argumentative essay on the cold war

159 Cold War Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

• 🤫 Secrets of Powerful Essay on Cold War

🏆 Best Cold War Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

🥇 most interesting cold war topics to write about, 💡 simple & easy cold war essay titles, 🎓 good research topics about cold war, ❓ cold war essay questions, 🤫 secrets of powerful essay on the cold war.

The Cold War is a significant part of the world’s history. Its term refers to the period between 1950 and late 1980, known for a great tension between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Essays on the Cold War are important assignments because they allow students to research the topic in detail. As the war was a major event that has affected many countries, students should prepare well for writing their Cold War essays. Our goal is to help you in writing an outstanding paper.

Start with researching the topics for your essay and selecting the one that interests you the most. Here are some Cold War essay titles we can suggest:

• Does the Cold War affect people or nations today?
• The link between the Cold War and the Korean War
• Argumentative essay on which country started the war
• Capitalist and communist economies during the Cold War
• The impact of the Cold War on international relations
• The link between the Domino theory and the Cold War
• The Effect of the Cold War on the environment

Select one of our titles or check out the examples of the Cold War essay topics online. Now you are ready to work on your essay. Here are some secrets of writing a powerful paper on the Cold War:

• Research the selected issue and think of the Cold War essay prompts you will discuss. Develop an outline for your paper based on your future arguments. Remember that an outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
• Do not forget to add a title page, if necessary.
• A good Cold War essay introduction should include some background information about the issue, its causes, and effects. Present a thesis statement in the last sentence of this section. It can look like this:

The Cold War still affects the population of North Korea.

• Discuss all relevant data in the body paragraphs. Identify the Cold War leaders, its ideology, global powers, and propaganda. Remember that the reader should get a full perspective on the issue you are discussing.
• Discuss the events that had happened before the Cold War began. What caused its eruption? What were the interests of parties responsible for the Cold War?
• Reflect on the consequences of the Cold War and its effects on today’s world. It will help you to get the reader’s interest.
• You can also discuss what would have happened if the war did not erupt or ended differently.
• Support your claims with evidence and add in-text citations when you refer to information from outside sources. Hint: Use peer-reviewed articles or scholarly books as your main sources of information. Do not rely on personal blogs or websites like Wikipedia.
• Summarize your arguments in a concluding paragraph. Restate your thesis and present the findings of the paper. Remember to end your essay on a positive note.
• Although content is important, make sure that you use correct grammar and sentence structures too. Check the paper several times to make sure that you have made no crucial mistakes. Remember that spelling is important too. You can ask your peers to review the paper for you, if possible.

Remember that our free samples are there for you if you need some ideas for your paper!

