Key Cold War Conflicts: Berlin, Korea, Suez, Cuba

Posted on Jan 21, 2025 in History

Initial Conflicts of the Cold War

After the Second World War, Western Germany was occupied by the United States, Great Britain, and France. Eastern Germany was occupied by the USSR. Berlin was divided between the four powers.
In 1948, the USSR attempted to blockade West Berlin to force the French, British, and Americans out of the city, but this strategy failed.
In 1949, Western Germany became the Federal Republic of Germany, and Eastern Germany became the German Democratic Republic. Berlin remained divided into Eastern and Western zones.
To prevent people from moving freely between East and West Berlin, the Communist East German regime erected a wall in 1961.

It began when North Korea, which was supported by the USSR, invaded South Korea, which was supported by the United States.
It ended with the division of the two countries along the 38th parallel.

Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, which had been controlled by France and Great Britain.
Nasser was supported by the USSR.
French and British troops were deployed to Egypt, but the United States did not support this operation, leading to the troops’ withdrawal.

In 1959, Fidel Castro led a Communist revolution in Cuba.
In 1962, Castro permitted the USSR to install nuclear weapons in Cuba. Military advisors pressured United States President Kennedy to attack Cuba.
After tense negotiations between Kennedy and Khrushchev, the USSR finally agreed to withdraw the weapons from Cuba.