Cold War: A state of hostility between two states characterized by ideological struggles rather than open warfare.
Primary Cold War Participants: United States and Soviet Union.
Causes of the Cold War
1. Conflicting Ideologies
Democratic Capitalism (United States):
Emphasizes free market economics.
Political participation from citizens.
Authoritarian Communism (Soviet Union):
Strict government control of the economy.
Redistribution of wealth equally.
Citizens have no voice in the government.
Both ideologies are universalizing, aiming for global adoption.
2. Mutual Mistrust
Pre-existing mistrust before WWII ended.
Post-War Plans:
Conferences held among US, Soviet Union, and Great Britain.
Agreement on free elections for Central and Eastern European countries.
Soviet Union Actions:
Retained control over Central and Eastern European countries to keep them communist as a buffer against Europe.
Seen as a violation of agreements by the US.
3. German Division
Germany divided into four occupation zones (Soviet Union, France, Great Britain, and US).
Eastern Germany: Controlled by Soviet Union, became a communist state.
Iron Curtain: Term used by Winston Churchill to describe divisions across Europe.
Effects of the Cold War
Global Impact
Effects extended worldwide, beyond just the US and Soviet Union.
New Military Alliances: Formed due to Cold War tensions.
Nuclear Proliferation: Increase in nuclear weapons as part of the arms race.
Proxy Wars: Indirect conflicts supported by US and Soviet Union.
Intersection with Decolonization
Decolonization led to new independent states worldwide.
US and Soviet Union sought to influence these new states.
Non-Aligned Movement:
Led by Indonesian President Ahmed Sukarno in 1955.
Included 29 African and Asian states, like India, Ghana, Indonesia, and Egypt.
Refusal to align with either superpower.
Offered an alternative to the Cold War order.
Some non-aligned states leveraged superpower rivalry for their benefit.
Non-Aligned Movement
Aimed at remaining independent of US-Soviet conflict.
Some states used rivalries to gain resources for defense and development.
Example: Indonesia received aid from the Soviet Union but also resisted communism internally.
Conclusion
The Cold War was a complex struggle for ideological dominance that influenced global politics, economics, and social structures for decades.
The formation of the non-aligned movement offered a new avenue for countries emerging from colonial rule to assert their independence on the world stage.