The cold war



The cold war Intense prolonged, political confrontation between countries involving all spheres of relations A war without a direct armed class could escalate to a hot war1941-1991East / WestCommunism / CapitalismSoviet Union / United states Affected the world positively: technological development Affected the world negatively: Al Quaida The strategic weakness of Europe in 1945- 2 world wars- Communist threat - Auschwitz and the European trauma Europe: a cake shared by two superpowers - Yalta (Europeans out of the game)- 1949: Save Berlin Europe under influence- Eastern Europe influenced by Stalin- Western Europe: The father became the son (NATO, economic dependence, Marshall plan) Europe on the edge 1. The Cold WarEurope, pawn in the game Political and ideological rivalry 2. Germany in the middle of the battlefieldStalin’s ambitionsEast and West Keep western Europe in the western world 3. The end of the European nation / state model- Europe murdered by nationalism- Great history – small countries The Truman Doctrine- March 1947- Policy of containment- Purpose: provide financial and military aid to countries threatened by soviet expansion- Aimed at stopping the spread of communism - Positioned the US as a defender of a free world in the face of Soviet aggression - Aid package of ~ $400 million was granted to Greece and Turkey - Provided a legitimate basis for the US’ activism during the Cold War- Marshall Plan The Zhdanov Doctrine- 1947- Soviet response to the Truman Doctrine- Anti imperialist and Anti democratic camp (led by the USSR)- Emphasized the fact that the anti-imperialist state across the world relied on the democratic workers’ movement, on communist parties and on those involved in liberation movement in colonial countries. Rollback policy and NATO/WARSAW pact 1953: Eisenhower extended the Truman doctrine rollback policy which aimed not merely to contain communism but to actively drive it back Formation of NATO (an attack on 1 of them is an attack on everyone) USSR response: Warsaw pact which also had a mutual defence clause The cold war 1946 – 1991 - Europe and East Asia devastated by World War II - Global capitalism is shattered even more than by WWI- The stage is set for another round of global conflict - The 3 dimensions of the new war:Ideological (global capitalism challenged by the global left)Geopolitical (competition between states)Military (wars and arms races)- In the late 1940s, conflicts in the 3 areas converged to produce a rapid shift from the peace of 1945 to a 45-year long period of confrontationNon Aligned Movement - These were a group of nations that were not aligned with any of the super powers neutral- Original members: Afghanistan, Algeria, Yemen, Myanmar, Cambodia, Sri-Lanka, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yugoslavia. - With a current membership of around 120 countries, its role has evolved to handle issues like globalisation- Since its inception, the movement therefore attempted to create an independent path in the world - It strives for:the right of independent judgement the struggle against imperialism and neo-colonialismthe use of moderation in relations with all big powersalso working towards the restructuring of the international economic order. Francis Fukuyama – The end of History? - Declares the ultimate triumph of western liberal democracy- This triumph is evident in the total exhaustion of viable systematic alternatives to western liberalism- Significant reform movements can be seen in the USSR and China – Changes in intellectual and ideological level - This phenomenon extends beyond high politics and it can be seen in the spread of consumerism western culture: Peasant markets, Colour TV sets everywhere in China Western-style stores in MoscowBeethoven in Japanese daily lifeRock music in Prague Tehran and Rangoon- NOT just the end of the Cold War End of history as such:End point of mankind’s ideological evolution & universalization of western liberal democracy Not to say there will no longer be international events of significance because the victory of liberalism has occurred primarily in the realm of ideas or consciousness and is as incomplete in the real or material worldClash of civilization theory - Religious cultural and economic issues- Civilization included: Western: Europe, Americas, AustraliaEastern: Orthodox SlavicMuslim: Middle East, Asia, North and West AfricaHindu: India, Bhutan, NepalSinic: China, North Korea, VietnamSub Sahara: Africa Intra-civilisation clashWhat the authors didn’t dwell on too was the emergence the intra-civilization clashesMuslims in the middle East are torn between Shias vs. Sunnis vs. WahabisThe Catholics and protestants have been at war for ages in Europe and recently in IrelandThe protestant church is on the verge of breaking up on the issue of women bishops and gay priests New War- End of the cold war: New conflicts emerged (Africa mostly)- Blur the “distinction between internal and external public and private, political and economic civilian and military and even war and peace itself” (Oberg and Hall)- They occur in “failing or failed states… understood to be essentially non political and identity-based, organizationally deconstructed wars of aggrandizement waged among a myriad of actors unified only in their disregard for legitimacy. Ideological goals and military restraint. - Intensified by globalisation- Undermined state autonomy breakup of states- Result of the slipping grip of states’ monopoly over lawfully controlled violence, consequence of the trans-nationalisation of military force. ................
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