Key Events and Conflicts of the Cold War Era
The Cold War Period
The Cold War was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe. The West was led by the United States, and Eastern Europe was led by the Soviet Union. These two countries became known as superpowers. Although the two superpowers never officially declared war on each other, they fought indirectly in proxy wars, the arms race, and the space race.
The Iron Curtain and Germany
The division of Germany symbolized the ideological split. The Western zone was controlled by the USA, Britain, and France, while the Eastern zone was controlled by the USSR. When Stalin blocked the Allied zone, the Americans responded by sending resources via airlifts.
Space Race Milestones
- Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space in April 1961.
- John Glenn was the first American in orbit in February 1962.
- Neil Armstrong was the first man on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
- Laika was a Soviet space dog who became the first living terrestrial being to orbit the Earth aboard the Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft on November 3, 1957, a month after Sputnik 1. She was also the first animal to die in orbit.
Political Alignments
Eastern Bloc Politics
- Parts of Eastern Europe were annexed to the USSR, adopting the politics of the Russian Bear: leadership by a single Communist party and a nationalized economy without private property. This included Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and parts of Poland and Romania.
- Western Europe maintained a system of parliamentary liberal democracy, featuring multiple political parties and a capitalist economy.
Key Conflicts and Alliances
Communication and Crises
- The Red Telephone system was created in 1963 to allow direct communication between the Kremlin and the White House.
- Korea was divided according to the Potsdam agreements: South Korea became capitalist, and North Korea became communist. In 1950, the North attacked the South, leading to the USA’s intervention (the Korean War).
Defense Pacts and Nuclear Fear
- In 1949, the United States established a mutual defense alliance: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
- In 1955, the Soviet bloc created an opposing alliance through the Warsaw Pact, signed by the USSR and all European communist countries except Yugoslavia.
- The discovery of nuclear fission and its military use in the atomic bomb played a key role. This instability became known as the balance of terror because both parties knew that nuclear war could happen at any time. This phrase refers to the period dominated by the arms race.
Revolutionary Leaders and Vietnam
- Fidel Castro established a communist regime after the Cuban Revolution.
- Vietnam was divided politically and geographically: North Vietnam (Communist, capital in Hanoi) and South Vietnam (Capitalist, capital in Saigon). The USA intervened in the conflict between the two due to the Truman Doctrine.
From League of Nations to the United Nations
After World War I, the nations of the world formed the League of Nations. This organization was intended as a place where nations could discuss their differences calmly. However, some countries, like Germany, Italy, and Japan, ignored the League and sought to solve their problems through war. Members of the League of Nations were unwilling to go to war to protect other members, and the League ultimately failed, leading to a Second World War.
The Allies of World War II often referred to themselves as “the United Nations” (united against the Axis Powers). After the War, the victors formed a new organization for world peace. On April 25, 1945, in San Francisco, they decided on the name ‘United Nations’. In June, they signed the United Nations Charter detailing how the organization would function. The UN was officially created on October 24, 1945, and its first meeting was held in January 1946. Since 1947, October 24th has been celebrated as “United Nations Day”.