• “The Cold War: A New History” by John Lewis Gaddis In Chapter 1 “Return of Fear”, Gaddis states that the Cold War was caused due to the competing and divergent ideologies of the United States and the Soviet Union.
• The Cold War and the Balance of Power Theory The end of the Cold War and the fall of the Communist Block have led to a complete change in the balance of power in the international arena.
• The Film Industry During Cold War The end of world war two marked the start of the cold war between the Unites States of America and the Soviet Union.
• The Cold War: Causes and Consequences United States, which sustained the minimal damage during the apocalyptic war, was elevated to the status of the savior of the new world in the west whilst mighty Soviet Union whose winters not only mercilessly […]
• Cold War: Summary, Causes, History, & Facts The plot of the Soviet Union to spread the issue of communism to all parts of the world stands out as the major cause of the Cold War.
• The Cold War and the Events of September 11 The anxieties arising from the issue of European immigrants echo the sentiments of securitization and Islamophobia following the events of September 11.
• The Cold War: US Foreign Policy The paper seeks to explore issues surrounding the US foreign policy in the course of the war, as well as the implications of the war on the United States’ society and culture.
• International Relations: Atomic Bombs and Cold War The dropping of the nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima by the United States directly contributed to the initiation of the Cold War. The utilization of the bombs led the Soviet Union to see the […]
• Countries That Suffered the Greatest as a Result of the Cold War After the Second World War, there was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communists’ countries of Eastern Europe, which is called The Cold War.
• Oleg Penkovsky, a Double Agent of the Cold War The political race of the Soviet Union and the United States began after the end of the Second World War. In 1953, Penkovsky began working in GRU and was sent to work in Turkey as […]
• Post-Cold War Challenges At the time when strained relations between the US and the Soviet Union ended, the financial systems of several countries, particularly those in Eastern Europe, were in the process of collapsing.
• How Did the Cold War Order of the Asia-Pacific Differ From That of Europe? The primary difference in the cold war order of the Asia-Pacific and that of Europe was instigated by the reason for security arrangements between the two regions.
• Cold War and a Bipolar World It has been emphasized that important milestones like winning of Second World War, and development of the Marshall Plan were possible due to considerable investments in the military power by the US during the cold […]
• To What Extent Did the Cold War Shaped the US Relations With Latin America? The reasons are on one hand, the great fear to the Soviet Union catch up and expansion, on the other hand the fear of Cuba bring communism domino effect to the Latin America countries and […]
• America During the Cold War One of such pages was the Cold War – the period of geopolitical tension that started after the World War II between the US and the Soviet Union.
• Reasons for Soviets Losing the Cold War Following the surrender of Nazi Germany at the end of the second world war, the uncomfortable wartime alliance between Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union started to crumble.
• The Cold War: Reassessing the Cold War and the Far-Right The cold war was a rivalry between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their allies. Loss of lives in different states was a massive consequence of the cold war.
• The Unfinished Journey: The US During the Cold War The first statement at the beginning of the chapter is that the Vietnam War is a consequence of the Cold War.
• The Cold War Ideologies’ Impact on the American History The key powers involved in the cold war were the United States of America and the Soviet Union. As the Americans adopted capitalism while building the economy, the society was divided into two classes, the […]
• Cold War Impact on Germany The question of Germany’s destiny, its state structure, and postwar borders were on the agenda of the meetings of representatives of the leading countries – members of the anti-Hitler coalition in the years of the […]
• The Cold War: The US vs. the Soviets Polarization The relationship between the U.S.and the Soviets was shaped by an intricate interplay of economic, political, and ideological factors, which resulted in the change between vigilant collaboration and often vicious superpower competition.
• Causes of the Cold War’s End Reagan’s policies may have contributed to the fall of communism, but it is more likely that the internal changes in the Soviet Union and the countries it ruled contributed more to the end of the […]
• The Cold War as a Turning Point in History Thus, one of the main events that became the subject of public discussion and concern of the world community was the actions of the United States of America and Russia in relation to the Middle […]
• The Global Cold War Book by Westad In the book “The Global Cold War” by Westad, the author seeks to understand why the cold war took longer and also the reason it became global.
• Latin America Impacted by Global Cold War This paper aims to discuss the conceptual positioning of Latin America in the context of the Global Cold War as the heart of the Third World.
• The Events of 1968 in American History and the Cold War Therefore, 1968 was a year of the end of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, the end of spying, Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination, racial protest in the Olympics, and the start of space exploration.
• The Cold War and Engagement The key elements of U.S.diplomacy to China and the Middle East were aimed at keeping the United States out of the problems of world affairs and improving foreign relations.
• US Strategy From the Cold War to the Post-Global War on Terrorism Before the collapse of the United Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, the United State’s strategy during the Cold War era had been one of deterrence to the potential threats of the USSR and its allies […]
• The Cold War in Context: Geopolitics In such difficult times, as the Cold War and the spread of terrorism, the role of Christians is to pursue one of God’s main principles, which is hope.
• Significant Events of the Cold War The confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War resulted in international crises. The USSR made a scientific breakthrough in the field of space during the Cold War.
• The Significance of the Iron Curtain at World War II and the Cold War Churchill encouraged the US and the UK to unite and ensure that they ended the actions that the Soviet Union was exercising.
• Great Depression and Cold War: Making of Modern America This paper will explore the causes of the Great Depression, the measures implemented within the New Deal, Cold War tensions, and the changes to the American society by the civil rights movement.
• Cold War Exchange in the Bridges of Spies Film Since the film is based on actual events, it is logical that this work’s primary purpose is to reflect the historical scene. However, according to the authors, the film is fiction and not documentary work.
• The Cold War Impact on African States & Societies The Cold War became a global geopolitical, military, and economic confrontation between the two blocs of states, the centers of which were the United States and the USSR, from 1946 to the end of 1980.
• How Did Cold War and Post-Cold War U.S. Imperialism Affect African Societies? During the Cold War, both the socialist motives of the USSR and the imperialist nature of the United States affected African nations and their changing political states.
• Latin America and the Cold War In the conditions of the Cold War, namely in the middle of the 1940s-1970s, Latin America was the arena of the struggle for the spheres of influence of the US and the Soviet Union.
• Cold War: Personalities of Individuals and Their Nations Cold War was a period in world history where the tension between the United States of America and the Soviet Union was at its peak. One of the key characters to improve the relationship between […]
• Post-Cold War Russia: Global, Strategic, and Diplomatic Importance The end of the Cold War and dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the considerable shift in global politics and economics, making reconsider a large number of issues in international relations and diplomacy.
• US Actions Abroad During the Cold War With the intensification of the Cold War in the 1950-s, the chase for dominance between the Communist countries and the US was manifested by the invasion of the empires into the domestic affairs of Vietnam […]
• The Cold War: Gains and Losses The United States was one of the countries that took part in the Cold War; it also involved itself in Space Race. The formation of alliances among the nations involved in the Cold War contributed […]
• The Cold War and Motivations Behind It Evaluating the situation, it appears that the major motivation behind the actions of the major players in this conflict was the distribution of authority in the world which started after the capitulation of Germany.
• End of the Cold War and Geopolitical Environment In the current global political and economic setup, United States has played a critical role in the promotion of free trade, deterrence in the development of nuclear weapons and enhancement of international security.
• US Involvement in Southeast Asia and the Cold War Vietnam is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that experienced the United States involvement in its politics in the 1950s Some of the reasons that have been fronted as having led to the involvement […]
• A Zero-Sum Game or a Win-Win Situation: The Outcome of the Cold War As for the historical context, after the War the USA had rather a beneficial position which helped the country to revive quickly and set the economical and political domination: the Marshall Plan, which seemed to […]
• The United States of America: The Post Post-Cold War Scenarios In the field of economy, it is expected that by the year 2010, China will be the largest economy in the World.
• Cold War Space Race Analysis The objective of this paper is to critically analyze the historic events that escalated as a result of the space race between America and the Soviets during the Cold war.
• Aftereffect of the Cold War: “The Crisis” by Alan Greenspan In the paper titled ‘Crisis’, the author Alan Greenspan had made an earnest effort to figure out the new emerging economic factors which came to existence as an after effect of the “Cold War” leading […]
• Cold War in the US. May’s ”Homeward Bound” Book In my view, domestic containment was a result of the insecurities and ambitions that were the outcome of the war and that is exactly what May argues, that it started inside the homes, “potentially dangerous […]
• Cold War: Development of the Events Churchill accused the Soviet Union of the deployment of global expansion and the attack on the territory of “the free world”.
• Impact of the Vietnam War and Results of the Cold War It galvanized the enemy and opponents of the war in both Vietnam and America and led many to question the ethics of the campaigns.
• Post-Cold War Era and Covert Activity Post 9/11, a review of the entire intelligence structure of the US was undertaken and all 16 intelligence agencies were placed under the central coordination of the Director of National Intelligence.
• Herbert Norman and the Cold War The information that was given to the FBI accused Norman of being a communist, a possible spy for the Soviet and not keeping his oath of loyalty.
• A Post Cold War Era The era of the Post Cold War period was considered to be the time of rehabilitation. The principal mission of the American policymakers after the Cold War period was containment.
• Cold War History: McCarthyism and Nuclear Weapons Race The foreign and the domestic policy by the US was featured by the increased fear of communism, and all the efforts were aimed to struggle with the leftist views, regardless of the fact, that the […]
• Effects of Cold War in Economic Development The increasing demand for the arms by many militaries increased the supply of the weapons and this and subsequent income increase to the manufacturing industries and the need for more and advanced technology to create […]
• Cold War 1945-1968, and 1973-1993 in USA At the suggestion of England and France the main provisions of the Marshall Plan were discussed in 1947 at the Paris meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the United States, England and France. […]
• Cold War Between the United States and the Soviet Union The matters of the cold war have been regarded by historians from both sides of the ocean for the years, and everyone accuses the opposite side of starting the cold war.
• The Cold War’s Aftermath in Europe The collapse of the Soviet Union, which occurred after the end of the Cold War, led to profound political and economic changes in many countries.
• The Role of Ideology in the Cold War The Cold War was a significant period for the history of the United States, the Soviet Union, and the Eastern Bloc, as well as other countries.
• From World War to Cold War The end of World War significantly shifted the balance of power in Europe and globally, leaving a void that both the United States and the Soviet Union sought to fulfill.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization After the Cold War Thus, detailed analysis is necessary to determine which of the two approaches above is the most suitable to explain NATO enlargement after the end of the Cold War.
• China’s Rise and Cold War With the US Thus, it is necessary to apply the concepts of liberalism and constructivism to understand the real reasons and probable consequences of the rise of China for the world.
• Cold War and Its Global Impact The competition between the USSR and the USA, the dissolution of the former, and major armed conflicts in Korea and Vietnam are among the events that still impact the world.
• Civilization in XIX Century and Cold War Even though it might appear to be nonsense, the fact of the matter is that there is more truth in the words of this unknown man than we, people living in the twenty-first century, might […]
• End of the Cold War and Global Economy Regarding the authoritarian nature of the Soviet power, the following issues significantly affected its collapse: the persecution of the Church and dissidents, forced collectivism, the domination of single ideology, the prohibition of communication with other […]
• Cold War II: A Big Misunderstanding Nevertheless, the posture of Russia and the actions towards former Soviets have been still regarded in terms of the Cold War after the USSR has dissolved and the Cold War was Over.
• The End of the Cold War Analyzing Gorbachevs actions and his incentives in the economy of the USSR, it is possible to conclude that the primary aim of these actions was the destruction of the welfare of the country, the growth […]
• Why Did the Cold War Begin? The Cold War was the defining conflict after the end of World War Two. One of the defining aspects of the Cold War is the feeling paranoia experienced by all sides of the conflict.
• The Cold War: A New History The United States of America and the Soviet Union were the two most powerful nations involved in the war. Another factor that contributed to the end of the cold war was the economic deterioration of […]
• American Foreign Policy: Cold War Orthodoxy The realization of the American citizens that there was a distance between the thoughts of the policy makers and the realities on the battlefield led to an intensified opposition to the war.
• Cultural Diversity, Cold War Art and Technology For instance, the CIA was at the forefront of promoting American Abstract Expressionist art in the form of paintings. The media is one of the technological avenues used to achieve this.
• Firefighting History From Cold War Era to Present This essay aims to outline how the social and political events had impacted the lives of firefighters in the times of Cold War and the Civil Rights movement, as well as to explore the current […]
• The United States in the Cold War Era and Korea The following paper will explain and cover the USA’s role in the Cold War era in Korea, and other significant shifts of this period.
• Cold War Korea in “Joint Security Area” Movie Both people and soldiers were taught that the other side is the enemy without a clear understanding of the true nature of the ideological conflict.”The ideological training they had received to hate and to kill […]
• Cold War Discussion: Six Facts The continuously developing conflict between the USSR and the USA became one of the most important aspects of the 20th century.
• The Cold War: Did Intelligence Make Any Difference? It is through such complexities that the article answers the pertinent questions on the role of the intelligence on the Cold War.
• Canada Role in the Cold War In the article from the Globe and Mail, the main argument is that Canada, as an ally of the United States and the United Nations was inclined to support military activity in Korea during the […]
• R. Mugabe’s Diplomacy in Zimbabwe During Cold War The role of the Soviet during the period was the main factor why the president chose to announce and use the doctrine while he was in office.
• Cold War and End of Empires in the 20th Century The Cold War was the political and military tension that existed primarily between the USA and its allies, on the one hand, and the USSR on the other, even despite the fact that these forces […]
• The Cold War Impact on Social Conditions One of the consequences of the Cold War for the lives of USSR civilians was the discord in the Soviet society.
• Cold War Origins in American and Russian Views The studies of the Cold War era are experiencing rejuvenation in the latest decade, mainly thanks to the availability of the previously classified documents. The book Debating the Origins of the Cold War: American and […]
• Cold War in Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove” Movie The period of history known as the Cold War was characterized by an increasing tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, two of the world’s greatest superpowers.
• The Cuban Crisis as the Challenge of the Cold War The agreement that the United States made with the Soviet Union was that the government of the United States had to dismantle its nuclear stations in Italy and Turkey.
• Post Cold War Period: Instability in Europe This paper looks at the end of the Cold War and emergence of peace in Europe, the internal consistency that brought about the cold war and that which has prevailed in the post Cold War […]
• “Berlin Airlift” – Cold War History The pathetic living conditions of the people provoked feelings of hatred towards the four forces that were contesting for the ownership of the city.
• Richard Nixon’s Diplomacy During the Cold War The term ‘Cold War’ refers to the persistent state of military and political anxiety that was experienced by countries in the Eastern Bloc, including Russia and Warsaw pact allies; and the Western Bloc countries such […]
• Hard or Soft Power in the Cold War’s End One of the biggest motivations that triggered the involvement of the United States in the cold war was the need to stop the Soviet Union spreading their communist ideologies into other parts of the world.
• The Soviet Space Program Role in the Cold War The paper will begin by providing an overview of the Cold War in order to highlight the conditions that led to the space race between the US and the USSR.
• The Rapid Ending of the Cold War Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union that had been going on ever since the end of the Second World War lasted for decades and involved all of the spheres of the […]
• The Cold War: Causes of Tension and Role of Media The Cold War involved the United States and the Soviet Union due to their different ideologies on ways of managing the economy of a country. The beginning of the Cold War was marked by the […]
• The Current Tendencies of the Cold War Stone estimates the principles of McCarthyism, which identifies the era of the Cold War regime and stems from the conspiracy games of the American senator Joe McCarthy.
• Cold War’s Impact on the Southeast Asia According to a number of studies, the increasing interests and involvement of the western world and the USSR in the region inspired the rise of the Militarism in Vietnam during the War.
• Cold War Major Aspects and Events Conflicts of interest between the United States and the Soviet Union were the main cause for the cold war which replaced the Second World War in the year 1945.
• Muslims Increase and the Spread of Islam Also, the paper will highlight the reasons that have hampered the spread of Islam in the US and in the modern world.
• John Lewis Gaddis: “The Cold War: A New History” For the Soviet Union, the war was a significant devastation and the amount of people and cities lost was enormous. 2 It is obvious that the governments of the two powerful world nations had their […]
• How U.S. Relations Have Impacted and Affected Pakistani-Indian Relations Post Cold War S Pakistan relationship is however strained in that Pakistan has lost its trust for the U.S.it blames the U.S.for the violence that has escalated in the country in the recent past.
• Cold War Paranoia in “Captain America” and “Batman” This form of unexpected events underscores the uncertainty that surrounded the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
• Was the American Use of the Atomic Bomb Against Japan in 1945 the Final Act of WW2 or the Signal That the Cold War Was About to Begin Therefore, to evaluate the reasons that guided the American government in their successful attempt at mass genocide of the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, one must consider not only the political implications behind the actions […]
• The US Influence on the Middle East in the Post-Cold War Era The aim of the essay is to evaluate the impact of the shift from bipolar to the unipolar international system on the Middle East.
• Cold War Consequences for European Countries After the war, the nations faced humongous economic slump, the pecuniary implications of the war took toll on the European Nations.
• The Role of the Cold War in Shaping Transatlantic Relations in the Period 1945 to 1970 It was considered to give a connotation to the international structure throughout the cold war and could work as a dynamic aspect in generating the dynamics of the east-west conflict.
• Japan’s Role Since the End of the Cold War Having assumed a relatively ‘peaceful’ stand, Japan was able to recover from the impacts of WWII to become one of the most powerful countries in the world at the end of the Cold War in […]
• Misperceptions and the Cold War After the WW II, the America rose to become the most powerful nation in the world, however, the USSR perceived this negatively, which resulted into fierce rivalry between the two nations and the war hang […]
• The Onset of the Cold War The majority of historians adhere to the idea that the period of ideological tension dates back to the period after the World War II whereas other scholars agree that its beginning refers to the end […]
• Nature of State Sovereignty in the Post-Cold War Era To begin with, a discussion will be carried out on the impact of the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 and how it played a significant role of reshaping the state of sovereignty especially after the […]
• Cold War Politics, Culture and Wars The Western democracies led by the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a discussion regarding the development of the war and the nature of the post-war settlement.
• Liberal Optimism for Post Cold-War Period Essentially, the liberals believed that the damage caused to the allies in the Cold War would clarify the stance of the liberals.
• The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Among the situations that called for America’s diplomacy during the Cold War include the deliberate efforts to improve relations with the Soviet Union and ease the hostilities between the U.S.and the Soviet Union.
• International Relations During the Cold War In the face of being associates opposed to the Axis powers, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics differed in relation to opinionated philosophy and the arrangement of the post-conflict world at […]
• Rethinking Cold War History Near the end of the World War II, upon the surrender of the Nazi, there emerged strong alliances among nations that had participated in the world war.
• The Cold War and Its Influence on the American Society After the collapse of the Nazi government, in the year 1945, the US and the Soviet Union became the world superpowers.
• Origins of the Cold War The Cold War was the repercussion of World War II following the emergence of two key supremacy blocs in Europe one of which was subjugated by ideologies of the democracy of the capitalist America.
• Cold War Era and Threats to American Families Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by an atomic bomb marked the end of World War II and the beginning of the cold war.
• Holocaust and the Cold War Cold war refers to the military and political tension between the United States of America and the Soviet Union immediately after the World War 2.
• The Cold War Between the United States and the Soviet Union Klaus and Lane state that this war came to be known as the cold war because the two sides: the Soviet Union and the United States never engaged in a physical fight. In conclusion, the […]
• The Causes of Korea War and How It Epitomized Cold War The Korean War was fought in Korean Peninsula between armies from North and those from South Korea. The only and main cause of the Korean War was the invasion of South Korea by North Korea […]
• The Major Causes of the Cold War Between the Soviet Union and the United States According to Leffler in his book “The Specter of Communism” the cold war was a political and economical war between the United States and the Soviet Union, which started few years after the end of […]
• Reasons of the Cold War Between the Soviet Union and the US Furthermore, before the war, the US described the USSR as a reincarnation of the devil but the feeling was mutual; the USSR did not see the US any different from the devil.
• Modern American History From the Second World War to the Cold War From Ford’s, Jew hatred and political racism-Hitler was especially, personal had a high regard for the anti-Semitism of Henry Ford-; to the Carnegie’s involvement in creation of a Master Race; the relationship between Rockefeller and […]
• Physical Fitness and Sport Policy in the Cold War Johnson presidential administration shifted the priorities in the sports national policy and vision of sports rivalry in the United States.”Addressing the subject in terms of federal initiatives during the 1960s, this article will argue that […]
• To What Extent Did the Cold War Play a Role in the 1950s in Catalyzing the Iranian Revolution in 1979? S wanted the world to practice free trade while the Soviet union wanted nothing to do with international trade, the power rivalry where each of the nations wanted to dominate the other, another cause of […]
• United States and Soviet Union Relationship Throughout the Cold War Soon after the end of the Second World War, the signs of tensions and mistrust reappeared even though the two nations had been allies during the war and the US had even supplied Russia with […]
• The Cold War’s Developments in the Relations Between the US and the Soviet Union The cold war was fueled by mistrust between the USSR and the U.S. At the end of the World War II, USSR was the only power centre that nearly equaled the U.S.
• The Cold War and the Fifties Studies point out that in 1945, the west, under President Truman strongly reacted to the policies set by Stalin in Poland by stopping all its support to the Soviet Union and expressing massive misgivings about […]
• Coverage of the Cold War in Life Magazine: The Bomb That Never Exploded The attitude to the atomic bomb and its role in the Cold War sufficiently changed with the course of time, and this change is reflected, in particular, in the coverage of Cold War events by […]
• The Cold War: Global Prosperity and Human Rights The Cold War was one of the most famous and crucially important conflicts between the United States of America and the Soviet Union.
• The Cold War Between the Union Soviet Socialist Republic and the United States of America The Americans believed in the principles of democracy and free enterprise while the Russians believed that the whole world must convert to a system of governance according to the teachings of Karl Marx and Lenin.
• Importance of Berlin in Cold War The main causes were; Economic: The United States was interested in supporting free trade in the whole World but The Soviet Union did not show any interest in this venture as it feared if it […]
• The Cold War and Its Influence on Europe Control of Europe was at the centre of the cold war because communists controlled Eastern Europe and wanted to extent their influence to Western Europe as well.
• How Did the Cold War Transform American Foreign Policy?
• What Are the Main Origins of the Cold War, and Why?
• What Role Did Sport Play During the Cold War?
• How Did the Cold War Begin and What Weapons Were Used to Fight This War?
• How Did Cold War Affect Popular Culture?
• What Factors Influenced the Origins of the Cold War?
• What Did the Berlin Wall Mean to Both Sides in the Cold War?
• Why Was the Cold War Called the Cold War?
• How Did the Cold War Shape the American Economy, Society, and Politics?
• How Did the Berlin Crisis Affect the Cold War?
• What Were the Main Reasons for the Beginning of the Cold War Between the USA and the Ussr?
• What Were the Key Elements of the Policy of Deterrence and Containment During the Cold War?
• How and Why Did the Cold War End?
• Why Did the Cold War in Europe and Asia Get More Serious?
• Did the Cold War Affect International Relations?
• Why Was Ronald Reagan Not Responsible for Ending the Cold War?
• Why Did the Cold War End, and What Roles Did Hard and Soft Power Play?
• Why Was the Cuban Missile Crisis a Turning Point in Cold War Relations?
• Why Did the Liberal World System Win the Cold War?
• Why Did the Detente Didn’t End the Cold War?
• What Impact Did World War II and the Cold War Have On the Development of Science in the 20th Century?
• Why Did the United States Get Involved in the War in Korea, and in What Sense Was It an Outgrowth of the Cold War?
• What Were Americans Fears During the Cold War?
• What Was the Domino Theory During the Cold War?
• What Was the Cold War, and How Did It Start?
• Did Ronald Reagan End the Cold War?
• Why Did the Cold War Never Become Hot?
• What Caused the Clash Between Communism and Capitalism During the Cold War?
• How Did the Cold War Affect Domestic Policy and American Society?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Cold War - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

The Cold War was a defining period in world history, spanning from the end of WWII until 1991. It was a political, economic, and ideological struggle between the USSR and the United States, which dominated the global debate for decades. Writing a research paper about Cold War is a challenging task, but with the help of free essay examples on Cold War, students can gain insight into this complex period.

Our experts have prepared a collection of essay samples covering various aspects of this period, including its causes, effects, and debates. Students can use these examples to evaluate different thesis statements, outline their arguments, and craft an effective introduction and conclusion

The Cold War was fueled by the clash of two powerful ideologies: communism and capitalism. The Soviet Union was a communist country, while the USA was a capitalist democracy. The states involved in this struggle were split into two camps based on their ideology and political beliefs. The impact of the Cold War was felt worldwide, as many countries were forced to choose sides and take part in ideological conflict.

One of the most significant events of the Cold War was the construction of the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Berlin for decades. By examining our argumentative essay topics, students can gain a deeper understanding of this critical period and make a summary of the human rights violations related to it.

The Cold War: Severe Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union

The feuding began after World War II, mostly regarding political and economic power. After the destruction that World War II caused, the United States and the Soviet Union were left standing. Gaining control of countries was sought after, even if the countries weren't benefiting them in any way. During this time, it was all about power. From the years of 1957 to 1975, the Cold War was in full effect and the United States and the Soviet Union were in […]

How did the Cold War Affect the World Today

This project is going to be about the Cold War affect at that time and today. The author-topic happened in the United States and the Soviet Union and during the mid of the 40's to late 80's. The author argument about a political and economic struggle between the two superpowers, we can describe it as militarism. This topic is essential to the United States Because the United States emerged as the sole superpower in the world and, capitalism beat communism. […]

Keith Haring is an American Pop Artist

Keith Haring is an American pop artist whose work became well known around the 1980s. He turned the average, bleak surroundings of his life into a platform that he could express his artwork and the many controversial ideas within through. Most of his work focuses on deep personal and human values, e.g. love, sex, war, death, and societal expectations, but he's most well known for dismantling the stigma of aids, advocating for the LGBT+ & African-American communities, and detesting drugs […]

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Relationship between United States and Soviet Union during Cold War

United States and Soviet Union's tensions were increasing and on edge leading up to, during, and after the Cold War. The conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States has two very different sides, creating different ways to place responsibility. The Soviet and US conflict began before the Cold War and continued on throughout. At the end of the WWII, Germany was defeated and split up among the victors. Because of this division, in 1948, conflict arose in the […]

Effects of the Cold War

The Cold War was a time of hostility that went on between the Soviet Union and the US from 1945 to 1990. This rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted decades and created a result in anti communist accusations and international problems that led up to the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster. During World War II, the Soviet Union and United States fought together as allies against the axis powers. However, the two nations […]

The Longest War Fought in America’s History

The Vietnam War was iniated in November 1st 1955 and was finished on April 30 1975 because communism was starting to grow in Vietnam and the U.S wanted to keep it contained. At the time President Nixon was really worried that if Vietnam was to become communist other nations would soon follow and switch to communism. Ultimately at the end of the war there were a million plus casualties on both sides. The war officially ended in 1975 with the […]

The Significance of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis on the Cold War

On January 1, 1959 a Cuban nationalist by the name of Fidel Castro, drove his guerilla army into Havana, the capital of Cuba. Him and his guerrilla dethroned General Fulgencio Batista who was the Cuban president at the time. He ruled for two two years while the State Department and the CIA aimed to push Castro out of power. Eventually, in April 1961, the CIA organized a definitive strike made up of Cubans that had been forced to flee from […]

Cold War Effects on America

The Cold War certainly changed and shaped the American economy, society, and politics from 1945 to 1992. The contrasting beliefs between Communism (the Soviet Union) and Democracy (the United States) caused the rift between the worlds top two most prominent superpowers -- Communism had established itself to be an immediate challenge to the importance of the United States of America. To stop these two world powers from becoming an even larger global conflict, a few military interventions were established in […]

The Vietnam War in the World History

Silence is all the soldiers could hear but they knew that they weren't alone. Soldiers from a foreign country attacked them from the shadows. Thousands of young American men were killed in the forests deep in Vietnam. The national interest of America that Americans developed after the Yalta Conference encouraged us to join the Korean War which led to the Vietnam War,the most regretted war in US History, guided America when it comes to foreign policies. At the end of […]

Ending the Cold War

The Cold War, America's risk of starting a third world war with the U.S.S.R but also one of America's most profitable and popular wars. The cold war begun after the WWII, when the soviets took control of half of Germany and wanted to expand their control over Asia and surrounding countries. Russia wanted to expand communism through out the pacific and the U.S wanted to liberate it and make it a more democratic place. Before this became an arms race, […]

Richard Nixon Foreign Policy and Cold War

The Cold War began to come to an end once President Richard Nixon stepped into office. He wanted to take a different approach to the international relations by using diplomacy instead of military action. In 1972, Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet premier, and Nixon signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. This treaty made both sides agree to halt all nuclear weapons manufacturing. This would then lead to a big step to ending the threat of nuclear war. Even though Nixon had […]

John F Kennedy’s Life

John F. Kennedy grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts with nine siblings. He was the second child born to Rose Fitzgerald and Joseph Kennedy Sr. He attended a catholic all boys school but didn't really care about his academics. John F. Kennedy was also a very sick child having suffered severe colds, flu, scarlet fever, and many more severe undiagnosed diseases. Due to the many illnesses he had it caused him to have to miss months of school. Kennedy graduated and […]

Ideological Conflict in the Cold War

The cold war was a time of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective ideologies. It followed World War II and lasted from about 1945-1991. It was not declared in the same sense as most wars; rather, it progressed over time. Therefore, there are different opinions about the exact beginning of the war. The places of hostilities most often were competitions, such as: who gets to space first, sports events and espionage. This was proof […]

Conformity Within 20th and 21st Centuries Utopias/Dystopias Idealized by Cold War Era

The Cold War changed the way that many people in the United States and the world in general viewed the vast differences between freedom and control. One of the key factors in the Soviet Union that so frightened outsiders, was the level of conformity that they commanded over their people. In the People’s Republic of China, everything from communication to travel was controlled and people did their jobs in both communities or were left behind in history. Every person was […]

Cold War in China, Cold War in Cuba, and Space Race

Today, I'm going to write a research paper about, Origins of the cold war, Cold War in China, Cold War in Cuba, and Space Race. These four topics are all related to the horrible tragedies that happened during the Cold War. A lot of families suffered during this war. A lot of the soldiers have died during this war. I will start off with my first topic, which is Origins of the Cold War. I hope you enjoy reading my […]

Cold War: Sanctions and Effects Diplomatic Relations

Today, modern rhetoric prevents improvement between the United States and Russia, especially during the Trump administration. In terms of sanctions, the Cold War has never ended. Sanctions range from financial, economic, diplomatic, personal, and corporate, and seem to follow one after the other like a game of retaliation. The consequences of the evolving sanctions and the predicted likelihood of more sanctions between the United States and Russia are returning us to Cold War levels of tension; different but potentially just […]

American History Since 1865

According to the article by Joseph McCarthy on Communism “It has not been the less fortunate or members of minority groups who have been selling this nation out, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offer — the finest homes, the finest college education, and the finest jobs in government we can give.” In essence, McCarthy claimed that he had a list of communists in the American gov't, but […]

Socialism and Communism in Cold War

The Cold War was commonly a contention fight for world prevalence. The contention between Soviet Union astounding. The battle between Soviet Spousal relationship and the unified states was inescapable on the grounds that America US would not like to enable the possibility of socialism to spread.it was the bedcover .it was the adversary between the two party that quickened the cool coldness war and since neither the Soviet Union nor the assembled states was eager to surrender and surrender, abdication […]

Cold War Communism in East Germany and Poland

The Cold War was an ideological War that happened between the Soviet Union and the United States, and it started after the Second World War. After the Second World War, Germany was defeated, and France and Britain were left exhausted and drained. The Soviet Union and the United States were also drained, but they remained with considerable power, and they rose to the status of superpower. The Soviet Union and the United States became rivals via mutual distrust and conflicting […]

The Emergence of a New Cold War: Implications and Challenges

On October 4th, 2018 a speech was given in the Hudson Institute, the think tank and research center dedicated to nonpartisan analysis of United States and international economic, security, and political issues (Hudson Institute), in Washington D.C., Maryland. Vice President Mike Pence, addressed a speech to China's leaders/government. Pence formally addressed the matter that there will be a new, tougher approach toward Beijing. Pence's speech was very straightforward, surprising Beijing of the 'alleged offenses' in only one public indictment, speaking […]

The Cold War and U.S Diplomacy

My take on President Kennedy's doctrine ""Respond flexibly to communist expansion, especially to guerrilla warfare from 1961 to 1963"". The doctrine by President John F. Kennedy. During the Second World War, the Soviet Union and the United States worked together in fighting Nazi of Germany. The coalition between the two parties was dissolved after the end of the war in Europe. During the Potsdam conference, the tension broke up on July when the two parties decided to share Germany. The […]

Russian Global Expansion

A general consensus has formed among the leaders of Western nations and among western-oriented international organizations like NATO and the European Union (EU). “Not only have spheres of influence returned in the twenty-first century, but they have come back because of Russia’s desire to disrupt the post-Cold War peace.”. Russia’s current policies have two distinct goals. First Russian seeks to reclaim its control over the post-Soviet space. Secondly its larger goal which has become increasingly evident in the period since […]

