AMSCO 8.2

The Cold War: Overview

  • Quotation: Bernard Baruch, banker and presidential advisor, states: "Let us not be deceived—we are today in the midst of a cold war." (1947)

  • Essential Question: What were the causes and effects of the ideological struggle of the Cold War?

  • Post-World War II Context: After World War II, two superpowers emerged:

    • Democratic United States (capitalism)

    • Authoritarian Soviet Union (communism)

  • Territorial Expansion: Both countries expanded their influence globally.

  • Recognition of Rivalry: Following the Potsdam Conference in 1945, Presidents Truman and Stalin acknowledged their competition for dominance over Europe and Asia.

  • Central Conflict: The ideological strife between capitalism (US) and communism (Soviet Union) defined international relations for the next 40 years.

Cooperation Despite Conflict: The United Nations

  • Motivation for UN: Despite their ideological differences, there was a mutual commitment among major Allied nations to create an organization that would ensure peace and prosperity, replacing the failed League of Nations.

  • Failures of the League of Nations:

    • Lack of support from all powerful nations, particularly the United States.

    • Absence of a mechanism to act quickly against small conflicts escalating into larger wars.

  • Formation of the UN:

    • Proposed in 1943 by leaders from the US, Great Britain, Soviet Union, and China.

    • Established in 1945.

  • Comparative Analysis Task: Students are prompted to compare the UN with the League of Nations based on their effectiveness and structure (see Topics 7.3 and 7.5).

Rivalry in Economics and Politics

  • Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech (1946): Represented the beginning of the Cold War; he stated, "An iron curtain has descended across the continent" of Europe, indicating the division between Eastern (communist) and Western (capitalist) Europe.

Capitalism vs. Communism

  • Economic Organization:

    • United States:

    • Capitalist economy where farms and factories were primarily privately owned.

    • Decisions driven by private interests, allowing freedom to act on self-interest.

    • Soviet Union:

    • Communist economy where the government owned all economic assets.

    • Focus on equality and fairness through state control.

  • Political Systems:

    • United States:

    • Free elections enable citizens to choose leaders.

    • An independent press exists to inform the public and political parties compete for votes.

    • Soviet Union:

    • Elections were nominal; a single party dominated all politics.

    • The government controlled the press.

  • Criticisms of Each Other:

    • U.S. criticized the Soviet system for:

    • Restrictions on free speech, religious worship, and efficient business operations.

    • Soviet Union criticized the U.S. for:

    • Offering poor citizens the "freedom to starve" and for systemic discrimination against minorities, especially African Americans.

    • Underscored women's equality as a societal advantage over the U.S.

  • Similarities Observed: Analysts noted that both systems centralized control over key economic decisions: government in the Soviet case, and corporate shareholders in the U.S. Both nations acted from fear of each other, enhancing military expenditure.

Conflicts in International Affairs

  • Global Expansion: The U.S. and Soviet Union each aimed to propagate their ideological systems worldwide.

  • Soviet Dominance in Eastern Europe:

    • The Soviet Union attempted to mimic its political system across its neighboring countries, specifically:

    • Bulgaria

    • East Germany

    • Hungary

    • Poland

    • Romania

    • Directed these countries to adopt five-year economic plans prioritizing heavy industry and collective farming, often at the cost of consumer goods.

    • Consequences for Satellite Countries:

    • Economically dependent on the Soviet Union, requiring imports only from the USSR and exports exclusively back.

    • Local governments mirrored the dictatorial tendencies of the Soviet regime.

World Revolution and Containment

  • Ideological Threat Perspective: The October Revolution of 1917 established the view in the Soviet Union that capitalism posed a significant threat.

  • World Revolution Concept: Belief in a worldwide workers’ revolution against capitalism led to Soviet support for uprisings in various countries between 1919 and 1923, elevating Western suspicions.

  • Containment Policy:

    • U.S. diplomat George Kennan, stationed in Moscow, proposed that Soviet influence must be contained to prevent further expansion.

    • While some criticized this stance as passive, proponents argued it was necessary to prevent communism from gaining ground.

  • Truman Doctrine:

    • In 1947, President Truman articulated a commitment to counteract communism, especially in Greece and Turkey, pledging economic and military support.

The Marshall Plan

  • Post-War Economic Aid: Post-WWII, the U.S. expressed significant concern for rebuilding Europe, believing economic stability was crucial in preventing communist revolutions.

  • Marshall Plan Details:

    • Enacted in June 1947, it allocated $12 billion for European recovery efforts, aiming to modernize industry and reduce trade barriers.

    • By 1951, economic output in recipient countries was 35% higher than pre-war levels (1938).

  • Soviet Response:

    • The Soviet Union rejected Marshall Plan participation, creating the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) in 1949, which focused on trade agreements but had a modest impact compared to the Marshall Plan.

The Space Race and Arms Race

  • Space Race:

    • Initiated by the USSR's launch of Sputnik in 1957, creating intense competition in space exploration.

    • The U.S. responded with its inaugural satellite, Explorer 1, launched in January 1958.

  • Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD):

    • The introduction of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of nuclear delivery signaled an era of defensive strategy for both countries, as neither could afford to start a mutually destructive nuclear war.

The Non-Aligned Movement

  • Desire for Neutrality: Newly independent African and Asian nations sought to avoid alignment with either superpower during the Cold War.

  • Bandung Conference (1955):

    • Held in Indonesia, it aimed to unite representatives against colonialism, featuring leaders from India, China, and 27 other nations representing half the global population.

  • Formation of Non-Aligned Movement (1961): Created to establish a collective identity independent of both the U.S. and the USSR.

  • Challenges Faced:

    • Balancing international cooperation with national interests.

    • Nations often drifted towards allegiance with one superpower; for instance, U.S. support for Somalia following Soviet support for Ethiopia in their conflict.

Key Leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement

  • Jawaharlal Nehru (India):

    • Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964 and significant figure at the Bandung Conference.

  • Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana):

    • Advocated for African unity; led Ghana to independence in 1957.

  • Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt):

    • Three-term president who championed Pan-Arabism and unity at the Bandung Conference.

  • Sukarno (Indonesia):

    • First president post-independence and organizer of the Bandung Conference; sought aid from both superpowers while promoting neutrality.

Key Terms by Theme

  • Government:

    • United Nations (UN)

    • Iron Curtain

    • Satellite countries

    • World Revolution

    • Containment

    • Truman Doctrine

    • Non-Aligned Movement

  • Technology:

    • Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

    • Sputnik

  • Economics:

    • Marshall Plan

    • Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON)