Cold War: Key Events and Tensions 1945-1991

Posted on Jan 17, 2025 in History

Korean War

The Korean War began when North Korea (Communist) invaded South Korea. The USA sent troops to aid South Korea. In 1945, Korea was split along the 38th parallel between the communist North, led by Kim Il Sung, and the non-communist South, led by Syngman Rhee. Communism was growing, and the US developed the domino theory.

Peaceful Coexistence or International Tension?

After Stalin’s death in 1953, a new era began between East and West. From 1953 to 1960, Nikita Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union. There was hope for improved East-West relations, but it didn’t last. The greatest danger was the competition between the USA and Russia.

Peaceful coexistence became more dangerous because:

  1. Khrushchev sent Russian troops to reestablish Soviet control in Hungary.
  2. Russia and the USA waged an arms race, developing H-bombs and ICBMs.
  3. Khrushchev formed the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance of communist countries, to rival NATO.
  4. Russia and the USA competed in everything.
  5. America responded aggressively.
  6. Both sides spied on each other.

Hungary

Hungary was controlled by Russia. After Stalin died, there was hope for freedom, but this was not the case.

Causes:

  1. Khrushchev’s policy of de-Stalinization caused problems.
  2. Hungarians were patriotic and hated Russian control.
  3. The Communist Party banned religion, which angered many religious Hungarians.
  4. Hungarians thought the USA would help them.

Effects:

  1. Repression in Hungary: many people were executed.
  2. Russia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain.
  3. Polarization of the Cold War.

U-2 Incident and Paris Summit

Tension increased after an American spy plane was shot down over Russia. The Paris Summit collapsed. There was massive tension due to:

  1. Arms Race: Both sides felt the need to develop more powerful weapons.
  2. Berlin: Russia was furious that East Germans were escaping to the West.
  3. Cuba: The USA was worried when Fidel Castro seized power.
  4. A summit meeting was arranged in Paris.

Effects of the U-2 Incident:

  1. The Paris meeting collapsed, and no Test Ban Treaty was signed.
  2. There was no discussion about the problem of Berlin.
  3. It was a defeat for the US.

Berlin Wall

Berlin was divided: the USSR controlled the East, and the USA controlled the West. Many people escaped to the West. Khrushchev closed the border and ordered the construction of a wall.

Cuban Missile Crisis

U-2 spy planes discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba, marking the beginning of a confrontation.

Causes:

  • Fidel Castro took power in Cuba and nationalized American companies.
  • America stopped all aid to Cuba and all imports, including sugar, which was a disaster for Cuba.
  • The USSR began to help Cuba.
  • America was alarmed by this development.
  • Castro asked for weapons from the USSR.

Events:

Kennedy decided on a naval blockade to prevent USSR ships from delivering arms to Cuba.

Czechoslovakia and the Prague Spring

Czechoslovakia broke free from USSR rule and allowed freedom of speech. This period was called the Prague Spring.

Causes:

  1. The policy of détente encouraged the uprising.
  2. Czechs hated USSR control.
  3. Czechs thought the USA would help them.

Effects of the Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia:

  1. Czechoslovakia returned to communist control.
  2. Russia stayed in control behind the Iron Curtain.
  3. An increase in Cold War tensions.

Détente

Détente was a time when powers eased tensions and tried to cooperate to avoid conflict.

Causes:

  1. America was shocked by the Vietnam War.
  2. The arms race was expensive.
  3. Economic problems in both the US and the USSR.

Limitations of Détente:

  1. The Non-Proliferation Treaty didn’t stop other countries from developing nuclear weapons.
  2. Neither Russia nor America kept to the SALT 1 agreement.
  3. During the Arab-Israeli War, America supported Israel, and Russia supported Egypt and Syria.
  4. The Helsinki Agreement achieved little.
  5. Table tennis and space meetings were used as propaganda.
  6. Brezhnev said communism would destroy capitalism.

Collapse of Communism and the End of the Cold War

Communism collapsed due to problems faced by the USSR at home and abroad. The Cold War ended after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Ronald Reagan became president of the USA and called the Soviet Union an”evil empire” The Soviet Union was in trouble. Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader and withdrew from Afghanistan. He reformed the Soviet system and realized the USSR could not afford another arms race. He opened the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START).

Revolutions:

  • Free elections were held in Poland.
  • Revolutions in Eastern European countries followed.
  • Gorbachev fell from power.