The Exhibit Narrative: Art and Culture during the Cold War

The Global Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States shaped the world on various, different levels, the clash of contradictory ideologies led the two superpowers to the edge of a nuclear disaster and divided the earth for the second half of the 20th century. Further, the worldview of the United States was based on capitalism and Coca Cola Hollywood, the Marshall Plan, Elvis Presley or Apollo eleven characterized the American way of life. In contrast, the […]

The Cuban Missile Crisis and Cold War

COLD WAR 1947 - 1991 The Cold War referred to the competition, the tensions and a series of confrontations between the United States and Soviet Union, backed by their respective allies. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the considered to be the high point of what came to be known as the Cold War because of the following reasons. 1) Worries of the USSR In April 1961, the leaders of the USSR were worried that the United States would invade the […]

Geopolitics and the Cold War

Soon following World War II was the Cold War. The Cold War was a hapless and extreme time of discomfort caused by a great geopolitical tension between two areas(Prager U). The western bloc and the eastern bloc served great roles in this conflict. The western bloc contained countries allied with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).Such as France, Norway, and Denmark. As for the term Eastern bloc referred to countries associated and run by the soviet union. These were countries like […]

Women of Cold War in America

Homeward Bound by Elaine Tyler May is an American Ideology of the 1940 and 50's that appeared into two traditional narratives in white American suburban families and fear of anti-cold war nuclear disaster. This in turn formed a new American ideology, called women's independence in white America. May argues in her book about US foreign relations, communist, lifestyle and culture of a domestic American women. May present the idea that in the era of 1940 and 50s the united states […]

President John F. Kennedy’s Assassination

Friday morning on November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was parading through the Dallas, Texas streets with his wife, and the Vice President and his wife in the car behind, in opened convertible limousins on their way to the Trade Mark, so he could give a speech. However, the President did not make it to his destination. Around 12:30 p.m. shots were fired from the Texas School Book Depository hitting the thirty-fifth President in the neck and head. President […]

Gender Roles during the Great Depression and the Cold War

A role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender which is determined by the prevailing cultural norms is called a gender role. Both men and women have been told how to behave, dress, and even present themselves to the public. An example of gender roles in society is women are supposed to be feminine, graceful, polite, nurturing, emotional, take care of kids, cook, clean; while men are supposed to be muscular, aggressive, tall, take care of […]

How US Intervention in Afghanistan during the Cold War Led to the Global War on Terror

During the Cold War in the late 1970s the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. At the time, tensions between the Soviet Union and the US were high, and so the US was trying to combat the Soviet influence without direct military action that may result in a war between the two nuclear armed countries. The US answer to this problem was to train, arm, and support local Afghans who were against the Soviets. This strategy of waging a proxy war was […]

The Berlin Crisis and the Cold War

This investigation will explore the question: To what extent was the United States responsible for the Berlin Crisis? The scope of this investigation will focus on the causes of the Berlin crisis and the effect of the US' presence before and during the conflict. The first source which will be evaluated is a US government document titled Soviet and Allied Statements on the Berlin Blockade . The purpose of this document is to share both the US and Soviet Government's […]

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Essays About the Cold War Those who are eager to know the American history of the 20th century without opening the history books should embark upon reading To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most brilliant masterpieces of American literature that was created by Harper Lee. It tells the story of the American communities between the years of 1933 and 1935 – when the Great Depression was sniffing in the streets – in the light of a child’s point of view. The novel gives the readers a look into how capitalism became one of the main causes of the Cold War. And thanks to the Animal Farm essay you can understand what was happening in the society of the Soviet Union on the eve of the Cold War. World War II that followed not long after the Great Depression has become the first time when the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc united for the sake of conquering one enemy – the Nazis. Unfortunately, the topics that were predominant in the American community of the 1930s talked not about the relations between the Soviet Union and the United States but rather about examples of communities in which the blacks were not even considered human beings.  Writing an essay on the Cold War seemed to be nonsense in the times that are described in the novel. However, when the novel was published, the introduction of the United States into the world of communism has become a widely discussed DBQ. Given that the novel and the times that the author is talking about have been greatly analyzed, we are ready to write a research paper or an argumentative essay about the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Our professional writers can follow your outline, or they can come up with one of their own, either way complying with the highest quality requirements. Ordering an essay on the Cold War from us, you can rest assured that your instructions will be followed, and your argument will be defended.

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110 Cold War Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

The Cold War, a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. This era shaped the modern world and influenced countless aspects of politics, economics, and society. If you're tasked with writing an essay about the Cold War, choosing a compelling topic is crucial. To help you brainstorm ideas and find inspiration, here are 110 Cold War essay topic ideas and examples.

• The origins of the Cold War: Analyzing the causes of the conflict.
• The Yalta Conference: Assessing its impact on the Cold War.
• The Truman Doctrine: Examining its role in shaping the Cold War.
• The Marshall Plan: Evaluating its impact on European recovery and the Cold War.
• The Berlin Airlift: Analyzing its significance in the context of the Cold War.
• The Korean War: Assessing its role as a proxy conflict during the Cold War.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis: Evaluating its impact on U.S.-Soviet relations and the Cold War.
• The Space Race: Analyzing its influence on the Cold War and technological advancements.
• The arms race: Assessing the importance of nuclear weapons during the Cold War.
• The Iron Curtain: Examining its role in dividing Europe during the Cold War.
• The domino theory: Evaluating its influence on U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.
• The Suez Crisis: Analyzing its impact on the Cold War and decolonization.
• The Vietnam War: Assessing its role as a Cold War battleground.
• The Prague Spring: Evaluating its significance in the context of the Cold War.
• The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: Analyzing its impact on the Cold War.
• Détente: Assessing the policies and consequences of the period of eased tensions.
• The Helsinki Accords: Evaluating their role in the Cold War and human rights.
• The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): Analyzing its influence on U.S.-Soviet relations.
• The fall of the Berlin Wall: Assessing its importance in ending the Cold War.
• Perestroika and Glasnost: Evaluating their impact on the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
• The collapse of the Soviet Union: Analyzing its effects on the post-Cold War world.
• Proxy wars during the Cold War: Analyzing conflicts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• The impact of the Cold War on the Third World: Assessing economic and political consequences.
• The role of propaganda during the Cold War: Analyzing its use by both sides.
• The cultural impact of the Cold War: Evaluating the influence on film, literature, and music.
• The role of espionage during the Cold War: Analyzing famous spies and intelligence agencies.
• The arms control talks: Assessing their effectiveness in reducing Cold War tensions.
• The role of non-aligned countries during the Cold War: Analyzing their significance.
• The impact of the Cold War on sports: Evaluating the use of athletic competitions for propaganda.
• The Cold War and the nuclear family: Analyzing the influence on societal norms.
• The Cold War and the Red Scare: Assessing the impact on civil liberties in the United States.
• The role of women during the Cold War: Analyzing their contributions and limitations.
• The impact of the Cold War on popular culture: Evaluating its portrayal in movies and TV shows.
• The Cold War and the arms trade: Assessing the influence on global weapons proliferation.
• The impact of the Cold War on the Middle East: Analyzing regional conflicts and alliances.
• The Cold War and the space exploration: Evaluating the role of technology and scientific advancements.
• The role of NATO during the Cold War: Assessing its importance in collective defense.
• The impact of the Cold War on East Asia: Analyzing the division of Korea and China's role.
• The Cold War and the European Union: Evaluating the influence on European integration.
• The impact of the Cold War on Latin America: Analyzing U.S. interventions and communist movements.
• The role of technology in the Cold War: Analyzing advancements in communication and surveillance.
• The Cold War and the United Nations: Assessing its role in maintaining global stability.
• The impact of the Cold War on the arms industry: Evaluating its economic consequences.
• The space race and its impact on scientific research: Analyzing technological advancements.
• The Cold War and nuclear accidents: Assessing the risks and consequences.
• The influence of Cold War propaganda on public opinion: Analyzing its effects.
• The Cold War and the media: Evaluating the role of journalism in shaping public perception.
• The impact of the Cold War on education: Analyzing curriculum changes and ideological influences.
• The Cold War and the military-industrial complex: Assessing its influence on the economy.
• The role of ideology in the Cold War: Analyzing the clash of capitalism and communism.
• The Cold War and the nuclear arms control treaties: Evaluating their effectiveness.
• The impact of the Cold War on human rights: Analyzing violations and international responses.
• The Cold War and the rise of terrorism: Assessing its connection to geopolitical rivalries.
• The role of intelligence agencies during the Cold War: Analyzing covert operations.
• The impact of the Cold War on the environment: Evaluating nuclear testing and pollution.

These are just a few examples of the many possible topics you can explore in a Cold War essay. Consider your interests, the requirements of your assignment, and the available resources to choose a topic that engages you and allows for in-depth research. Remember, a well-chosen topic is the first step towards crafting an exceptional essay on the Cold War.

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Home — Essay Samples — War — Cold War

Essays on Cold War

Hook examples for cold war essays, the tension-building anecdote hook.

Start your essay with a gripping anecdote from the Cold War era, such as a close encounter between opposing forces, a spy's daring mission, or a pivotal diplomatic negotiation.

The Iron Curtain Metaphor Hook

Draw parallels between the Iron Curtain that divided Europe during the Cold War and modern-day geopolitical divisions. Explore how historical lessons can inform contemporary politics.

The Cuban Missile Crisis Revelation Hook

Begin with a revelation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, a pivotal event during the Cold War. Discuss the world's reaction to this crisis and its implications for global peace.

The Space Race Innovation Hook

Highlight the innovative aspects of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Discuss the technological advancements and the impact on science and society.

The Proxy Wars Connection Hook

Start by exploring the concept of proxy wars during the Cold War. Discuss how these conflicts shaped the global political landscape and their relevance in today's world.

The Nuclear Arms Race Factoid Hook

Begin with startling facts about the nuclear arms race between superpowers. Discuss the fear of nuclear annihilation and its lasting effects on international relations.

The Espionage and Spy Games Hook

Introduce your essay by delving into the world of espionage during the Cold War. Discuss famous spies, intelligence agencies, and the intrigue of espionage operations.

The Cultural Cold War Reference Hook

Start with references to the cultural aspects of the Cold War, including the influence of literature, music, and art. Discuss how cultural diplomacy played a role in the conflict.

The End of the Cold War Paradox Hook

Begin with the paradox of the peaceful end of the Cold War. Explore the factors that contributed to its conclusion and the subsequent geopolitical shifts.

The Lessons from History Hook

Start by reflecting on the lessons that can be learned from the Cold War. Discuss how understanding this historical period can inform contemporary foreign policy and global relations.

Alas, Babylon: Analysis

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The Rise of Communism During The Cold War

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Understanding The Effects of The Cold War

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Beginning of The Cuban Missile Crisis

The role of "cold war" in bringing international order, american policy of containment during the cold war and its consequences, fears of america and the emergence of the cold war, america's leadership position at an international stage, the impact of world war ii and the cold war on the development of science in the 20th century, ronald reagan and mikhail gorbachev: discussion on resolving the cold war, analysis of the influence behind the actions of the united states army, cuban missile crisis as a world changing event, the korean war – a conflict between the soviet union and the united states, apocalypse now - cold war perspectives, the political situation in brazil during the cold war, the development of the peace corps in america, the geography of the cold war: why the us embarked on a containment policy, religion as one of the causes of the cold war, red scare: incitement to hatred of anarchy and communism, beware the red scare: another red threat to america, american containment strategy and the end of the cold war, history of american life in the early postwar era, advantages, disadvantages, and application of aip in modern submarines.

12 March 1947 – 26 December 1991 (44 years and 9 months)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Soviet Union, United States, Warsaw Treaty Organization.

Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Nikita Khrushchev, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan

Cuban missile crisis, Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Berlin crisis of 1961, collapse of the Soviet Union

The Cold War was a period of political tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. It emerged in the aftermath of World War II when ideological differences and geopolitical interests between the two superpowers intensified. The historical context of the Cold War can be traced back to the division of Europe after World War II, with the United States championing democratic principles and capitalism, while the Soviet Union sought to spread communism and establish spheres of influence. This ideological divide led to a series of confrontations and proxy wars fought between the two powers and their respective allies. The development of nuclear weapons added a dangerous dimension to the conflict, as both sides engaged in an arms race to gain a strategic advantage. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The division of the world into two ideological blocs: The capitalist bloc led by the United States and the communist bloc led by the Soviet Union. The arms race and nuclear proliferation, leading to the stockpiling of nuclear weapons by both superpowers and the development of advanced military technology. The establishment of military alliances such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the Warsaw Pact, which solidified the division between the Western and Eastern blocs. Proxy wars and conflicts fought between the United States and the Soviet Union or their respective allies, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and various conflicts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The spread of communism to several countries, including Eastern European nations that became part of the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc. The Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War and the transition to a unipolar world with the United States as the dominant superpower.

