The Cold War -The Real Intentions of the Superpowers - Term Paper Example

? Cold War Cold War – The Real Intentions of the Superpowers Cold War The Cold War refers to the continual of conflict on political, military and economic grounds that evolved between the western world powers and lasted over forty years (Painter, 1994). During this period, the super powers including US and its NATO allies and Soviet Union remained engaged in intense economic competition, proxy wars and military tensions. While people widely believe that the Cold War was fought to protect each superpowers homeland and defend their interests, it is also widely observed and argues that the overt and covert battles fought during the cold war were actually meant to spread each superpower’s influence across the globe. The intentions of the super powers engaged in the Cold War were not simply to defend their territories and interests but they went beyond their defence and took it as an opportunity to spread and establish their influence all over the world. The origins of the cold war could be traced back inside the complex relationship of the two main powers of the world United Stated and Soviet Union after the WWI. These post war relations led to the cold war that tool almost half a century. There are some events also where the origins of the cold war could be traced like different events preceding the WWI and Russian revolution of 1917 is also regarded as the factors that work for the base of the cold war however the tension between the two superpowers of the world was the most important factor that led them towards the cold war (Findley and Gerber, 2007). The important reason behind the cold war was the ideological conflict between communism and capitalism that actually began in 1917 and led towards the Russian Revolution after which the relationship between US and Russia were significantly affected. Some of the experts also believe that the cold war began as a result of the legacy of different heritages of empire building between the Russia and America. Both of these countries were hav9ing the intention to build their empire however they are totally different (Painter, 1994). During the war, USA used to a maritime power that was based on the trade and commerce development whereas Russia used to a bureaucratic and land-based power. Moreover there was also an imperial rivalry between Britain and Russia due to which also there was tension between the UK and Russia. In nineteenth century tsar adopted the policy of improving the maritime access of Russia by the main disadvantage of Russia was that despite having large territory they can make use of little sea cost because big portion of their sea cost used to be freeze though out the year (Brands, 1993). Great Britain, on the other hand was significantly progressing towards expansion of maritime. However the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 was a great concern for Great Britain because it added to the strength of Russia. The other political and territorial expansion policies of Russia were rising worried on Britain side and there were great worried regarding the safety of the frontier areas due to the fear of Russian expansion. Along with the clash of ideologies the two countries USA and Russia also have certain issues of conflict between them. There had been limited trade and diplomatic relationship between these two countries even before the cold war time. US took part in the efforts of crush Bolshevism from 1918 to 1920 that was not liked by Russia and on the other hand Russia work efficiently for the promotion and spread of communism across its own borders that was not liked by US and thus both of these countries has great disagreements with each other. Till 1933, US did not recognize USSR and they see Soviet system as a threat. Thus this was the background from where the origin of the cold war can be traced and understood and it shows that the super powers were not simply looking for the expansion and defence of their territory but they want the world community to recognize and accept their ideologies and supremacy (Jussi and Westad, 2004). The war was concluded with some major changes marked on the global scene. The European countries were most important receivers of these changes. Till the end of the cold was Europe emphasized on the disarmament issues and the signing of INF (Intermediate-range nuclear forces) between United States and the USSR in 1987 was one of the great accomplishment that the Europe get after the cold war. Because this treaty worked not only for the limitation but for actual reduction of the medium- and short-range weapons and later the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE1), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and then the Warsaw Treaty Organization (WTO) further paved the ways for the disarmaments and the European objectives were successfully met through these treaties (Findley and Gerber, 2007). While analysing the achievement of Europe after the cold war, it is found that the demise of USSR is one of the major achievements of Europe that was resulted in the end of the cold war. Through the last four decades before the cold war ended, there was great rivalry between US, USSR and Europe. During this time period all of the foreign policies of US and Europe were directed towards the better handling of the issue of the USSR and the conflicts between these states. Moreover the establishment of European Union further strengthened the economic and political conditions of the continent and with the strategy to work through a common platform, the European countries appeared as more powerful nations of the world after the cold war (Brands, 1993). The collapse of Soviet Union also affirms that the western powers were fighting the war of ideology so that they could spread their influence worldwide. The cold war brought some fruitful results for Europe and there were some many significant changes occurred in the political and geographical conditions of the region that contributed to the stability and strength of the European countries. The anticommunism powers accelerated their efforts during the cold war to decline the practice of communism policies and their main target was USSR. The demise of Soviet Union was their main target attained from the perspective of the victory of their ideology over the communism supporting powers (Jenkins, 1999) After the cold war Russia has to make major changes in its military spending through major cut downs. The number of militants was also considerably reduced due to which there was massive increase in the number of unemployed people in the country. The financial crisis also broke up in Russian after the induction of capitalist economic reforms whereas U.S. and Germany also witnessed the era of Great Depression as aftermaths of cold war. The living standard of people of Russia was also badly affected from the war and they were also defeated in stabilising their political, economic and social ideologies in front of the world community and lost their influence over the world. It is observed that there are varied perspectives among the political analysts, experts and common people regarding the outbreak and progression of cold war. For some it was war of territorial expansion whereas for some it was wart of ideology and influence. These differences exist because of the presentation of war facts by the super powers from different perspectives. It is believed that the Europeans wrote their own version of cold war history whereas Americans and its allied portrayed a different picture from their stance (Karabell, 1999). These super powers attempted to show the cold war to their world from their point of view because they want the world community to understand the things from their standpoint in order to have strong influence upon the thoughts and ideologies of the people (Jussi and Westad, 2004). The world affairs took due dimensions in the post-cold war era as it heavily influenced the world affairs and allowed the powerful nations to spread their influence all over the world. The U.S. succeeded to stand as the superpower of the world with its military and political allies. The U.S succeeded to spread its thoughts and policies regarding the military management all over the globe and after the war the world community was inclined towards the permanent peace time military and industrial efforts and large scale military funding of science that was one of the major motive of U.S behind the war. In sum, U.S showed its power and strength to the world and proves its influential role in determining the social-political dimensions of world community. The Cold War was used as a mean to spread the influence of United States and its allies and these efforts met success with the demise of USSR and proliferation of American ideologies and influence across the globe. It implies that cold war not a territorial war but it gave a chance to the powerful nations of the world that they could shake the opponent ideologies and could spread their own convictions and philosophies across the globe. References Brands, H. W. (1993). The Devil We Knew: Americans and the Cold War. New York: Oxford University Press. Gerber, M.S., John M. Findlay, J.M. (2007). On the Home Front: The Cold War Legacy of the Hanford Nuclear Site. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press Jenkins, P. (1999). The Cold War at home – The Red Scare in Pennsylvania, 1945-1960. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Jussi M. H., Westad, O. (2004). The Cold War: a history in documents and eyewitness accounts. NY: Oxford University Press Karabell, Z. (1999). Architects of Intervention: The United States, the Third World, and the Cold War, 1946-1962. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. Painter, D.S. (1999). The Cold War: an international history. London: Routledge Read More