AMSCO 8.8 End of the Cold War Notes

📍Topic 8.8 End of the Cold War

📖 AMSCO p.608-623

Key Timeline

Image Courtesy of Iris

Things to Know

Technological Innovations, Arms Race, Three Alignments

• Although the Cold War was not the typical “war” that clashes physically, it served as an important milestone that demonstrated the clash between political beliefs: communism vs capitalism.
• In attempts to achieve victory in this war, the United States sought to triumph in technological innovations and military advancements.
• Military Technology that was largely Developed:
  • Atoms Bombs
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Ballistic Missiles
• The Arms Race
  • After the US developed the atomic bomb in World War II, the Soviet Union also developed nuclear weapons of its own. This led to tense relations between the two superpowers.
  • Two international military alliances therefore formed in response to this face off: NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
  • NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): military alliance formed between the United States and its allies
  • Warsaw Pact: military alliance formed between the Soviet Union and its allies
• Three Alignments 🌏
  • The Cold War divided the world into three alignments: First World, Second World, and the Third World.
  • First World: United States and its allies
  • Second World: Soviet Union, countries of Eastern Europe, and communist nations around the world
  • Third World: countries that did not have close ties militarily or ideologically to any of the First or Second World countries

Political Effects of the Cold War

• Political Effects in Asia
  • Spawned conflict internally in some countries of Asia; some of which led to internal revolts. ⚔️
  • In response to the US policy of containment, wars sparked in Vietnam and Korea.
  • In countries such as Cambodia and Laos, communist revolutions started to begin.
• Political Effects in Africa
  • In Ethiopia and Angola, communist governments started to come to power and take leadership.
  • A proxy war was fought between the US and the Soviet Union over Angola’s war for independence from Portugal.
  • The Soviet Union provided military training to initiate communist-style governments while the US armed and supported anti-communists.
• Political Effects in the Western Hemisphere
  • In Latin America, communist revolutions were successful in countries such as Cuba and Nicaragua.
  • In other countries such as Columbia and Peru, communist insurrections sparked.
  • To stop the spread of communism, the United States often supported right wing politicians and military officers in response.

Social and Cultural Effects

• The Cold War created social tensions and cultural effects for those involved. Proxy wars often led to separation of families and displacement of villagers and innocent citizens.
• Social Effects:
  • Those who opposed the government’s beliefs were often sent away to camps
  • In the United States, one’s career would be ruined if they were to be accused, even unjustly, of being a communist.
  • Threats of nuclear attacks were often hanging over people’s head as both superpowers held nuclear weapons and the tense atmosphere caused a social and political tension.
  • In response to potential military threats, people built bomb shelters to protect themselves
• Cultural Effects:
  • After World War II, scientific research, architecture, art, and music started to flourish in the Western hemisphere.
  • The Soviet Union in contrast had blocked the spread of Western culture and therefore, the Eastern hemisphere had less exposure to the cultural rebirth occurring in the Western hemisphere.
  • In places where the Cold War had occurred, violent culture clashes often happened after the superpower country retreated (i.e. Afghanistan and Yugoslavia).

Terms to Remember