One of the major effects of the Cold War was the division of the world into two competing blocs, the United States-led capitalist bloc and the Soviet Union-led communist bloc. This ideological divide created a bipolar world order and fueled numerous proxy wars and conflicts around the world, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union was another significant consequence of the Cold War. Both superpowers invested heavily in the development and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, leading to an unprecedented level of global military buildup. The fear of nuclear annihilation and the doctrine of mutually assured destruction shaped military strategies and had a lasting impact on international security policies. The Cold War also had economic ramifications. The United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence and sought to spread their respective economic systems, capitalism and communism, across the globe. This led to the creation of economic alliances and aid programs, such as the Marshall Plan, as well as the establishment of the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc and the NATO alliance. Furthermore, the Cold War influenced the course of decolonization and independence movements in many countries. The superpowers often supported or opposed regimes based on their alignment with capitalist or communist ideologies, leading to political instability and conflicts in various regions. In addition, the Cold War had cultural and social effects. It fostered a climate of suspicion and fear, which manifested in widespread political repression, surveillance, and the suppression of civil liberties. The ideological struggle between capitalism and communism influenced cultural productions, including literature, art, and film.

Studying and writing essays on the topic of the Cold War is essential for students due to its multidimensional significance. Firstly, exploring the Cold War provides students with a deeper understanding of the complexities of international relations, diplomacy, and ideological conflicts. It offers insights into the strategies, policies, and motivations of the superpowers involved, such as the United States and the Soviet Union. Secondly, writing essays on the Cold War promotes critical thinking and analytical skills. Students are encouraged to examine primary and secondary sources, analyze different perspectives, and evaluate the long-term consequences of historical events. This process enhances their ability to form well-reasoned arguments and develop a nuanced understanding of complex historical phenomena. Additionally, the Cold War has left a lasting impact on society, culture, and global dynamics. By exploring this topic, students can gain insights into the origins of the arms race, the nuclear age, the space race, and the proliferation of proxy wars. They can also examine the impact of the Cold War on civil rights, technological advancements, popular culture, and the formation of alliances.

1. The term "Cold War" was coined by the American financier and presidential adviser Bernard Baruch in a speech in 1947. It referred to the absence of direct military confrontation between the superpowers, but the ongoing ideological and political struggle between them. 2. The Cold War was characterized by a state of non-military confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. 3. The space race played a significant role during the Cold War, prompting the establishment of NASA and fueling competition between the superpowers. 4. The proxy wars fought between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War resulted in the loss of numerous lives, with casualties reaching millions. 5. Notable "hot" conflicts of the Cold War period included the Korean War, the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, and the Vietnam War. These conflicts involved direct military engagement or support from the superpowers, leading to significant human suffering and loss.

1. Gaddis, J. L. (2005). The Cold War: A new history. Penguin Books. 2. Westad, O. A. (2012). The Cold War: A world history. Basic Books. 3. Leffler, M. P. (2008). For the soul of mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War. Hill and Wang. 4. Beschloss, M. R. (1997). Mayday: Eisenhower, Khrushchev, and the U-2 affair. HarperCollins. 5. Zubok, V. M., & Pleshakov, C. (2007). Inside the Kremlin's cold war: From Stalin to Khrushchev. Harvard University Press. 6. Hogan, M. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Cold War in retrospect: The formative years. Oxford University Press. 7. LaFeber, W. (2002). America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-2000. McGraw-Hill. 8. Lynch, T. (2010). The Cold War: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. 9. Matlock, J. F. (1995). Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War ended. Random House. 10. McMahon, R. J. (2003). The Cold War: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.

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Cold War History

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 26, 2023 | Original: October 27, 2009

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension marked by competition and confrontation between communist nations led by the Soviet Union and Western democracies including the United States. During World War II , the United States and the Soviets fought together as allies against Nazi Germany . However, U.S./Soviet relations were never truly friendly: Americans had long been wary of Soviet communism and Russian leader Joseph Stalin ’s tyrannical rule. The Soviets resented Americans’ refusal to give them a leading role in the international community, as well as America’s delayed entry into World War II, in which millions of Russians died.

These grievances ripened into an overwhelming sense of mutual distrust and enmity that never developed into open warfare (thus the term “cold war”). Soviet expansionism into Eastern Europe fueled many Americans’ fears of a Russian plan to control the world. Meanwhile, the USSR came to resent what they perceived as U.S. officials’ bellicose rhetoric, arms buildup and strident approach to international relations. In such a hostile atmosphere, no single party was entirely to blame for the Cold War; in fact, some historians believe it was inevitable.

Containment

By the time World War II ended, most American officials agreed that the best defense against the Soviet threat was a strategy called “containment.” In his famous “Long Telegram,” the diplomat George Kennan (1904-2005) explained the policy: The Soviet Union, he wrote, was “a political force committed fanatically to the belief that with the U.S. there can be no permanent modus vivendi [agreement between parties that disagree].” As a result, America’s only choice was the “long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

“It must be the policy of the United States,” he declared before Congress in 1947, “to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation…by outside pressures.” This way of thinking would shape American foreign policy for the next four decades.

Did you know? The term 'cold war' first appeared in a 1945 essay by the English writer George Orwell called 'You and the Atomic Bomb.'

The Cold War: The Atomic Age

The containment strategy also provided the rationale for an unprecedented arms buildup in the United States. In 1950, a National Security Council Report known as NSC–68 had echoed Truman’s recommendation that the country use military force to contain communist expansionism anywhere it seemed to be occurring. To that end, the report called for a four-fold increase in defense spending.

In particular, American officials encouraged the development of atomic weapons like the ones that had ended World War II. Thus began a deadly “ arms race .” In 1949, the Soviets tested an atom bomb of their own. In response, President Truman announced that the United States would build an even more destructive atomic weapon: the hydrogen bomb, or “superbomb.” Stalin followed suit.

As a result, the stakes of the Cold War were perilously high. The first H-bomb test, in the Eniwetok atoll in the Marshall Islands, showed just how fearsome the nuclear age could be. It created a 25-square-mile fireball that vaporized an island, blew a huge hole in the ocean floor and had the power to destroy half of Manhattan. Subsequent American and Soviet tests spewed radioactive waste into the atmosphere.

The ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation had a great impact on American domestic life as well. People built bomb shelters in their backyards. They practiced attack drills in schools and other public places. The 1950s and 1960s saw an epidemic of popular films that horrified moviegoers with depictions of nuclear devastation and mutant creatures. In these and other ways, the Cold War was a constant presence in Americans’ everyday lives.

HISTORY Vault: Nuclear Terror

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The Cold War and the Space Race

Space exploration served as another dramatic arena for Cold War competition. On October 4, 1957, a Soviet R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile launched Sputnik (Russian for “traveling companion”), the world’s first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth’s orbit. Sputnik’s launch came as a surprise, and not a pleasant one, to most Americans.

In the United States, space was seen as the next frontier, a logical extension of the grand American tradition of exploration, and it was crucial not to lose too much ground to the Soviets. In addition, this demonstration of the overwhelming power of the R-7 missile–seemingly capable of delivering a nuclear warhead into U.S. air space–made gathering intelligence about Soviet military activities particularly urgent.

In 1958, the U.S. launched its own satellite, Explorer I, designed by the U.S. Army under the direction of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, and what came to be known as the Space Race was underway. That same year, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a public order creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a federal agency dedicated to space exploration, as well as several programs seeking to exploit the military potential of space. Still, the Soviets were one step ahead, launching the first man into space in April 1961.

That May, after Alan Shepard become the first American man in space, President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) made the bold public claim that the U.S. would land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. His prediction came true on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission , became the first man to set foot on the moon, effectively winning the Space Race for the Americans. 

U.S. astronauts came to be seen as the ultimate American heroes. Soviets, in turn, were pictured as the ultimate villains, with their massive, relentless efforts to surpass America and prove the power of the communist system.

The Cold War and the Red Scare

Meanwhile, beginning in 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee ( HUAC ) brought the Cold War home in another way. The committee began a series of hearings designed to show that communist subversion in the United States was alive and well.

In Hollywood , HUAC forced hundreds of people who worked in the movie industry to renounce left-wing political beliefs and testify against one another. More than 500 people lost their jobs. Many of these “blacklisted” writers, directors, actors and others were unable to work again for more than a decade. HUAC also accused State Department workers of engaging in subversive activities. Soon, other anticommunist politicians, most notably Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957), expanded this probe to include anyone who worked in the federal government. 

Thousands of federal employees were investigated, fired and even prosecuted. As this anticommunist hysteria spread throughout the 1950s, liberal college professors lost their jobs, people were asked to testify against colleagues and “loyalty oaths” became commonplace.

The Cold War Abroad

The fight against subversion at home mirrored a growing concern with the Soviet threat abroad. In June 1950, the first military action of the Cold War began when the Soviet-backed North Korean People’s Army invaded its pro-Western neighbor to the south. Many American officials feared this was the first step in a communist campaign to take over the world and deemed that nonintervention was not an option. Truman sent the American military into Korea, but the Korean War dragged to a stalemate and ended in 1953.

In 1955, the United States and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) made West Germany a member of NATO and permitted it to remilitarize. The Soviets responded with the Warsaw Pact , a mutual defense organization between the Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria that set up a unified military command under Marshal Ivan S. Konev of the Soviet Union.

Other international disputes followed. In the early 1960s, President Kennedy faced a number of troubling situations in his own hemisphere. The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis the following year seemed to prove that the real communist threat now lay in the unstable, postcolonial “Third World.” 

Nowhere was this more apparent than in Vietnam , where the collapse of the French colonial regime had led to a struggle between the American-backed nationalist Ngo Dinh Diem in the south and the communist nationalist Ho Chi Minh in the north. Since the 1950s, the United States had been committed to the survival of an anticommunist government in the region, and by the early 1960s it seemed clear to American leaders that if they were to successfully “contain” communist expansionism there, they would have to intervene more actively on Diem’s behalf. However, what was intended to be a brief military action spiraled into a 10-year conflict .

The End of the Cold War and Effects

Almost as soon as he took office, President Richard Nixon (1913-1994) began to implement a new approach to international relations. Instead of viewing the world as a hostile, “bi-polar” place, he suggested, why not use diplomacy instead of military action to create more poles? To that end, he encouraged the United Nations to recognize the communist Chinese government and, after a trip there in 1972, began to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing.

At the same time, he adopted a policy of “détente”—”relaxation”—toward the Soviet Union. In 1972, he and Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982) signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I), which prohibited the manufacture of nuclear missiles by both sides and took a step toward reducing the decades-old threat of nuclear war.

Despite Nixon’s efforts, the Cold War heated up again under President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). Like many leaders of his generation, Reagan believed that the spread of communism anywhere threatened freedom everywhere. As a result, he worked to provide financial and military aid to anticommunist governments and insurgencies around the world. This policy, particularly as it was applied in the developing world in places like Grenada and El Salvador, was known as the Reagan Doctrine .

Even as Reagan fought communism in Central America, however, the Soviet Union was disintegrating. In response to severe economic problems and growing political ferment in the USSR, Premier Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022) took office in 1985 and introduced two policies that redefined Russia’s relationship to the rest of the world: “glasnost,” or political openness, and “ perestroika ,” or economic reform. 

Soviet influence in Eastern Europe waned. In 1989, every other communist state in the region replaced its government with a noncommunist one. In November of that year, the Berlin Wall –the most visible symbol of the decades-long Cold War–was finally destroyed, just over two years after Reagan had challenged the Soviet premier in a speech at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” By 1991, the Soviet Union itself had fallen apart. The Cold War was over.

