Lecture Notes: Cold War and Decolonization

Introduction

• Presenter: Steph Gergis
• Focus on: Cold War and Decolonization

Cold War Overview

• Concept of Mutually Assured Destruction
• Rivalry between United States (US) and Soviet Union (USSR)

Historical Context

• End of World War II
  • Allies: US, Great Britain, France, and Soviet Union
  • Race to Berlin: Allied forces pushed towards Berlin from different fronts
  • Joseph Stalin: Allied with Western powers despite initial non-aggression pact with Hitler

Post-War Settlements

• Potsdam Conference
  • Big Three: Stalin, Churchill, and Truman
  • Discussion of ideological differences (Capitalism vs. Socialism, Democracy vs. Communism)
  • Truman's atomic bomb as a strategic advantage

The Cold War Dynamics

• Economic and Political Rivalry
  • US and USSR emerged as superpowers
  • Ideological conflict influenced global politics
• Marshall Plan: US economic aid to prevent spread of communism
• Non-Aligned Movement
  • Countries not aligning with US or USSR
  • Key figures: Soekarno (Indonesia), Nehru (India), Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana)

Proxy Wars

• Korean War
  • Division at 38th parallel
  • North supported by USSR, South by US
• Vietnam War
  • US involvement against Ho Chi Minh's communist regime
  • Covert US operations in Southeast Asia
• Other Proxy Wars
  • Nicaragua, Angola, Afghanistan

Communist Expansion

• China's Communist Revolution
  • Led by Mao Zedong
  • Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution
• Soviet Influence
  • Eastern Europe, Cuba, Afghanistan

Decolonization

• Methods
  • Negotiated Independence: India, Ghana, French West Africa
  • Armed Struggle: Vietnam, Algeria, Zimbabwe
• Specific Cases
  • India: Gandhi's non-violence
  • South Africa: Apartheid and Nelson Mandela
  • Egypt: Nasser and Suez Canal

Creation of New States

• India and Pakistan
• Israel and Palestine: Ongoing conflict post-creation

Challenges Post-Decolonization

• Economic Development
  • Struggles due to past imperialism
  • Government roles in economies
• Migration
  • Former colonies to colonizing nations

Modern Conflicts and Resolutions

• Terrorism and Extremism
  • Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden
  • US-Saudi relations and motivations
• Push for Social Justice and Non-violence
  • Inspired by historical figures like Gandhi, MLK, Mandela

Collapse of the Soviet Union

• Economic and Political Reforms
  • Gorbachev's Perestroika and Glasnost
  • Democratic movements in Eastern Europe
• End of Cold War
  • Fall of Berlin Wall
  • Dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991

Conclusion

• Emphasis on ongoing global impact of Cold War and decolonization efforts
• Encouragement to continue studying and learning from these historical events