Key Aspects of the Cold War Era
Main Cold War Players and Context
Who were the main Cold War players?
The primary players were the United States (U.S.) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Great Britain also played a significant role, particularly in the early stages.
Cold War vs. World Wars: Key Differences
Unlike the Second World War, the Cold War did not end with a comprehensive peace treaty signed by all belligerents. Hostility between the U.S. and the USSR prevented an agreement accepted by both winners and losers of WWII, leading instead to a prolonged state of geopolitical tension.
Spain’s Role During the Cold War
Having supported the Axis powers during WWII, Spain faced international isolation in the early Cold War period.
The Role of the United Nations
What is the UN Security Council?
It is the principal decision-making body of the United Nations (UN). Its decisions are binding on all UN Member States.
Who are the UN Security Council Permanent Members?
The permanent members are the United States, the USSR (now Russia), China, Great Britain, and France.
What is the Veto Power?
Permanent members of the Security Council possess the right of veto. This allows them to block any resolution or action that affects their perceived national interests.
Core Tensions and Ideologies
Why did the US and USSR mistrust each other?
Mutual suspicion fueled the Cold War. The Soviet Union was wary of the U.S. atomic monopoly (initially), while the U.S. distrusted the USSR’s imposition of Communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
What was the “Witch Hunt”?
The term “witch hunt” refers to the persecution faced by intellectuals, artists, and others with perceived leftist ideologies in Europe and the USA during the 1940s and 1950s. This was driven by intensifying anti-communism.
Key Cold War Concepts and Alliances
Definitions
- Containment: A U.S. policy aimed at keeping communism within its existing borders and preventing its spread.
- Deterrence: The principle based on mutual military power, particularly nuclear arms, where the potential for mutually assured destruction (MAD) would prevent either superpower from launching a first strike.
- Iron Curtain: A term popularized by Winston Churchill, describing the ideological and physical division of Europe into two spheres: the West influenced by the U.S., and the East under Soviet influence.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Established in 1949, NATO is a permanent military alliance between Western European nations, the U.S., and Canada, led primarily by the U.S.
Warsaw Pact
Created in 1955 as a Soviet response to NATO, this was a permanent military alliance comprising the USSR and most Eastern European communist states.
Major Cold War Crises and Conflicts
Why did Third World countries seek aid?
Newly independent nations, formerly colonies of Western powers (metropolises), often sought economic and military assistance from either the U.S. or the USSR, aligning themselves within the bipolar world order.
What was the Suez Crisis?
The Suez Crisis (1956) erupted following Egypt’s nationalization of the Suez Canal, previously controlled by French and British interests.
Roles of France, Britain, and the USA:
- France & UK: Militarily occupied the Canal Zone in 1956.
- USA: Pressured Britain and France to accept a ceasefire and respect Egypt’s decision, ultimately forcing their withdrawal.
The End of the Indochina War and US Involvement
After the First Indochina War, the U.S. replaced France as the dominant external power in the region. Washington provided financial aid to Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam to counter the influence of Communist North Vietnam (supported by China and the USSR). The inability of South Vietnam to defeat communist guerrillas (the Viet Cong) eventually led to direct U.S. military intervention.
Outcomes of the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
- USA: Achieved the removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba.
- USSR: Secured the withdrawal of U.S. missiles from Turkey and a public promise from U.S. President Kennedy not to invade Cuba.
- Cuba: Gained assurance against another U.S.-backed invasion, but faced a continuing U.S. economic blockade that persists to this day.