The Cold War
The Cold War started in 1947 lasting for 44 years, though what made it different from other wars was that it was not an armed conflict. The War involved two major powers; the United States, a communist and the Soviet Union, anti-communist who were trying to put an end to communism. The Cold War went on to affect other nations like Europe, Asia and Latin America. Its impact resulted to the rise of nonaligned movements from developing countries in Africa and Asia.
The impact the Cold War brought was immense. In Europe, the war divided it into democratic west and communist east. The Eastern part of Europe challenged the Soviet rule in Hungary by trying to pull out of the Warsaw Pact[1]. This led to several attacks to which Hungary called for assistance though none was forth coming and was eventually defeated in regard to Document 2b.
Tension during the Cold War rose when Berlin split into democratic west and communist east as based in Document 3a. The Berlin provided a barrier to stop low-paid East Germans who opposed communism from fleeing to West Berlin. However, some managed to cross only later to be shot.
In 1989, Hungary allowed many East Germans to cross to West German, through Austria. This resulted to Communism spreading to East Asia and this went on to affect China, Korea and Vietnam. With successful take over of communism in China, it took control of the world’s most populous countries; a fifth[2]. This led to Mao Zedong to create a Communist one-party totalitarian country named the People’s Republic of China. Mao then initiated a Great Leap Forward that did not get to see the light leading to death of 55 million due to starvation. In 1966, Mao started the Cultural Revolution with the objective to remove China from middle-class tendencies. He recruited the youth to experience the revolution that resulted to the formation of bands of Red Guards. This was disastrous to the country as it led to the closure of schools, slowing of the economy and the risk of civil war to which the army was vital to restore order. The success in China of communism appeared as a success for Soviet Union though the 1960 border conflict based on ideology led to Soviets to pull out any assistance to China. Two decades later, the US tried to woe China by setting up diplomatic connections with them.
The Cold War placed Korea at constant conflict. The country in 1945 split into North and South Korea, but five years later the North invaded the South taking control of it. The war led to the death of many people[3]. South Korea’s attempt to fight back saw China getting involved, North Korea forced South Korea to the 37th parallel. In 1953, South Korea moved to the 38th parallel and later that year a there was a ceasefire.
Similarities can be drawn in Vietnam, where it was split into a communist north and noncommunist south backed by the US. The communist North received economic and military support from China and the Soviet Union though support in the form of troops was not included. South Vietnam got troops support by US, though later withdrawn as the war ended. The rejoined with the North defeating the South.
The most notable of the Cold War was a conflict between Western Hemisphere that comprised Latin America island of Cuba. In 1950 with the backing of Soviet Union, there was a rebellion against the dictator that led to the Cuban Revolution to which many died and others fled. Efforts by the US to invade Cuba (The Bay of Pigs Invasion) resulted in failure[4]. This led to the US to impose a trade embargo on the country that is still in effect. In 1962, the Soviet sent missiles to Cuba making the US demand their removal or result to a nuclear war. The missiles came to be removed much later.
Conclusion
The Cold War did not involve any armed conflict between the US and the Soviet Union. To some extent the US managed to stop the spread of communism to other parts of the world. The war affected three countries Europe, Asia and Latin America in significant ways. These countries were split into either communism or anti-communism. The impact by the war as discussed in the paper is still prevalent at present.
References
Borhi, L. (2004). Hungary in the Cold War, 1945-1956: Between the United States and the Soviet Union. New York: Central European University Press.
Suri, J. (2011). Conflict and Co-operation in the Cold War: New Directions in Contemporary Historical Research. Journal of Contemporary History 46(1), pp. 5-6.
[1] Borhi, L. (2004). Hungary in the Cold War, 1945-1956: Between the United States and the Soviet Union. New York: Central European University Press, 23.
[2] Ibid, 26.
[3] Suri, J. (2011). Conflict and Co-operation in the Cold War: New Directions in Contemporary Historical Research. Journal of Contemporary History 46(1), pp. 5.
[4] Suri, J. (2011). Conflict and Co-operation in the Cold War: New Directions in Contemporary Historical Research. Journal of Contemporary History 46(1), pp. 6.
