Causation of Cold War
Ryan Marschang Hons History 'The Cold War was caused by fear not aggression'. To what extent does this view explain how the cold war developed between 1945 and 1949? The infamous Cold War was undoubtedly intricate and complex in its premature stages between 1945 and 1949. For this reason, the development of the war within this time frame cannot be attributed to one factor alone. Certainly, a tremendous amount of fear was present within both the USSR and US throughout 1945-1949 which contributed too many key developments. However, fear alone cannot explain the entirety of the developments of the Cold War through its early stages. The Cold War was vastly expansive and ideologically significant in relationship to the socioeconomic systems of communism and capitalism. The early stages of development were influenced by fear as well as aggression, ideology, self-interest, individual figures and endless contributing factors. Fear, in itself, can be extremely motivating. However, it can also lead to a sense of panic and distress. Throughout the period 1945-1949, this is precisely what fear did to both the USSR and the US. Beginning in 1945, the two superpowers were rising from the wake of world war two which ended on August 14th 1945. At this very point, both nations were fearful of the future in relation to the rule of Germany and the struggle between socioeconomic systems.
The Cold War
In April 1950, the Secretaries of State and Defense published a document that was known by the name "NSC 68." NSC 68 was a report on the objectives and programs the US should pursue in its dealings with communism. It outlined the weaknesses and strengths of both the United States and the Soviet Union, the two nations it identified as world super powers. With warring ideologies and high tensions, these two countries were the primary combatants in the conflict known as "the Cold War." However, the conflict between these two countries spread to other nations, and created other situations. The Cold War became a world war, affecting regions and nations far removed from either the United States or the USSR. In judging NSC 68, it becomes necessary to examine incidents in which the document's objectives and programs could be applied. Such a task is relatively simple, as there are a multitude of incidents of conflict between communism and capitalism during the period of 1950 to 1975 (when NSC 68 was released to the public). In this report, evidence will be shown that, during the period of 1954-1961, government officials were sporadic in their applications of NSC 68. Using the Guatemalan Coup of 1954, the Suez Crisis of 1956, and the Bay of Pigs incident of 1961, this paper will show that the United States government of this time applied the principles expressed in NSC 68 in
Causes of the Cold war.
CAUSES OF THE COLD WAR (Literature Review) This literature review is concerned with defining causes of the Cold War. Its main purpose is to try to depict views of various authors presented in texts such as "We Now Know" by John Lewis Gaddis (1997, Oxford University Press), "Cold War Illusions" by Danna H. Allin (1998, Palgrave MacMillan) and in "The Origins of the Cold War 1941-1949" by Martin McCauley (1995, Longman) and other internet sources and to compare different perspectives of perceiving the comparative approaches. Cold war as a term has many times been explained in a bit confusing way and its actual meaning has been misinterpreted. At first I would like to define "Cold War" before discussing what might have led to it. What can be agreed generally, that Cold War according to the definition of war, has never existed. Though there was not any battling, as it was during world wars, its influence on the post-war world era has been even greater. The question is, when Cold war began and when it ended. M. McCauley thinks it "began in 1947 and ended shortly after Cuban Missile Crisis of 962". (1995) If the Cold War was perceived as a sort of friction between socialism and capitalism, it began in October 1917 and ended with the collapse of the USSR in 1991. (McCauley, 1995) Anyway, the first impressions of upcoming Cold War could be seen
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The Cold War [1945-1991]
The Cold War [1945-1991] Europe has had its fair share with wars and battles. However most of them were of two peculiar and stand out types of war. They were either Wars of Ideology: what other men and women were allowed to believe, or Wars of Succession, and the balance of power. The cold war for the first time combined both of these characteristics of the European modes of wars. The cold war was fought to determine the fate of Europe which was divided between two great superpowers of the European tradition, the market economy driven United States of America, and the Old Russian autocracy reborn as the Soviet Union through the ideology of communism. "The history of the cold war has been the history of the world since 1945"1. It wasn't a confrontation between two empires, it was, "a total war between economic and social systems, an industrial test to destruction"2. Nevertheless it was also a fight between two conflicting values. The West believes in the ideas of a market economy, free enterprise and a multi party democracy. These qualities were cherished as a necessity. The scenario in the East was quiet contrasting. While the west believed in free enterprise, market economy and democracy the East was driven, by a command economy and single part statism, a.k.a, Dictatorship. The obvious conflict in beliefs, ideas and values, and the stubborn nature of those who defended
Cold War: Soviet Perspectives
Cold War: Soviet Perspectives After World War II, Joseph Stalin saw the world as divided into two camps: imperialist and capitalist regimes on the one hand, and the Communist and progressive world on the other. In 1947, President Harry Truman also spoke of two diametrically opposed systems: one free, and the other bent on subjugating other nations. After Stalin's death, Nikita Khrushchev stated in 1956 that imperialism and capitalism could coexist without war because the Communist system had become stronger. The Geneva Summit of 1955 among Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States, and the Camp David Summit of 1959 between Eisenhower and Khrushchev raised hopes of a more cooperative spirit between East and West. In 1963 the United States and the Soviet Union signed some confidence-building agreements, and in 1967 President Lyndon Johnson met with Soviet Prime Minister Aleksei Kosygin in Glassboro, New Jersey. Interspersed with such moves toward cooperation, however, were hostile acts that threatened broader conflict, such as the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 and the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia of 1968. The long rule of Leonid Brezhnev (1964-1982) is now referred to in Russia as the "period of stagnation." But the Soviet stance toward the United States became less overtly hostile in the early 1970s. Negotiations between the United States and
Cold war 1945-1954
History Essay The Cold War 1945-1954 The Origins of the Cold War After World War 2, the Allies moved into Germany and Berlin in 1945, the US and Britain came from the west and the Russians came from the East. There was much dispute over who had the right to stay in Germany but in the end Russia stayed in the West and the rest of the allies stayed in the East. This created a lot of tension between the allies after World War 2 since Russia was strict about who left and who entered East Germany. Russians were angry at the West as they believed they had left Russian forces to fight more Germans as the war ended, thus costing Russian lives. Winston Churchill, the leader of Britain was concerned that the huge forces of Russia in Eastern Europe could become a threat to the UK and the rest of Europe. There were many meetings between the 'Big Three', Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and Harry S. Truman, including the Potsdam meeting where Truman warned Stalin of a 'powerful new weapon' that the USA was developing, more specifically the atomic bomb. This was before the Japan bombings, and the Russians were also working on nuclear weapons. A week after the Potsdam Meeting Japan was attacked by the USA with atomic bombs and Japan surrendered a few days afterwards, Stalin was frustrated as the Russians had gained little influence in Japan and the US had dominated most of Japan. In
Reasons for the Cold War.
