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Cold War
The nuclear arms race divided the world in a struggle as costly as any another war. East vs. West, Communism vs. Democracy, the Bear vs. the Eagle; all these were major factors in the lives of millions for 4 decades.
6,177 Questions
Communism and Non-Communists existed prior to WW2. We just had a temporay truce until the Axis Powers were defeated. After Germany and Japan were defeated then we concentrated on each other in the cold war. The AXIS POWERS were an immediate danger to the world.
What was one of Stalin's major goals in eastern Europe after World War 2?
To create a protective buffer zone of friendly governments.
Which countries were in conflict during the Cold War?
The Cold War started as an ideological 'war' of threats and posturing. The primary countries did not fight with each other directly -- they made threats and tried to bully. Those involved were The Allies (USA, England, France, possibly Canada) vs. The Soviet Union (Russia). Russia supplied Cuba with missiles, which was too close for USA comfort.
The Cold War was primarily between the United States and the USSR/Russia. It was about the arms race, a race of secrecy to acquire the best, most powerful weapons the quickest. The USA knew the power of nuclear weapons, since the US dropped the H-bomb on Japan. President John F. Kennedy tried to get Russia and Cuba to see the error of their ways. But there were no diplomatic avenues; the Powers weren't negotiating very well. The Arms race meant everything to Russia, but the US viewed nuclear weapons as a last resort threat to the entire human race and to planet Earth.
As it continued, The Cold War consisted of various proxy wars fought over a period of several decades from 1947 to 1991. The primary coalitions during this time included the capitalist members of NATO aligned with the United States and the communist states of the Warsaw Pact aligned with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
The Cold War proceeded and as proxy wars included the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Soviet War in Afghanistan, as the Powers did not directly engage each other (knowing it would cause World War III), but they engaged other countries in warring. Combatants of the Korean War include South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada versus North Korea, the People's Republic of China (Red China), and the Soviet Union. Participants of the Vietnam War include South Vietnam, the United States, South Korea, Australia, and the Republic of China (Taiwan) versus North Vietnam, the People's Republic of China, and the Soviet Union. Finally, the Soviet War in Afghanistan was fought between Soviet forces and the Afghan Mujahideen.
What was the ideology of American Cold War policies and practices the late 1940s to the mid-1950s?
The cold war ideology changed wartime alliances after WWII by bringing the two super powers, the United States and Russia, head to head on opposing sides even though during the war they were allies with a common enemy. During the war, both super powers were set against Nazi Germany, but they both had different ideas as to how the world should be ran afterwards and came to blows over it.
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Following the collapse of Germany and then Japan in 1945, the USA began a rapid de-militarization. It was assumed by American political leaders that the bad guys had disappeared from the planet. This childish outlook was quickly assaulted by the Soviets. The brutal reign of terror the Soviets unleashed on defenseless Germany after the war did not go unnoticed. In the east, Soviets used captured Japanese arms to build up communist Chinese units which quickly overran that country. During this time, both the USA and British governments were shot through with Soviet sympathiers and outright traitors. The Soviets were able to steal the science to build atomic weapons from these sources. Using captured German scientists they also began building a major rocket program. Gradually the USA began to awaken to the Soviet threat. Proxy units from the Soviet nation invaded southern Korea in 1950. Earlier the Soviets had tried to seize all of Berlin. China, as noted, had fallen. Soviet sponsored units were on the move in Greece, Malaysia and Turkey. When the USA went to war in Korea, it was with WWII veterans for the most part, fighting with WWII equipment. The major exception being that the air force now had excellent jet aircraft. This war was the first attempt of the USA to face the communist/Soviet threat in a major way. With this as background, the USA finally began to develop a coherent post WWII strategy. Since the Soviet/Chinese bloc was so huge and powerful (and nuclear armed), outright confrontation was essentially impossible. Instead the USA began to use its vast wealth and power to 'contain' the communist threat. Korea was fought to a draw. Next came Vietnam. Cuba was a big victory for the Soviets, in 1959. American proxy wars were fought in various parts of Latin America and Africa. Americans supported the Taliban in Afganistan in the 1980s. Gradually this policy of containment caused a drain on Soviet resources. Finally under the leadership of President Reagan the USA saw light at the end of the tunnel - a possible way to finish the Soviets. With the Soviets low on cash due to low petroleum prices, the USA moved to more and more confrontational policies. Seeing no way out, the Soviets decided to abandon their communist roots, the USSR collapsed and with it their vast empire slipped away. \
What weapons were used in the Cold War?
No weaponds were used in the cold war... that's why it was "cold"; althought the following weapons were manufactured: Long-Range ballistics Nuclear Devices Chemical and Biological Warheads Submarine Launched Ballistics. A few shots were fired however by spies though, since we sent a few over and they did the same.
Do not read this whole thing, I am a retard and don't know anything about the Cold War
The cold war was a conflict between ideologies. The non-communist nations and their proxies struggled against the communist ideology espoused by the USSR and its proxies. While the struggle was based mostly on diplomacy and intelligence gathering, there were numerous wars and incursions which were directly connected to the greater conflict. The Korean War, the Cuban Revolution, the Cambodian Civil War, the Laotian Civil War, the Congo Crisis, the Guatemalan Civil War, the Second Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were all wars/conflicts directly related to the Cold War.