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The Cold War (1945-1989) essay

The Cold War is considered to be a significant event in Modern World History. The Cold War dominated a rather long time period: between 1945, or the end of the World War II, and 1990, the collapse of the USSR. This period involved the relationships between two superpowers: the United States and the USSR. The Cold War began in Eastern Europe and Germany, according to the researchers of the Institute of Contemporary British History (Warner 15).  Researchers state that “the USSR and the United States of America held the trump cards, nuclear bombs and missiles” (Daniel 489). In other words, during the Cold War, two nations took the fate of the world under their control. The progression of the Cold War influenced the development of society, which became aware of the threat of nuclear war. After the World War II, the world experienced technological progress, which provided “the Space Race, computer development, superhighway construction, jet airliner development, the creation of international phone system, the advent of television, enormous progress in medicine, and the creation of mass consumerism, and many other achievements” (Daniel 489). Although the larger part of the world lived in poverty and lacked technological progress, the United States and other countries of Western world succeeded in economic development. The Cold War, which began in 1945, reflected the increased role of technological progress in the establishment of economic relationships between two superpowers.   The Cold War involved internal and external conflicts between two superpowers, the United States and the USSR, leading to eventual breakdown of the USSR.

• The Cold War: background information

The Cold War consisted of several confrontations between the United States and the USSR, supported by their allies. According to researchers, the Cold War was marked by a number of events, including “the escalating arms race, a competition to conquer space, a dangerously belligerent for of diplomacy known as brinkmanship, and a series of small wars, sometimes called “police actions” by the United States and sometimes excused as defense measures by the Soviets” (Gottfried 9). The Cold War had different influences on the United States and the USSR. For the USSR, the Cold War provided massive opportunities for the spread of communism across the world, Moscow’s control over the development of other nations and the increased role of the Soviet Communist party.

In fact, the Cold War could split the wartime alliance formed to oppose the plans of Nazi Germany, leaving the USSR and the United States as two superpowers with considerable economic and political differences. The USSR was based on a single-party Marxist–Leninist system, while the United States was a capitalist state with democratic governance based on free elections.

The key figure in the Cold War was the Soviet leader Gorbachev, who was elected in 1985. He managed to change the direction of the USSR, making the economies of communist ruled states independent. The major reasons for changing in the course were poor technological development of the USSR (Gottfried 115). Gorbachev believed that radical changes in political power could improve the Communist system. At the same time, he wanted to stop the Cold War and tensions with the United States. The cost of nuclear arms race had negative impact on the economy of the USSR. The leaders of the United States accepted the proposed relationships, based on cooperation and mutual trust. The end of the Cold War was marked by signing the INF treaty in 1987 (Gottfried 115).

• The origins of the Cold War

Many American historians state that the Cold War began in 1945. However, according to Russian researchers, historians and analysts “the Cold War began with the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, for this was when the capitalist world began its systematic opposition to and effort to undermine the world’s first socialist state and society” (Warner13). For Russians, the Cold War was hot in 1918-1922, when the Allied Intervention policy implemented in Russia during the Russian Civil War. According to John W. Long, “the U.S. intervention in North Russia was a policy formulated by President Wilson during the first half of 1918 at the urgent insistence of Britain, France and Italy, the chief World War I allies” (380).

Nevertheless, there are some other opinions regarding the origins of the Cold War. For example, Geoffrey Barraclough, an outstanding English historian, states that the events in the Far East at the end of the century contributed to the origins of the Cold War. He argues that “during the previous hundred years, Russia and the United States has tended to support each other against England; but now, as England’s power passed its zenith, they came face to face across the Pacific” (Warner 13). According to Barraclough, the Cold War is associated with the conflict of interests, which involved European countries, the Middle East and South East Asia. Finally, this conflict divided the world into two camps. Thus, the Cold War origins are connected with the spread of ideological conflict caused by the emergence of the new power in the early 20-th century (Warner 14). The Cold War outbreak was associated with the spread of propaganda on the United States by the USSR. The propagandistic attacks involved the criticism of the U.S. leaders and their policies. These attacked were harmful to the interests of American nation (Whitton 151).

• The major causes of the Cold War

The United States and the USSR were regarded as two superpowers during the Cold War, each having its own sphere of influence, its power and forces. The Cold War had been the continuing conflict, caused by tensions, misunderstandings and competitions that existed between the United States and the USSR, as well as their allies from 1945 to the early 1990s (Gottfried 10). Throughout this long period, there was the so-called rivalry between the United States and the USSR, which was expressed through various transformations, including military buildup, the spread of propaganda, the growth of espionage, weapons development, considerable industrial advances, and competitive technological developments in different spheres of human activity, such as medicine, education, space exploration, etc.

There four major causes of the Cold War, which include:

• Ideological differences (communism v. capitalism);
• Mutual distrust and misperception;
• The fear of the United State regarding the spread of communism;
• The nuclear arms race (Gottfried 10).

The major causes of the Cold War point out to the fact that the USSR was focused on the spread of communist ideas worldwide. The United States followed democratic ideas and opposed the spread of communism. At the same time, the acquisition of atomic weapons by the United States caused fear in the USSR. The use of atomic weapons could become the major reason of fear of both the United States and the USSR. In other words, both countries were anxious about possible attacks from each other; therefore, they were following the production of mass destruction weapons. In addition, the USSR was focused on taking control over Eastern Europe and Central Asia. According to researchers, the USSR used various strategies to gain control over Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the years 1945-1980. Some of these strategies included “encouraging the communist takeover of governments in Eastern Europe, the setting up of Comecon, the Warsaw Pact, the presence of the Red Army in Eastern Europe, and the Brezhnev Doctrine” (Phillips 118). These actions were the major factors for the suspicions and concerns of the United States. In addition, the U.S. President had a personal dislike of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his policies. In general, the United States was concerned by the Soviet Union’s actions regarding the occupied territory of Germany, while the USSR feared that the United States would use Western Europe as the major tool for attack.

• The consequences of the Cold War

The consequences of the Cold War include both positive and negative effects for both the United States and the USSR.

• Both the United States and the USSR managed to build up huge arsenals of atomic weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles.
• The Cold War provided opportunities for the establishment of the military blocs, NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
• The Cold War led to the emergence of the destructive military conflicts, like the Vietnam War and the Korean War, which took the lives of millions of people (Gottfried13).
• The USSR collapsed because of considerable economic, political and social challenges.
• The Cold War led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the unification of the two German nations.
• The Cold War led to the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact (Gottfried 136).
• The Cold war provided the opportunities for achieving independence of the Baltic States and some former Soviet Republics.
• The Cold War made the United States the sole superpower of the world because of the collapse of the USSR in 1990.
• The Cold War led to the collapse of Communism and the rise of globalization worldwide (Phillips 119).

The impact of the Cold War on the development of many countries was enormous. The consequences of the Cold War were derived from numerous internal problems of the countries, which were connected with the USSR, especially developing countries (India, Africa, etc.). This fact means that foreign policies of many states were transformed (Gottfried 115).

The Cold War (1945-1989) essay part 2

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The Origins of the Cold War - A Review Essay

Following the logic of earlier scholarly debates on which side is to be blamed for the Cold War it appears that in fact both or neither: it was the inevitable consequence of the fact that two superpowers emerged after the conflagration of WWII. The ideology confrontation mattered much less vis-a-vis this immense global power shift.

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Short Essay: Cold War

The Cold War, spanning from the end of World War II in 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, remains one of the most significant events of the 20th century. Writing a short essay on such a broad topic can be challenging due to the complexity and the range of aspects it covers. This article will provide a structured approach to crafting a concise yet comprehensive short essay on the Cold War.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Essay Requirements

Before you begin writing, it is crucial to understand the requirements for your essay:

• Word Count : Short essays are typically around 500-800 words, but make sure to adhere to the specific word limit set by your assignment.
• Scope : Given the brevity required, it’s important to narrow the focus of your essay. Choose a specific aspect of the Cold War to discuss rather than attempting to cover everything.
• Purpose : Determine whether the essay should be expository, analytical, or argumentative.
• Sources : Identify how many and what types of sources are required for your essay.

Step 1: Selecting a Topic

Choose a topic that fits within the parameters of your essay. Some potential topics for a short essay on the Cold War could include:

• The origins of the Cold War.
• The role of nuclear arms in the Cold War.
• Key events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Berlin Blockade.
• The Cold War in popular culture.
• The impact of the Cold War on a specific country or region.
• The end of the Cold War and its global consequences.

Step 2: Conducting Research

Gather information from credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. Focus on collecting data that directly relates to your chosen topic. Keep track of your sources for citations and ensure you have enough material to support your thesis statement.

Step 3: Formulating a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement will guide the direction of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and make a claim that your essay will support. For example, if you’re writing about the Cuban Missile Crisis, your thesis might be: “The Cuban Missile Crisis was a pivotal moment in the Cold War that demonstrated the potential for nuclear catastrophe and the importance of diplomatic channels in de-escalation.”

Step 4: Creating an Outline

A well-structured outline is crucial for a successful short essay. It helps organize thoughts and ensures that you cover all necessary points within the word limit. An example outline for a Cold War essay might look like this:

• Brief background on the Cold War.
• Thesis statement.
• Point one supporting the thesis.
• Evidence and examples.
• Point two supporting the thesis.
• Counter-argument or additional support for the thesis.
• Rebuttal or further evidence and examples.
• Restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented.
• Summarize key points.
• Closing thought or call to action (if appropriate).

Step 5: Writing the Introduction

Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. Provide context to the Cold War and introduce your specific topic. End the introduction with your thesis statement. Keep it brief and impactful.

Step 6: Crafting Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea that supports your thesis. Begin with a topic sentence, followed by evidence such as facts, quotes, and statistics. Analyze the evidence, explaining how it supports your argument. Transition smoothly between paragraphs to maintain flow.

Step 7: Writing the Conclusion

Your conclusion should restate your thesis and summarize the main points of your essay. It should also provide closure to the reader, which can be a reflective statement on the significance of the topic or suggestions for further research.

Step 8: Revising and Editing

Revise your essay for clarity and coherence. Make sure each sentence and paragraph contributes to the overall argument. Check for grammatical errors and proper citation of sources. Editing is key to a polished essay, so take the time to read through your work multiple times.

Step 9: Finalizing the Essay

After revisions and edits, read your essay once more to ensure it flows well and adheres to the word limit. Verify that all sources are cited correctly in the text and in the reference list.

Cold War Short Essay Example #1

The Cold War, a prolonged period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, was not characterized by direct military confrontation. Instead, it was marked by a series of proxy wars, nuclear arms races, espionage, and ideological battles that spanned over four decades. This essay will explore the profound impact of the Cold War on global politics, particularly through the lenses of the bipolar power structure it created, the spread of nuclear weapons, and the legacy it left on international relations.

Bipolar Power Structure

The end of World War II saw the emergence of the US and the USSR as the two dominant superpowers. The global political landscape was reshaped into a bipolar structure, with nations aligning with either the capitalist West led by the United States or the communist East under Soviet influence. This division led to a world where neutrality became increasingly difficult. The Non-Aligned Movement, an initiative led by countries that sought to remain independent of the Cold War’s influence, was a significant but challenging stand against this dichotomy.

Nuclear Arms Race

One of the most terrifying aspects of the Cold War was the nuclear arms race. The US and USSR engaged in a relentless pursuit of nuclear supremacy, amassing arsenals capable of destroying the planet several times over. The doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) emerged as a grim deterrent, predicated on the understanding that a nuclear attack by one superpower would lead to an immediate and devastating response from the other, ensuring mutual destruction. The proliferation of nuclear weapons during this period has left a lasting impact on global security and international policy.

Proxy Wars and Espionage

Unable to confront each other directly without risking nuclear annihilation, the superpowers turned to proxy wars as a means of extending their influence. Conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and various parts of Africa and Latin America became battlegrounds for this indirect form of warfare. Espionage and intelligence gathering became essential tools, with agencies like the CIA and KGB playing central roles in the execution of foreign policy and the attempt to gain the upper hand in the global arena.

