For over 47 years, the outbreak of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union alliances has led to several political, economic, and military tensions on various countries around the globe. Immediately after the occurrence of World War II, a huge difference on the political ideologies of both parties triggered another outburst of foreign policies that have conflicting views between the two. Seemingly, the main reason for the outburst of Cold War from 1944 to 1991 is to extend both the opposing parties’ power and dominance around the world. The United States evidently wanted to gain control over the Eastern part of the globe, whereas the Soviet Union allies do not want to be controlled over, especially that the effects of the World War II has still been felt by several countries.
Figure 1. The Emergence of Cold War between the Western (United States)
There are also several key elements that shaped the strain between the United States and the Soviet alliances. Global power and dominance, the conformation of social services, the strengthening of international economic trades, as well as their conflicting principles greatly influenced the two parties to solidify their national security and military defences (Leffler & Painter, 1). The war also seemed unavoidable between the two parties since there are several interests and securities that were threatened right after the end of the World War II. For instance, the international economic developments in the Soviet allies weakened due to conflict with other nations. Hence, the Soviet Union wanted to take advantage of strengthening their economic status by means of gaining more power and dominance. Likewise, the United States also wanted to further extend their control of territory by dominating the Eastern region. Supposedly at that time, the Americans and the Soviet only wanted to protect their land by engaging in another war. However, through careful analysis about the history of the Cold War, we revealed that there are also hidden principles and ideologies that the two superpower countries wanted to convey for their own interests. Hence, to promote international order around the world, Cold War was established.
The early stage of post-war period for the United States provided several obstacles towards the country’s mobilization status. However, as they gain more connections and alliances after the war, the United States has provided a huge lift in terms of their economy, military power, and dominance around the world. The emergence of Cold War between the United States and the USSR enabled the Americans to further strengthen their economy and military forces through territorial expansion and control over other countries.
Furthermore, it was also noted that after the breakout of the war, America has already been considered as the most powerful country in the world (Pierce). Their military progress has made even scarier and deadlier through the creation of U.S. atomic bombs.
Western democracy has also flourished in America despite the spread of Communism in the whole Soviet Union. Despite the individual developments that occurred between the United States and the Soviet alliances, there were still threats and extortions between these two parties. The United States also promoted efficient planning and support for the developing countries for them to expand their control to other nations as well as to strengthen their ties and social connections with the other states (Leffler & Painter, 306). Even if the United States had several obstacles right after the war, they continued to strengthen their international economy, established foreign capital on developing countries, as well as improving their technologies for future studies. These remarkable actions made by the Americans were implemented not only to preserve the historic feat of the whole country but also to create an even stronger and powerful nation. These beliefs are far more important to achieve progress and development in the nation.
Just as how the United States struggled on the early years after the Cold War, the political leadership of American leaders also wriggled. The aggressive forces of the Soviet Union forced the Americans to provide a policy of containment and suppression with regards to the rehabilitation of their political power. This policy has been developed in order to provide international stabilization of political rights, to create a balanced political power and force on the whole state, as well as to neglect the totalitarian government (Costa). In rebuilding the political governance in the United States, the Truman regime is more involved in creating a balanced and unified power among the international political leaders instead of applying internal pressures to various leaders, whereas the Eisenhower government is much more concerned with domestic politics to create containment policies that are applicable to the current status of the nation (Costa). The Truman governance is more concerned with external threats in the country that made him focused on establishing containment policies in the United States that would worked on international relations. During his leadership, there were controlled government spending, lowering of taxes, creation of balanced power in Europe and Asia, and more importantly, there was a stabilization on American economy. In terms of military privileges, Truman is more of a conventional warfare rather than that of nuclear military forces. On the other hand, the Eisenhower governance flourished the internal and domestic politics within the country as basis for his containment policies. Eisenhower is more interested in creating a conservative fiscal policy for economic development. He also established fair trade relations within the state, being defined more as a proponent of socialist ideology (Costa). He intended to lower the taxes instead of creating expensive military overseas. Even if these two administrations contradict each other in terms of their goals and objectives, they still share a common aspiration of limiting Soviet’s power and dominance around the world. Even if they have different approach on their containment policies, both of them wanted to create a much more developed and stronger United States.
As the United States and the Soviet Union allies entered the 1960’s, stable and much more developed countries were observed. In Europe, for example, more jobs were created for the people and that their means for government spending for people’s welfare benefits created more opportunities for people to live a wealthy life (West, 902). Seemingly, Europeans have more money to spend on their leisure and economic freedom is very evident in the whole nation. Furthermore, due to economic prosperity all over the United States and the Soviet Union, the rise of counterculture movements created equal opportunities and social justice for everyone (West, 906). Likewise, social stabilization and economic growth were also abundant in several countries as well. One of the most remarkable movements that were formed during this era is the formation of political groups – from feminist institutions to environmentalists, national separatists, and populist politics (West, 902). Another development in the post-war era in USSR is the people’s appreciation to Marxism, thereby creating a New Left movement that aimed to promote a repressive totalitarian government system. In the United States, likewise, an improvement of Western capitalism also strengthened the economic and social governance of the nation.
Figure 4. Feminist group during the 1960’s promoting equality and justice for women.
At present, the most powerful and the most influential countries that we have are United States and the European Union. Their economic, social, military, and political governance are very much better and bolder as compared to other developing countries. With the kind of media that we have now, there’s no wonder that the United States and Europe also have their control over them. The textbooks that we have explicitly define the historic moments between these two parties. Nonetheless, with the kind of media that we have right now, I guess that there is no more room for commemorating these important events in world history. I believed that with the kind of life that people have right now, there will be no sign of interests nor appreciation for the kind of historical feat that the world possess.
Works Cited
Costa, Danielle. “How Domestic Politics and Balance of Power Considerations influenced the Truman and Eisenhower Administrations' Containment Policy”. 1998. Web. Retrieved 05 April 2016. <http://www.indyflicks.com/danielle/papers/paper04.htm>
Leffler, Melvyn & David Painter. “Origins of the Cold War”. 2005. 1-352. Web. Retrieved 05 April 2016. <http://www.hist.asu.ru/faculty/cafedrs/library/Origins_of_Cold_War.pdf>
Pierce, David. “America in the Post War Period”. 2009. Student Pulse, 1(10). Web. Retrieved 05 April 2016. <http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/2/america-in-the-post-war-period>
West, McKay. “Challenging the Postwar Order”. 2011. 902-935. Web. Retrieved 05 April 2016. <http://www.macmillanlearning.com/Catalog/uploadedFiles/Content/BSM/Product/TOC/McKay%20West%20Understanding%20Chapter%2030%20reduced%20size.pdf>
