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Impact of the Cold War on Global Politics

Mar 30, 2025

Heimler's History: Cold War Effects

Introduction

  • Focus on the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union
  • Theme: No direct fighting between the two powers but significant indirect conflicts and developments

Effects of the Cold War

  1. Military Alliances

    • NATO (1949): Formed by Western nations to counter Soviet influence
      • Members: United States, Great Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, Norway, Luxembourg, Denmark, Portugal, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands
    • Warsaw Pact (1955): Soviet response to NATO
      • Members: Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Albania, Bulgaria
  2. Proxy Wars

    • Cold War characterized by indirect fighting through proxy wars
    • Korean War (1950-1953)
      • Division of Korea into North (Soviet-backed) and South (U.S.-backed)
      • North Korea invaded South Korea, leading to UN (mostly U.S.) intervention
      • China supported North Korea, resulting in a stalemate
    • Angolan Civil War (1975)
      • Post-colonial power struggle in Angola
      • U.S., Soviet Union, and South Africa backed rival groups
    • Contra War in Nicaragua (1979)
      • Sandinista socialists seized power
      • U.S. backed contras to overthrow Sandinistas, who were supported by the Soviet Union
      • Conflict ended in cease-fire, Sandinistas defeated in elections
  3. Buildup of Nuclear Weapons

    • Arms Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
    • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
      • Soviet missiles placed in Cuba after U.S. failed attempt to remove Castro
      • U.S. missiles in Turkey; mutual tensions
      • Naval blockade by U.S. led to high tensions, but no conflict occurred
    • Resulted in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)
      • Aimed to prevent spread of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear nations

Conclusion

  • Summary of key Cold War effects: military alliances, proxy wars, nuclear arms race
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