Legacy on International Relations

The Cold War’s end with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 did not mark the conclusion of its influence on global politics. The ideological divide left a legacy of distrust and conflict in regions like Eastern Europe and Korea. The arms race had spurred technological advancements, but also a proliferation dilemma that the world continues to grapple with. The Cold War also gave birth to various international institutions and agreements aimed at promoting peace and cooperation, such as the United Nations and later, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties (START).

The Cold War was a defining period in the 20th century that shaped international relations in a way that is still felt today. The bipolar power structure it established, the nuclear arms race it spurred, and the proxy wars it fostered have had lasting implications for global politics. Understanding this period is crucial, as it not only contextualizes past conflicts but also informs current geopolitical strategies and the ongoing pursuit of a stable international order.

Cold War Short Essay Example #2

The Cold War was a conflict unlike any other that the world had ever seen. It was less about territorial disputes and more about ideological supremacy. Lasting from the end of World War II until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Cold War was a global standoff that pitted capitalism against communism, the West against the East. This essay will delve into how ideological differences shaped international alliances, influenced domestic policies across the globe, and triggered a series of proxy wars that defined the latter half of the 20th century.

Ideological Foundations

At the heart of the Cold War was a fundamental disagreement on how societies should be structured. The United States championed a capitalist democracy, emphasizing individual freedoms and a market-driven economy. In stark contrast, the Soviet Union advocated for a communist system, with state ownership of resources and a single-party state without the competitive nature of democratic elections. These opposing views were irreconcilable and became a catalyst for a global confrontation that extended beyond mere rhetoric.

Alliances and Spheres of Influence

The ideological battle led to the formation of military and political alliances. The US-led NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the Soviet-headed Warsaw Pact were established as collective defense arrangements that also served as clear demarcations of ideological spheres of influence. Countries around the world were often compelled to choose sides, aligning with the superpower that best represented their own political philosophies or offered the most significant economic or military support.

Domestic Policies and Propaganda

The Cold War had a profound impact on domestic policies in both blocs. In the United States, fear of communism led to the Red Scare and McCarthyism, where individuals suspected of communist sympathies were blacklisted or prosecuted. In the Soviet Union, the government exercised strict control over the media, education, and cultural expressions to promote communist ideology and suppress Western influences. Propaganda became a powerful tool, as each side aimed to prove the superiority of its way of life and governance.

Proxy Wars and International Incidents

The ideological conflict played out in various parts of the world as the superpowers sought to expand their influence without engaging in direct military conflict. In places like Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, and Angola, the US and USSR supported opposing sides, supplying them with military aid and advisors. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, highlighting the dangers of the Cold War’s global reach.

Legacy of Ideological Divides

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War, but the ideological divides had lasting effects. Post-Soviet states struggled with the transition to democracy and market economies, while the US grappled with its role as the world’s sole superpower. The ideological battle also left a legacy of mistrust and rivalry between Russia and the West, influencing international relations into the 21st century.

The Cold War was a global ideological divide that had far-reaching implications. It reshaped alliances, influenced domestic policies, and led to several proxy wars that left scars on the international community. The fear of the spread of communism or capitalism, depending on which side one was on, drove much of the 20th century’s geopolitical strategies. Even after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union, the ideological underpinnings of the Cold War continue to influence global politics, reminding us that ideas can be as powerful as armies in shaping the world’s destiny.

Final Thoughts

Writing a short essay on the Cold War involves careful topic selection, research, and structuring of your argument. By following these steps and ensuring that your thesis is supported by clear, concise evidence, you can effectively convey your understanding of the Cold War in a limited word count. Remember, a short essay requires precision and clarity above all else, so focus on delivering your argument in the most direct and compelling way possible.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

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Cold War Argumentative Essays Samples For Students

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Who Was Responsible for Starting the Cold War?

Two scholars debate this question.

Written by: (Claim A) John E. Moser, Ashland University; (Claim B) Stephen Tootle, College of the Sequoias

Suggested sequencing.

• Use this point-counterpoint with  The Berlin Airlift  Narrative and the  Winston Churchill, “Sinews of Peace,” March 1946  Primary Source to have students analyze the start of the Cold War and tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States and its allies.

Issue on the Table

Was one superpower primarily responsible for starting the Cold War, or did both the United States and the Soviet Union contribute to its rise?

Instructions

Read the two arguments in response to the question posed, paying close attention to the supporting evidence and reasoning used for each. Then, complete the comparison questions that follow. Note that the arguments in this essay are not the personal views of the scholars but are illustrative of larger historical debates.

During the Cold War, Americans were convinced the Soviet Union posed a grave threat to their country and the rest of the planet and that, as the leader of the free world, the United States had a responsibility to resist Soviet  expansionism . But might a different approach to foreign affairs by the United States in the years immediately after World War II have prevented the Cold War altogether?

Consider that the Soviet Union in 1945, although victorious in Europe, emerged from the war economically and demographically exhausted, and having lost a staggering 20 million soldiers and civilians (approximately 10 percent of its population). The Soviet Union had suffered far more than the United States or Great Britain, because German forces had occupied large sections of the country and waged a racial war of annihilation against its people. And although the United States had made critical material contributions to the war, it was the Soviets who did the bulk of the fighting against Nazi Germany. At no point after mid-1941 did British or U.S. forces face more than 25 percent of the fighting strength of the German  Wehrmacht , whereas the Red Army fought millions of Germans in the East. The British and Americans did not even attempt to open a second front in France until 1944 (despite Joseph Stalin’s constant requests for such action during the previous two years), by which time German forces had already been driven from Soviet soil.

Stalin was a brutal dictator, but his foreign policy goals were understandable. Hitler’s invasion in 1941 had sparked the second major war against Germany in 20 years, and Russian leadership had legitimate security concerns. Moreover, he believed, not unreasonably, that as a Communist nation, the Soviet Union could not trust the capitalist world in the long term. The best way to protect the Soviet Union was to ensure that the countries along its western borders were friendly. Indeed, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill had recognized this fact at the Tehran and Yalta conferences. What they did not appreciate was, given the extent of anti-Russian sentiment in eastern Europe, no freely elected, democratic government from Poland to Romania could be counted on to be friendly. Nor was there any real history of democracy in those countries. In fact, Hungary and Romania had been Nazi allies during the war. The Red Army already occupied Eastern Europe, and the Russians imposed pro-Soviet governments there to establish a buffer zone against future attacks.

The United States chose to respond to Soviet domination of Eastern Europe with outright hostility. When Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov traveled to the United States in April 1945, the new president, Harry Truman, subjected him to an undiplomatic tongue lashing. After the end of the war, U.S. policy became downright militant. Although Truman withdrew most U.S. troops from Europe after 1945, the administration made massive expenditures on naval and air forces, stepped up testing and production of atomic bombs, and established a network of air bases in the United States and abroad with long-range bombers capable of carrying nuclear bombs. “Containment” of Soviet communism—that is, preventing it from spreading beyond its current borders—became the administration’s guiding strategy. In 1947, the president put forward his famous “Truman Doctrine,” in which he asked Congress to spend $400 million on economic aid to Greece and Turkey, and committed the United States “to support free peoples” around the world who were “resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” Two years later, the United States joined Great Britain, France, Canada, and a number of other nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an alliance aimed at the defense of Western Europe.

Truman’s approach to the Soviet Union was not without its critics at home. Secretary of Commerce Henry Wallace, who had served as Franklin Roosevelt’s vice president from 1941 to 1945, begged the president to consider how it would “look to us if Russia had the atomic bomb and we did not, if Russia had 10,000-mile bombers and air bases within a thousand miles of our coastlines, and we did not?” Wallace called on Truman to appreciate the Soviet Union’s fear of being invaded again and “to agree to reasonable Russian guarantees of security.” Eventually, Wallace’s outspoken criticism of Truman’s “get tough” approach cost him his job, but he continued to speak out. The Truman Doctrine, he warned, would ultimately lead to war. “There is no regime too reactionary for us provided it stands in Russia’s expansionist path,” he said in a March 1947 speech. “There is no country too remote to serve as the scene of a contest which may widen until it becomes a world war.” Similar arguments could be heard coming from Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, one of the most conservative men in the Senate. When asked why he voted against ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Taft replied, “How would we feel if Russia undertook to arm a country on our border, Mexico, for instance?”

Such views were very much in the minority, however. Most Americans, by the late 1940s, had come to regard the Soviet Union as a serious menace to world peace, and containment became the prevailing U.S. strategy for nearly 50 years. We will never know whether a more conciliatory policy on the part of the United States would have produced a different outcome.

With the opening of American archives in the 1970s and the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, scholars now have access to all the documents describing the intentions and assumptions of decision-makers in both countries in the years after World War II. Supposed mysteries have been solved. Old questions have been answered. The documentary evidence is in. The United States and the Soviet Union both contributed to the rise of the Cold War. They were  ideological nation-states  with incompatible and mutually exclusive ideologies. The founding purpose of the Soviet Union was global domination, and it actively sought the destruction of the United States and its allies. If the United States wanted to continue as a nation-state that protected the rights enshrined in its founding documents, it needed to wage an active opposition to the Soviet Union.

As an ideological nation-state, the United States has always, by its very existence, found itself at odds with nations, states, tribes, or groups of people with conflicting ideas. Those conflicts would typically become important or violent once an entity threatened the interests of the United States. By 1945, communism had been around for a century, and violent, radical, Marxist communists had been in control of the Soviet Union for decades. But even though the United States and the free world needed the help of the Soviet Union to destroy Nazi Germany in World War II, the conclusion of that war put the Soviet Union in a position to directly threaten the United States and its allies.

The Communist Soviet Union had suffered tremendous losses in World War II, perhaps around 27 million deaths, but found itself with significant global influence at its conclusion. Its leader, Joseph Stalin, was one of the most ruthless dictators in human history and a dedicated  Marxist  communist. How many tens of millions died at his hand depends on how one categorizes his victims, but the most common estimates range between 20 million and 25 million.

At the same time, the United States, under the leadership of President Harry Truman, undertook the task of trying to guide the nations of the world toward a set of ideas that would make another such war less likely. Stalin and the Soviets wanted to expand communism into Europe and around the world; Truman, his nation, and the free world wanted to preserve freedom where it existed and spread it where it did not. World War II had merely revealed that the ideals of two former allies directly conflicted with one another. And the conflict became global as Stalin and the Soviets moved to expand their ideology, insecurity, and violence on the world stage.

Even before Stalin took power, the Soviets had recruited spies and taken over  leftist  movements in the United States. Their espionage efforts paid tremendous dividends. Within the State Department, Alger Hiss, Julian Wadleigh, Laurence Duggan, and Noel Field were all Communist spies. Within the Treasury Department alone there were at least nine spies, including Harry Dexter White, the assistant secretary of the treasury. The Soviets stole military secrets, including the suspension system for American tanks, the atomic bomb, the D-Day invasion plans, defense readiness plans, and the locations of atomic bomb stockpiles. Spies were also able to give the Soviets critical information that led (perhaps) to the Berlin blockade and the invasion of Korea.

After World War II, Stalin believed the Soviet Union was the vehicle for spreading communism throughout the world. Stalin stated his purposes plainly in 1945 that “whoever occupies a territory also imposes his own social system. . . It cannot be otherwise.” The Soviets forced Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and East Germany into replicas of the Soviet Union under the complete control of the Soviet Union. The Soviets forced constitutions, economic plans, and police states on the nations of Eastern Europe. Political freedom vanished, and Communists executed dissenters.

Stalin’s daily attitude toward the United States was unpredictable. On some days, he feared war; on others, he reaffirmed his ideological commitment to the idea that war was inevitable. The people around him were relieved after his death that his erratic and impulsive risk taking and paranoia had not led to a general war with the United States. Stalin believed security only came from the elimination of challengers. Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov described why Stalin waged the Cold War: “Stalin looked at it this way: World War I has wrested one country from capitalist slavery; World War II has created a socialist system; and the third will finish off imperialism forever.” In almost any other scenario, one could dismiss such rhetoric, but in the Soviet Union, dismissing Stalin’s rhetoric carried a probable death sentence.

