The Cold War alludes to to an economic, military and political conflict involving the Soviet Union and the United States from 1945 to 1991. After the Second World War, changes in general superiority led to complications which resulted in tensions between the two blocs. The United States was opposed to attempts by the Soviet Union to extend their territories hence leading into diplomatic tension, upgrading of security systems and proxy wars between the two great nations. The Soviet Union wanted to acquire Poland in addition to taking a share of Berlin. The then president of the United States, Harry Truman, turned down their request and threatened them with an atomic bomb were they to proceed with their intentions. In retaliation, Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet bloc of nations, oversaw the commencement of development of weapons by his bloc. President Truman terminated the Lend-Lease Act, which made the Soviet Union acquire satellite states in return. The expansion of the Soviet Union instilled fear on the United States and the general public. Peace prevailed in Europe during the entire period of the Cold War whereas deaths and killings of people were happening in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The Cold War however led to divisions across Europe with some countries closing their borders with their neighbors due to opposing communism and capitalism ideologies. Hungary for instance had closed its border with Austria whereas East and West Germany were separated by the Berlin Wall. The USSR had succeeded in imposing its communist ideas on nations such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria consequently garnering more allies in the face of an apparent war with the United States. The two blocs pointed accusing fingers at each other and claimed the other was trying to gain undue advantage over the other. (Webb). Upon restoration of peace and end of tensions, the two main blocs, the United States and the USSR, agreed to do away with a certain range of weapons as they were deemed too destructive even in times of war and conflict. This can be seen as a consequence of the Cold War which facilitated the creation of an agreement that to date limits the types of weapons that can be employed in war.
The effects of the Cold War in Asia can be illustrated by the war in Vietnam involving pro-Communist and anti-Communist nations. The war destabilized the region and resulted in the deaths of millions of people. Human rights were ignored during this period. Governments willingly partook in the war without due consideration of the impact the war would have on the residents of the affected regions. (Dennis et al. p 162). Children, women and men alike lost their lives while others were rendered homeless and became refugees in their own countries. The book ‘The Sorrow of War’ portrays how the war in Vietnam ended many a dream of the members of the military as war was not initially anticipated. Soldiers abandoned their families and joined forces to fight for their countries tossing them into a psychological state of despair and loneliness of parting with their dear ones. Kien summarizes the effects the war had on him by stating that it determined all the events of his life, be it the joys, the hatreds, the happiness, the loves or the unhappiness. (Ninh 75).
In Africa, the Cold War had its effects too. The killing of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo to be lawfully elected, is a consequence of the Cold War. He was a victim of the plot by the American and Belgian governments who wanted to take retain the control of the mines from which the two governments would obtain raw materials such as uranium. The move was intended to ensure that the enemies of America would not access the raw materials. It is also an illustration of how the United States regularly interfered with the domestic affairs of other sovereign countries which dared contradict their policies. (Anthony p 221). His killing thus paralyzed the prospected development of DRC as the intention was to use the income from selling the raw materials to raise the living standards of its people. It would thus be right to say that the Cold War served to destabilize the DRC whose people have not known peace since. The subsequent regimes, such as Mobutu’s, have failed to promote national unity and peace that had been instilled by Lumumba. In Nigeria, Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ shows how the arrival of the white people led to an eruption of wars across the country causing deaths of many people and massive destruction of property.
The effects of the Cold War in Latin America can clearly be shown by looking at the occurrences of events in Cuba. The capitalist United States faced off against the communist USSR after allegations of the latter deploying nuclear weapons in Cuba emerged. The news caused political tensions and provoked action. The United States had made it clear that it would attack Cuba due to its communist affiliations and the USSR was trying to help. The United States unsuccessfully tried to oust Fidel Castro’s government as he had different ideologies from those of the United States. Castro preferred progressive nationalism mode of ruling but the United States believed it to be a form of communism. (Pettina). Che Guevara relates in his book ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’ of his collaboration with Castro to overthrow the previous Cuban government that was backed by the United States. The Cd War thus had a hand in destabilizing the then governments of the weaker nations such as the Cuban government as people fought for liberation from the United States.
The movie ‘The Official Story’ also depicts the effects of the Cold War in Latin America. The movie shows the atrocities committed by the Argentinian military regime. It tells of abductions and killings that were recklessly instigated by the then government. People who were considered to be enemies of the government were apprehended without trial. Others were murdered. The government would take away children from some families and use them to reward the childless families that backed the regime. The government prioritized its agendas over family solidarity on a rather cruel way. Thousands of people disappeared without trace. The junta imposed a ban on political alliances and unions and suspended parliament. The regime forced people to flee the country as was the case with the lead actress Norma Aleandro who returns to the country only after the end of the military regime. Citizens could not protest against the government. (Kaltura Test). No one dared raise their voice against the junta. A newspaper publisher by the name Jacobo Timmerman who spent two years in prison for opposing the regime reflects on the events in his country and ponders on the torture, rape and murders that were happening.
The Russians and the Chinese created an alliance to defend themselves against the threat posed by the United States. Soviet-backed North Korea and American-backed South Korea went into war when the North invaded the South aiming to convert it into a communist state. The United States intervened and forced the North Korean troops to retreat. China got involved when the American troops pushed past the 38th parallel and the war escalated. General McArthur, who had led the invasion, was denied permission to use atomic bombs in the war. (Craig and Redchenko p 233). The United States was backed up by United Nations’ troops. The invasion had the effect of preventing the spread of communism. Escalation of tension between the two blocs facilitated the development of advanced weapons such as nuclear armor as each bloc sought to gain superiority over their rival.
The Cold War can be said to have divided the world into two factions: the communists and the capitalists. It has also massively contributed into the development of weaponry by various countries especially the United States and the former members of the USSR as they sought to defend themselves from the apparent threat posed by the other. The then president of the United States Ronald Reagan wrote to then then secretary general of the USSR Gorbachev and requested for resumption of friendly relationship between the nations. (President Ronald Reagan Letter to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev March 11, 1985). At the end of all the misunderstanding and distrust between the United States and the USSR that led to massive loss of lives and destruction of property, balance of power that leaves the United States as the leading superpower was established.
Works Cited
Ninh, Bao. The sorrow of war: a novel. Random House, 1998.
Anthony, Douglas. "Ours Is a War of Survivals: Biafra, Nigeria and Arguments about Genocide, 1966“70". Journal of Genocide Research 16.2-3 (2014): 205-225.
"Kaltura Test". Rocket.lib.muohio.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 May 2016.
President Ronald Reagan Letter to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev March 11, 1985. 1st ed. Source: Margaret Thatcher Foundation], 2016. Print.
