Cold War (Paper 2): Causes

Years of the Berlin Blockade

1948-1949

Cause of the Berlin Blockade

The Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin to force Western powers out of the city, which was located deep inside Soviet-controlled East Germany.

Impact of the Berlin Blockade

The Western Allies launched the Berlin Airlift to supply West Berlin by air. The blockade was eventually lifted, solidifying the division of Germany and showing Western commitment to resisting Soviet pressure.

Year of North Korean Invasion into South Korea

1950

Cause of North Korean Invasion

North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the peninsula under communist rule.

Impact of North Korean Invasion

The United Nations, led by the United States, intervened to support South Korea. The war ended in a stalemate with Korea divided along the 38th parallel, heightening Cold War tensions and expanding the conflict to Asia.

Year of Suez Canal Crisis

1956

Cause of Suez Crisis

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, angering Britain, France, and Israel, who feared loss of control and access to the canal.

Impact of Suez Crisis

Britain, France, and Israel invaded Egypt. Pressure from the US and USSR led to a ceasefire and withdrawal of invading forces. The crisis marked the decline of European colonial influence in the Middle East and highlighted the changing power dynamics of the Cold War era.

Year of Congo Crisis

1960-1965

Cause of Congo Crisis

The newly independent Republic of Congo faced internal political strife and secessionist movements, exacerbated by Cold War rivalries.

Impact of Congo Crisis

The crisis became a battleground for competing Cold War interests, with the US and Belgium supporting the central government and the Soviet Union backing secessionist forces. The conflict highlighted the vulnerability of newly independent African states to Cold War manipulation and intervention.

Year of Cuban Missile Crisis

1962

Cause of Cuban Missile Crisis

The Soviet Union deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba, within striking distance of the United States, in response to US missiles in Turkey and Italy.

Impact of Cuban Missile Crisis

The crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. A US naval blockade of Cuba and intense diplomatic negotiations led to a Soviet agreement to remove the missiles in exchange for a US pledge not to invade Cuba. Both superpowers subsequently pursued measures to reduce the risk of nuclear confrontation.

Year of US intervention of Chile

1973

Cause of US intervention in Chile

The U.S. intervened to prevent the spread of socialism and protect its economic interests, fearing alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Impact of US intervention in Chile

The intervention demonstrated US efforts to contain leftist movements in Latin America during the Cold War. Pinochet's dictatorship in Chile led to severe repression and human rights abuses, highlighting the ideological struggle between capitalism and communism in the region.