Reasons for the Cold War The Yalta and Potsdam peace conferences of 1945 were the beginning of the tensions between the capitalist West and the communist East. The Allies reached agreements on most issues but were still divided on some very important ones. The greatest source of conflict between the East and West was Poland. In 1945 Stalin was the leader of the USSR and attended both peace conferences. Churchill attended the Yalta conference as the leader of Great Britain and was then replaced by Attlee who attended the Potsdam conference. Roosevelt also attended the Yalta conference but sadly died and was replaced by Truman who attended the Potsdam conference. By the end of the Second World War the USSR and the USA were the two superpowers, they had defeated Hitler and the Nazis and this had left both countries very powerful in comparison with the rest of the world at this post war time. Despite the USA and the USSR having been allies during the Second World War there were many disagreements at the peace conferences. These disagreements lead to great tensions between the two superpowers and therefore the Cold War began in 1949. The Cold War was the increasing tension that developed between the two superpowers. The War had two rival sides and there was spying and propaganda from both of these, which also encouraged an arms race. It was not, however a proper war
Who Started the Cold War?
Who Started the Cold War? After World War II, Communism began to spread across several European countries, such as Poland, Romania and Hungary. In the West a strong sense of fear of this ideal quickly began to spread as well. When the Cold War broke out, every nation was involved. The most prominent leaders involved were Churchill, Stalin and Truman. Together, their actions were the cause of the Cold War. After World War II, countries brought forth different views in which to restore Europe, which ultimately led to tensions internationally and as a result, the Cold War began. The President of the United States, Harry Truman, became seen as the dominant player in European affairs. He initiated the Truman Doctrine along with the Marshall Plan which set out to protect the "free" people against Communism. He begins taking control which causes difficulties among European countries. As well, his Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan particularly violated the principles of a group in charge of the well-being of the world; the United Nations. Truman truly discriminates against Communism and began creating a widespread fear of this ideal which presents a huge impact on several European countries. Truman truly disrupts the relations between all nations throughout the world. Truman accurately classifies as the person to have started the Cold War. The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan,
Was USA losing cold war
To what extent was the USA losing the Cold War 1949-1960? During this period the USA was increasingly concerned with its global position and the need to contain the growing threat of international communism. The period started badly with the 'fall' of China to communism in 1949. The measure of US success in the Cold War at this time depends upon perception of the American position and whether the USA was content to keep communism contained or showed a willingness to 'roll back' the influence of the USSR and communist expansion. The USA showed different levels of success and failure in different regions and with different technologies. American success overall was much higher than critics have suggested. In 1949 the USA held the nuclear monopoly, this gave an additional force to US diplomacy throughout the world. With the development of the Soviet A-bomb, nuclear stalemate was established. This was a setback for the Americans who then carried out a massive investment programme to develop the more powerful H-bomb, the US dismay it took the Soviets only a year to catch up on this new technology. Although the USA was not behind in this part of the Cold War, the loss of advantage was acutely felt within Washington and broader American society, fear of the Bomb and the effects of radiation were common in US culture and attitudes. American citizens no longer felt as safe
The cold war
During the cold war, relief and politics were seen as separate. Yet with an increasing recognition that relief alone is insufficient for the complex humanitarian emergencies, many humanitarian agencies have come to rethink the relationship between humanitarianism and politics. This shifting concept of humanitarian assistance is often called a new humanitarianism. It considers that humanitarian aid should be integrated into part of the long term processes of political issues in relation to the promotion of peace and justice. New humanitarianism is political from the start, and its logical consequence, it rejects the traditional principle of neutrality. In classical humanitarianism, neutrality is one of the essential principles, together with humanity, impartiality, and independence. It considers that humanitarian agencies must seek the consent of warring parties to work in the context of violence in order to gain access to all victims in need of help. Neutrality requires that humanitarian agencies not become involved in, or engaged in any hostilities, abstaining from any political or military considerations. The main priority of neutral agencies is the immediate relief of human suffering. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has kept its neutral position at war as the centre of its mission. For the ICRC, neutrality is described as, "in order to enjoy
