Ideological differences between two superpowers, post world war II power struggle, and arms race polarized world into two power centers. Thereafter, the surfaced hostility and proxy wars, pressure tactics paved the way for war like situation between two power centers. Such tension and hostility is called cold war that lasted around four decades. In this blog, “The Cold War: Causes and Importance in Shaping Global Politics” I’m going to explain the causes, importance of cold war that shaped the global politics never before.
We know that the cold war was nothing but the tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, along with their respective allies, from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. It was called the Cold War because there was no direct military conflict between the two superpowers, but rather a constant state of political and ideological hostility.
Exploring the Causes of the Cold War
Let’s begin with the causes that resulted The Cold War. It had many causes like:
Ideological differences between superpowers
Ideological Differences: The United States and the Soviet Union had fundamentally different ideologies. The United States championed democracy and capitalism, while the Soviet Union advocated for communism. And, both superpowers were trying to expand theirs area of influence by incorporating more members in theirs alliance.
Competition for global dominance
Post-WWII Power Struggle: After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two superpowers, each vying for global dominance. In short, after world War II, world was divided into two halves or poles. The two giant superpowers were trying hard to get credit of victory, and so wanted to exercise power.
Intensified The Arms Race:
The Second World War witnessed an unprecedented level of arms production and deployment. The development of nuclear weapons by the United States further intensified the arms race, as other countries raced to acquire nuclear capabilities as well.
The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, which lasted from the late 1940s to the early 1990s, was characterized by a constant arms race, with both
The development of nuclear weapons by both countries led to an arms race, with each side trying to outdo the other in terms of military capabilities.
Proxy wars: Korean War and the Vietnam War
Proxy Wars: The United States and the Soviet Union supported opposing sides in various conflicts around the world, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Actually, both superpowers never involved in any armed struggle directly but indirectly supposed theirs alliance partners or members against opponents.
These were some notable reasons or causes that resulted the era of tension and hostility between two poles of powers.
What caused the Cold War to end?
The Cold War came to an end due to a combination of internal and external factors:
- Internal Factors: Economic problems and political instability within the Soviet Union weakened its position as a global superpower.
- External Factors: The United States’ military and economic superiority, along with the pressure exerted by other Western countries, contributed to the decline of the Soviet Union.
- Gorbachev’s Reforms: Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev implemented a series of reforms, such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which aimed to modernize the Soviet Union but inadvertently led to its dissolution.
Factors responsible for ending the Cold War
The factors responsible for ending the Cold War include:
- Diplomatic Negotiations: The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in diplomatic negotiations, such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which aimed to reduce nuclear weapons.
- Collapse of the Soviet Union: The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, leading to the end of the Cold War.
- Changing Global Dynamics: The end of the Cold War was also influenced by changing global dynamics, such as the rise of new economic powers and the spread of democracy.
Importance of the Cold War in shaping global politics
The Cold War had a significant impact on global politics:
- Bi-polar World: The Cold War created a bi-polar world, with the United States and the Soviet Union as the two dominant superpowers, shaping global politics for several decades.
- Arms Control: The arms race during the Cold War led to the development of arms control agreements, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
- Proxy Wars: The Cold War saw numerous proxy wars, where the United States and the Soviet Union supported opposing sides. These conflicts had a lasting impact on the countries involved and the regions affected.
- Technological Advancements: The Cold War fueled technological advancements, particularly in the fields of space exploration and military technology.
So far I have explained the causes of cold war, given factors responsible to the end, and discussed the importance of cold war in shaping global politics.
Last words on The Cold War: Causes and Importance in Shaping Global Politics
In conclusion, the Cold War was a period of political tension and rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was caused by ideological differences, power struggles, the arms race, and proxy wars. The Cold War ended due to internal factors within the Soviet Union, external pressures, and Gorbachev’s reforms. Its importance in shaping global politics includes creating a bi-polar world, arms control agreements, proxy wars, and technological advancements. Bipolar world Vs unipolar world/Understanding Hard and soft power/Functions of United Nations
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