Cold War and Unification of Europe

After the second world war, the Soviet Union wanted to disseminate communist ideas throughout Europe, which frightened Americans who supported democracy. Moreover, the rise of nationalism in Europe came with the breakthrough of communism. The Soviets were terrified by America’s nuclear capability. Both countries were afraid of being attacked by the other, leading to a cold war. Both the parties did not directly fight each other but were involved in several third-party battles and displays of power. The cold war and unification of Europe are also related.

European Council

The Soviet Union’s decision to take over Europe was crucial in the United States’ distrust. Joseph Stalin, the commander of the Soviet Union, was a personal enemy of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The USA was dissatisfied with the Soviet Union’s German territories it had seized. The Russians feared that America might strike it from Continental Europe as a foothold in the European council.

Causes of the Cold War

1. Ideologically, behind the causes of the cold war, the US and the Soviet Union predicted two different types of governance. In the United States, the president is formed through free elections, but in the Soviet Union, it is not. People might create political groups to express their political views.
2. Economically, the United States wants free commerce worldwide to flourish. The Soviet Union aimed to keep foreign trade out of its realm. These contrasts resulted in a tense relationship and had become one of the causes of the cold war.
3. Power rivalry: After World War II, power was essentially divided between Communist Russia and the United States with Europe’s catastrophe. Conflicts were unavoidable as both parties sought to control the other.

What is Cold War?

❖ Phase One (1946-1949)

⮚ During this time, neither America nor Communist Russia believed in each other. The United States had long desired to maintain influence over Russia’s Communist Regime. Without a mistake, the Soviet System built Communists in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and other Southeast European nations by undermining democracy.

❖ Phase II (from 1949 to 1953)

⮚ During this time, Australia, New Zealand, and America signed the ANZUS Treaty, officially known as ANZUS. On September 8, 1951, the United States signed a deal with Japan. North Korea waged war on South Korea, obtaining weaponry from Russian and military from China. 

❖ Phase III (1953-1957)

⮚ In 1954, America established SEATO to counter Soviet Russia’s increasing influence. In the Middle East, the USA established MEDO in 1955. Russia formed the Warsaw Pact to limit American might.

⮚ Stalin died in 1953, and Khrushchev was appointed Leader of Russia. In 1956, the United States and Russia reached an agreement about the Suez Crisis.

❖ Phase Four (1957-1962)

⮚ In 1959, Russian President Nikita Khrushchev embarked on a momentous tour to America. The U-2 disaster and the Cold Crisis irritated both countries. The Atomic Bomb of 1962 was a crucial factor in the escalation of the Cold War. This event sparked a dialogue between President Kenedy of the United States and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. 

❖ Phase Five (1962-1969)

⮚ In 1962, the Fifth Phase highlighted a period of mutual distrust between the United States and the Soviet Union.

⮚ The Vietnam War and the German Problem maintained the distrust between the United States and the Soviet Union.

❖ Phase Six (1969-1978)

⮚ President Nixon of the United States and Russian President Brezhnev played critical roles in ending the Cold War. The 1972 SALT Treaty, the 1975 Helsinki System Summit, and the 1978 Belgrade Agreement drew the United States and the Soviet Union closer.

❖ Last Phase (1979-1987)

⮚ The Cold War saw some developments throughout this period. As a result, historians refer to this period as the “New Cold War.” The SALT treaty was signed in 1979 by US President Jimmy Carter and Russian President Leonid Brezhnev. However, progress in Afghanistan impeded the hopes of reducing the Cold War in 1979.

⮚ The Soviet Union’s triumph in Vietnam (1975), Angola (1976), Ethiopia (1972), and Afghanistan (1979) was uncomfortable for the United States. Russia despised American President Jimmy Carter’s devotion to individual rights and open communication. The US Senate did not ratify the SALT 2 accord. The United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Championships.

Cold War and Unification of Europe

❖ Although the European Investment Community was established in 1957, more integration could not occur until the Cold War concluded. With the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the European Union was born.

❖ Tensions between traditionally antagonistic Allied and Axis nations and the new challenge of Russian control in the East remained in Europe after 1945. The Russian Army marched through Berlin, which was now classified into four areas of influence: the US, the UK, France, and the Union Of Soviet socialist republics.

❖ The initial attempts at expansion were undertaken in the 1960s, leading to a desire to expand opportunities for cooperation over time. Consequently, in February 1986, foreign ministers signed the Establishing the European Act.

❖ The European Union (EU) is a multilateral agreement made up of 28 member nations, most of which are situated in Europe. The Lisbon Treaty, which went into force on December 1, 2009, altered several aspects of the European Union.

Conclusion

The Cold War was a phase of international conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union and their supporters that began after World War II. The phrase cold war was adopted since there was no massive combat directly, but they both backed significant regional battles known as proxy wars.