If the United States, along with other countries the Soviets considered to be “imperialistic,” did not wish to be “finished off” by the Soviet Union, they would need to resist Communist aggression. The United States and its Western democratic allies came to believe that history had taught some hard lessons by the end of World War II. They forged collective security arrangements on the basis of a relatively new idea that the success of an ally was not a threat to the United States. The United States was clear and unapologetic in this worldview, which directly contradicted that of the Soviet Union.

The Cold War was not a war. It was a global military, diplomatic, intellectual, social, and cultural contest. Both sides considered success essential to survival, and in that regard, both were right.

Historical Reasoning Questions

Use  Handout A: Point-Counterpoint Graphic Organizer  to answer historical reasoning questions about this point-counterpoint.

Primary Sources (Claim A)

“Crimea (Yalta) Conference, 1945.” Pages 1005-1022 https://www.loc.gov/item/lltreaties-ustbv003/

“Potsdam Declaration: Potsdam Conference.” July 26, 1945.  https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/potsdam-declaration/

Truman, Harry. “Truman Doctrine, 1947.”  https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=81#

Primary Sources (Claim B)

Kennan, George. “The Long Telegram.” February 1946.  https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/the-long-telegram/

Marshall, George C. “The Marshall Plan Speech.”  https://www.marshallfoundation.org/marshall/the-marshall-plan/marshall-plan-speech/

Suggested Resources (Claim A)

Kolko, Joyce, and Gabriel Kolko.  The Limits of Power: The World and United States Foreign Policy, 1945–1954 . New York: Harper & Row, 1972.

LaFeber, Walter.  America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945–2002 . New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.

Williams, William Appleman.  The Tragedy of American Diplomacy . New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2009.

Suggested Resources (Claim B)

Andrew, Christopher.  For the President’s Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush . New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

Andrew, Christopher, and Vasili Mitrokhin.  The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB . New York: Basic Books, 1999.

Andrew, Christopher, and Vasili Mitrokhin.  The World was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World . New York: Basic Books, 2005.

Conquest, Robert.  Reflections on a Ravaged Century . New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.

Courtois, Stephanie, Nicolas Werth, Jean-Louis Panne, Andrzej Paczkowski, Karel Bartosek, Jean-Louis Margolin.  The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999.

Gaddis, John Lewis.  The Cold War: A New History . New York: Penguin Press, 2005.

Gaddis, John Lewis.  Strategies of Containment: A Critical Appraisal of American National Security Policy During the Cold War . New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Gaddis, John Lewis.  We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Hamby, Alonzo L.  Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush . New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Haynes, John Earl, and Harvey Klehr.  Venona: Decoding Soviet Espionage in America . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1999.

Judt, Tony.  Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945.  New York: Penguin Press, 2005

McCauley, Martin.  Russia, America and the Cold War: 1949–1991.  London: Pearson Education, 1998.

McMahon, Robert J.  The Cold War: A Very Short Introduction . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.

McMeekin, Sean.  The Russian Revolution: A New History . New York: Basic Books, 2017.

McNeal, Robert H.  Stalin: Man and Ruler . New York: New York University Press, 1988.

Montefiore, Simon Sebag.  Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. p. 634

Weinstein, Allen, and Alexander Vassiliev.  The Haunted Wood: Soviet Espionage in America—The Stalin Era . New York: Random House, 1999.

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Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

In our resource history is presented through a series of narratives, primary sources, and point-counterpoint debates that invites students to participate in the ongoing conversation about the American experiment.

Essay on the Cold War: it’s Origin, Causes and Phases

After the Second World War, the USA and USSR became two Super Powers. One nation tried to reduce the power of other. Indirectly the competition between the Super Powers led to the Cold War.

Then America took the leadership of all the Capitalist Countries.

Soviet Russia took the leadership of all the Communist Countries. As a result of which both stood as rivals to each other.

Definition of the Cold War:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

In the graphic language of Hartman, “Cold War is a state of tension between countries in which each side adopts policies designed to strengthen it and weaken the other by falling short by actual war”.

Image Source: i.ytimg.com/vi/y9HjvHZfCUI/maxresdefault.jpg

Infact, Cold War is a kind of verbal war which is fought through newspapers, magazines, radio and other propaganda methods. It is a propaganda to which a great power resorts against the other power. It is a sort of diplomatic war.

Origin of Cold War:

There is no unanimity amongst scholars regarding the origin of the Cold War In 1941 when Hitler invaded Russia, Roosevelt the President of USA sent armaments to Russia. It is only because the relationship between Roosevelt and Stalin was very good. But after the defeat of Germany, when Stalin wanted to implement Communist ideology in Poland, Hungery, Bulgaria and Rumania, at that time England and America suspected Stalin.

Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England in his ‘Fulton Speech’ on 5 March 1946 said that Soviet Russia was covered by an Iron Curtain. It led Stalin to think deeply. As a result of which suspicion became wider between Soviet Russia and western countries and thus the Cold War took birth.

Causes of the Cold War:

Various causes are responsible for the outbreak of the Cold War. At first, the difference between Soviet Russia and USA led to the Cold War. The United States of America could not tolerate the Communist ideology of Soviet Russia. On the other hand, Russia could not accept the dominance of United States of America upon the other European Countries.

Secondly, the Race of Armament between the two super powers served another cause for the Cold War. After the Second World War, Soviet Russia had increased its military strength which was a threat to the Western Countries. So America started to manufacture the Atom bomb, Hydrogen bomb and other deadly weapons. The other European Countries also participated in this race. So, the whole world was divided into two power blocs and paved the way for the Cold War.

Thirdly, the Ideological Difference was another cause for the Cold War. When Soviet Russia spread Communism, at that time America propagated Capitalism. This propaganda ultimately accelerated the Cold War.

Fourthly, Russian Declaration made another cause for the Cold War. Soviet Russia highlighted Communism in mass-media and encouraged the labour revolution. On the other hand, America helped the Capitalists against the Communism. So it helped to the growth of Cold War.

Fifthly, the Nuclear Programme of America was responsible for another cause for the Cold War. After the bombardment of America on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Soviet Russia got afraid for her existence. So, it also followed the same path to combat America. This led to the growth of Cold War.

Lastly, the Enforcement of Veto by Soviet Russia against the western countries made them to hate Russia. When the western countries put forth any view in the Security Council of the UNO, Soviet Russia immediately opposed it through veto. So western countries became annoyed in Soviet Russia which gave birth to the Cold War.

Various Phases of the Cold War:

The Cold War did not occur in a day. It passed through several phases.

First Phase (1946-1949 ):

In this phase America and Soviet Russia disbelieved each other. America always tried to control the Red Regime in Russia. Without any hesitation Soviet Russia established Communism by destroying democracy in the Poland, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungery, Yugoslavia and other Eastern European Countries.

In order to reduce Russia’s hegemony, America helped Greece and Turkey by following Truman Doctrine which came into force on 12 March 1947. According to Marshall Plan which was declared on 5 June, 1947 America gave financial assistance to Western European Countries.

In this phase, non withdrawal of army from Iran by Soviet Russia, Berlin blaockade etc. made the cold was more furious. After the formation of NATO in 1949, the Cold War took a halt.

Second Phase (1949-1953 ):

In this phase a treaty was signed between Australia, New Zeland and America in September, 1957 which was known as ANZUS. America also signed a treaty with Japan on 8 September, 1951. At that time by taking armaments from Russia and army from China, North Korea declared war against South Korea.

Then with the help of UNO, America sent military aid to South Korea. However, both North Korea and South Korea signed peace treaty in 1953 and ended the war. In order to reduce the impact of Soviet Communism, America spent a huge amount of dollar in propaganda against Communism. On the other hand, Soviet Russia tried to be equal with America by testing atom bomb.

Third Phase (1953-1957):

Now United States of America formed SEATO in 1954 in order to reduce Soviet Russia’s influence. In 1955 America formed MEDO in Middle East. Within a short span of time, America gave military assistance to 43 countries and formed 3300 military bases around Soviet Russia. At that time, the Vietnamese War started on 1955.

To reduce the American Power, Russia signed WARSAW PACT in 1955. Russia also signed a defence pact with 12 Countries. Germany was divided into Federal Republic of Germany which was under the American control where as German Democratic Republic was under Soviet Russia. In 1957 Soviet Russia included Sphutnick in her defence programme.

In 1953 Stalin died and Khrushchev became the President of Russia. In 1956 an agreement was signed between America and Russia regarding the Suez Crisis. America agreed not to help her allies like England and France. In fact West Asia was saved from a great danger.

Fourth Phase (1957-1962):

In 1959 the Russian President Khrushchev went on a historical tour to America. Both the countries were annoyed for U-2 accident and for Berlin Crisis. In 13 August 1961, Soviet Russia made a Berlin Wall of 25 Kilometres in order to check the immigration from eastern Berlin to Western Berlin. In 1962, Cuba’s Missile Crisis contributed a lot to the cold war.

This incident created an atmosphere of conversation between American President Kenedy and Russian President Khrushchev. America assured Russia that she would not attack Cuba and Russia also withdrew missile station from Cuba.

Fifth Phase (1962-1969 ):

The Fifth Phase which began from 1962 also marked a mutual suspicion between USA and USSR. There was a worldwide concern demanding ban on nuclear weapons. In this period Hot Line was established between the White House and Kremlin. This compelled both the parties to refrain from nuclear war. Inspite of that the Vietnam problem and the Problem in Germany kept Cold War between USA and USSR in fact.

Sixth Phase (1969-1978 ):

This phase commencing from 1969 was marked by DETENTE between USA and USSR- the American President Nixon and Russian President Brezhnev played a vital role for putting an end to the Cold War. The SALT of 1972, the summit Conference on Security’ of 1975 in Helsinki and Belgrade Conference of 1978 brought America and Russia closer.

In 1971, American Foreign Secretary Henry Kissinger paid a secret visit to China to explore the possibilities of reapproachment with China. The American move to convert Diego Garcia into a military base was primarily designed to check the Soviet presence in the Indian Ocean. During the Bangladesh crisis of 1971 and the Egypt-Israel War of 1973 the two super powers extended support to the opposite sides.

Last Phase (1979-1987 ):

In this phase certain changes were noticed in the Cold War. That is why historians call this phase as New Cold War. In 1979, the American President Carter and Russian President Brezhnev signed SALT II. But in 1979 the prospects of mitigating Cold War were marred by sudden development in Afghanistan.

Vietnam (1975), Angola (1976), Ethiopia (1972) and Afghanistan (1979) issues brought success to Russia which was unbearable for America. American President Carter’s Human Rights and Open Diplomacy were criticised by Russia. The SALT II was not ratified by the US Senate. In 1980 America boycotted the Olympic held at Moscow.

In 1983, Russia withdrew from a talk on missile with America. In 1984 Russia boycotted the Olympic game held at Los-Angeles. The Star War of the American President Ronald Regan annoyed Russia. In this way the ‘New Cold War’ between America and Russia continued till 1987.

Result of the Cold War:

The Cold War had far-reaching implications in the international affairs. At first, it gave rise to a fear psychosis which resulted in a mad race for the manufacture of more sophisticated armaments. Various alliances like NATO, SEATO, WARSAW PACT, CENTO, ANZUS etc. were formed only to increase world tension.

Secondly, Cold War rendered the UNO ineffective because both super powers tried to oppose the actions proposed by the opponent. The Korean Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War etc. were the bright examples in this direction.

Thirdly, due to the Cold War, a Third World was created. A large number of nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America decided to keep away from the military alliances of the two super powers. They liked to remain neutral. So, Non-Alignments Movement became the direct outcome of the Cold War.

Fourthly, Cold War was designed against mankind. The unnecessary expenditure in the armament production created a barrier against the progress of the world and adversely affected a country and prevented improvement in the living standards of the people.

Fifthly, the principle ‘Whole World as a Family’, was shattered on the rock of frustration due to the Cold War. It divided the world into two groups which was not a healthy sign for mankind.

Sixthly, The Cold War created an atmosphere of disbelief among the countries. They questioned among themselves how unsafe were they under Russia or America.

Finally, The Cold War disturbed the World Peace. The alliances and counter-alliances created a disturbing atmosphere. It was a curse for the world. Though Russia and America, being super powers, came forward to solve the international crisis, yet they could not be able to establish a perpetual peace in the world.

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