consequently they lost their strenght and power and where reduced in ability and funds. They where becoming weaker.

But he was a good person he realised that the Cold War should come to an end, he saw it as a pointless waste of funds men, he was losing the battle and it wasn’t his battle in the first place, he took the battle over from others, others who had different opinions and views to his own.

He was a wise man and he knew that in helping this reform he would in turn lose his own position but at the same time save Russia, he in a sense sacrafised himself politically for the well being of his Country, the was true Patriotism he had pride, courage and ability to stand up for what he believed in, even if it was agaisnt his previous leaders,this shows true courage and a man to be admired if possible for his Patriotism and his willing to give all to save his own.

Also at the time Soviet Union wasn’t able to cope with the West and was falling behind in the economy all the time, so in outting his kneck on the line he’s helping his people as much as possible.

The East was breaking up, now that Gorbachev had slackned the Russian influence he was losing power and control at an amzing rate, there was nothing he cpuld to stop it, people where realising that the US way the Capitalist way was for them, they wanted there ow Governments and wanted the chance to fend for themselves and the Russians where helpless, there wasnothing they could do except to stand back and wach it all happen. Up until now they had the power and influence to stop what was happening but now they lied in a cave, singled out unable to come to the terms of what was happening.

And in 1989 the inevital happned the Berlin Wall came crashing down, finally the two sides of Berlin where united once agai.

And now that very few where afraid of the Russian influnce they where free to do as they wish and if they wish to become Capitalsit, the first to lead the way and to mkae the first step and vote in thier own Government was the Polish of Poland, they elected a Government of thier own choice, this was the first major step which Russia feared this one little step but them in jeapordy of losing it all.

Shortly following the Polish was the Romanians of Romania, they also broke away and elected their own Government the chain had begun, everything the Russian’s had feared was coming to pass, it was the start of the end of the Communist Empire, which consequently lead to the breaking up of the USSR. Consequently others followed and within the year of 1989 four Countries had turned from Communism to Capitalist, they where Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Romania.

The end for Gorbathev was closing his time as Preident was coming to a swift end, he sacraficed himself, but gave freedom of chpice to many in doing so.

Now that the Old Soviet Union has been disbandoned and is no longer in affect, it has any problems which have been left around from the time of the Cold War.

The first and probably the most dangerous is the sheer quantity of Nuclear Weapons, these have now safe way to be stored, they are dangerous and vey hard to contain, now these weapons are easily atainable and can easily be ‘lost’ or even never prduced, then can now get into the wrong hands terrorists can get ahold of them, and even if no one does use them they are still an enormous threat because of the fact that a single leak can cause horrible deaths, if not contained properly. So to contain them properly it costs a fortune and therefor taking more and more money away from the people, so the money isbeing taken and now not being used to help bennefit them. So even if they are safe it’s costing alot and people are not able to get the funding in which they require because it is being spent containing these weapons of destruction.

Then there is the economic problem. Now that Communismhas been disbandoned there where alot more private Businessess creaping in, these are the people that willbe making the money, they will be making alot more money than prior, but unfortunalty because of this alot of other people, especially in Government jobs are earning alot less and unfortunatly at the same time prices are going up, they can’t aford what they once could and because of this there is a lot of hatred and anger, and alot of this is focused on the people from the West who are bringing in there own companies and forcing the companies that thrived for years to buy better equipment to try and keep up.

And also because of the lack of money the Government is bringing in prices are going up and also at the same time alot of Pensions are being cut in price and in some cases got rid of all together.

The whole of the Old Soviet Union was an enormous, they where many different cultures and religiouns and races mingling together, all who had been once conquered by the Russians. So now that things have changed alot of these people live in new independant republics. But still there are alot that are not and stilllive in places like Russia, alot of these people are Muslims etc and don’t like how the Russians run things and in general just don’ like the Russians.

So there is alot of conflict in trying to get out of these places, alot of people not wanting to be where they are and wanting to move, causing alot of agro d alot of Business for the Russians etc.

People want to be independant and the Russians are holding these poeople back and not letting them be who they want to be.

Next is the importance of trade, unfortuantly for the Russians and the majority of its Factories is that they are very inefficient in its preduction compared to the West. The majority of the goods are imported, which unfortunalty is also very expensive, not just forthe people themselves but for the Country as a whole. I think that the Russians have to improve the living standards of the Russian people but to do this they have to import more Western goods which makes a ‘catch 22’, a no win situation in the short term, but once they are able to proide once again the Russian Businesses will become more efficient and more providing. So to help the Russians alot of the Western Countried are lending money to the Russians but looking at it from agreater picture it is still going to be many years before Russia is sorted out.

And the last thing Russia and the Americans want is to go back to the cold war, so in helping the Russians to modernise this threat of the Cold War returning is slowly vanashig into the abyss in which it came from.

Now that the Cold War has finally come to an end after so many years America is still the most dominant Country in the World, they are powerful, not just because of their size but because of their economical dominance, they are wealthy and as things go they are our Worlds Leaders, maybe this is a good thing, maybe they are not but they are dominant, people and Countries fear them more than ever, but they can be beaten this was proven in Vietnam. In thier opinion they did not lose but in reality they did, they couldn’t beat their enemey and was forced to leave , so the big all powerfull leaders where beaten by someone so small.

Russia has to concentrate on its econemy, they have to re-build and start providing for their selves once again, they have to be strong and have to what is necesaryto start providing and getting back to its former glory. The past may have past and Communism is a thing of the past for many, it still lurks around the corner, they have to avoid temptation, have to avoid conflict and learn to live in peace, buiding and strengthening.

America is still strong, many Countries have debtstowards America and consequently thwy will continue to strive to be the most dominant, size and money is what makes them the ‘Big Boys’, thats why people will continue to fear them, and countries like our own will treat America like this almighty power and make them out to be so amazing, but inreality they are just like everyone else.

Russia came out the worst after the Cold War there is no doubting that, but if we all can continue to live in peace and work together to form a better world then maybe, just maybe there is a chance for us all to live a better life together hand in hand working side by side, building and providing and helping together. Together to create a better World for the future.