During this time there were many new weapons developed ranging from improved firearms to ICBMs. New technology was used in tanks, jets, submarines, ships, helicopters, explosives and missile guidance systems. Some say that the wars fought during this time frame were just "tests" of new weapon systems.
Was gunpowder used in weapons during the Cold War?
Gunpowder was used, but I'm not sure you know what the Cold War was. No shots were fired. It refers to the political tension between the US and the USSR. The Soviet Union was supporting the establishment of Communist governments in many countries and the US was determined to prevent this. The primary weapon was the deployment of nuclear intercontinental missiles which ensured that if either side struck first the other would still have an arsenal capable of destroying the aggressor.
There were just over 300 deaths in the cold war. There were also 40 Nato planes shot down. Weapons were not used but they were manufactured. Both Nato and Warsaw pact improved their small arms. The US started to produce the M16a1 in 1950s. The Russians started to produce the AK-47 in 1947. Both also improved the tanks Americans improved their tanks and started using the M1 Abrams tank and the Russians improved their tanks from the T54 and the T55 to the T62 main battle tanks. Its main gun was 115mm it was also equipped with an anti aircraft machine gun and a 7.62 machine gun used on infantry. Both started to produce jets instead of propeller aircraft. Russia was the first to use nuclear power on the submarines making it virtually silent. Both sides had advanced there weaponry as time went on.
Why did the Soviets want to control Berlin?
The soviets goal was to spread communism in all of Europe so the soviets needed to get rid of non-communist powers to make this happen.
True. The Berlin Airlift was a direct response to the USSR cutting off supply routes. By doing this, the U.S. and Great Britain were able to get supplies to people in need who wouldn't have gotten them any other way.
What was the military alliance called between western Europe and US?
That would be NATO. (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Why did the United States regard the Korean War as a victory?
Chinese General Guo and Obama recently declaring the Korean War as a "victory." Both have their reasons, as the Chinese view it was a victory because they were able to successfully repel the "Imperialist aggression" led by US troops. As for the Americans, view it as a victory because their main objective was forcing back the Northern aggressors. and helped create a prosperous country (S. Korea) while (N.Korea) is a dump... Both sides view it as a "victory" of the Korean War, however it is rather a loss for the Koreans, who wanted a united country...
How did the Iron Curtain divide Europe?
Yes, the term "iron curtain" was coined during the cold war to describe the division between the Communist Soviet Union and the rest of Europe.
What were the seven East European Soviet satellite countries?
All were communist states. Also Eastern Germany.
What was the reason for the Berlin Airlift?
Stalin blockaded the border between East Germany and West Germany, cutting off rail and road shipments of supplies to West Berlin. He hoped this would starve West Berlin into surrendering to his control.
The Berlin Airlift was performed to bring in supplies by air and prevent Stalin from succeeding in his plans.
Who were the key people involved in the fall of the Berlin wall?
The building of the Berlin Wall was ordered by East German leader Walter Ulbricht, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED).
The man given the responsibilty of overseeing the building of the wall was Erich Honnecker, the Central Committee secretary for security matters. In official SED-jargon the wall was referred to as antifaschistische Schutzwall - antifascist barricade.
Ironically, Honnecker was the leader of East Germany when the wall was finally breached on November 9 1989 and opened to unrestricted traffic, marking the beginning of the end of the wall.
Following the reunification of Germany Honnecker fled to the Soviet Union, but was extradited back to Germany where he faced charges in relation to the deaths of East Germans, who had illegally attempted to leave East Germany (as de facto head of the GDR from 1971, Honnecker was responsible for maintaining the border guards' shoot-to-kill orders in repsect of people attempting to flee the country. From 1961 to 1989, a toatal of 192 people were killed attempting to escape). At his trial, Honnecker admitted "political responsibility" for the deaths but denied any "legal or moral responsibility". The trial was eventually halted as Honnecker was dying of cancer and in January 1993 he left the country to live in exile in Chile. Honnecker died on 29 May 1994, having never shown any remorse for the victims of the wall.
What state in the US is very close to Russia?
Alaska,because Alaska was once apart of the Russian country.But then Russia sold Alaska to the U.S.
Who won the Korean War and did South Korea become communist?
The US won the Korean War and South Korea is a republic similar to ours. The US did not win the Korean war. See "Who actually won the Korean War?" Better answer. South Korea won the Korean War With the Help of Britain, Autralia and USA Neither side won the Korean War, although at first it seems like North Korea was winning and then the South was. It was a tie because there was a stalemate for two years between the two sides.
What was the most commonly hated symbol of the Cold War?
The most commonly hated symbol of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall.
What was on the soviet's side of the iron curtain?
The two sides of the Iron Curtain during the Cold War were the Soviet Union and Europe. This was a symbolic barrier put up to limit the West's influence.
What was Stalin's reaction to the iron curtain speech?
Stalin died in 1953; the Berlin Wall went up in about '60/61.
Why were Germany and Berlin symbols of the cold war?
Germany and Berlin were symbols of the Cold War due to their division into East and West, representing the broader ideological conflict between communism and capitalism. After World War II, Germany was split into East Germany (supported by the Soviet Union) and West Germany (aligned with the West), while Berlin, located deep within East Germany, was similarly divided. The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, became a powerful symbol of the struggle between the two superpowers, encapsulating the tensions of the Cold War era and the fight for ideological supremacy. The city's eventual reunification in 1990 marked a significant turning point in the Cold War's conclusion.
