Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization 1900 - Present - Heimler Review Guide

Understanding the Context of the Cold War

• Cold War Definition: Hostility between states due to ideological struggles rather than direct warfare. Began post-1945 between US (capitalism) and Soviet Union (communism).
• US Superpower Emergence: Post-WWII economic boom, Marshall Plan aiding Europe, atomic bomb monopoly.
• Soviet Superpower Emergence: Rapid economic growth and atomic bomb development by 1949.

Causes of the Cold War

• Decolonization Movements: Triggered post-WWII as European imperial powers weakened.
• Major Causes:
  • Conflicting ideologies between US and USSR.
  • Mutual mistrust due to broken promises about fair elections in Eastern Europe.

Non-Aligned Movement and Effects of the Cold War

• Non-Aligned Movement: Refusal to align with US or USSR, led by Achmad Sukarno.
• Effects:
  • Formation of NATO and Warsaw Pact.
  • Proliferation of proxy wars in regions such as Korea, Latin America, and Africa.

Spread of Communism

• Communism in Asia: Korean War as a proxy conflict.
• Communism in Latin America: Nicaragua’s Contra War.
• Communism in Africa: Angolan Civil War.
• Impact on China: Mao Zedong’s rise, Great Leap Forward.
• Impact on Cuba: Fidel Castro’s revolution, US relations.

The End of the Cold War

• Soviet Collapse:
  • US military developments, Soviet economic burden.
  • Gorbachev’s reforms: Perestroika and Glasnost.
  • Non-intervention policy.
• USSR Dissolution: Democratic reforms, independence declarations, fall of Berlin Wall.

Decolonization Process

• India’s Independence: Indian National Congress negotiations post-WWII.
• Partition of India: Creation of Pakistan leading to violence.
• Algeria’s Independence: Armed struggle against France.
• Creation of Israel: Partition of Palestine, continued conflict.

Migration and New States

• Economic and Migration Impact:
  • Migration from former colonies to metropoles.
  • Formation of multi-ethnic societies.

Movements of Resistance

• Non-Violence Leadership:
  • Gandhi’s civil disobedience in India.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.’s civil rights movement in the US.
  • Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
• Violent Responses:
  • Military coups (e.g., Augusto Pinochet in Chile).
  • Terrorism (e.g., Shining Path, IRA, al Qaeda).

These notes encapsulate key concepts and events from the Cold War era, highlighting ideological struggles, significant global movements, and the impact of decolonization on world politics and societies.