Cold War

Published on 24 Oct 2025

The Cold War, spanning from 1945 to the early 1990s, was an era of geopolitical rivalry and tension between the United States and its Western allies and the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies, marked by ideological, political, and economic competition, as well as the nuclear threat, without direct military conflict between the superpowers.

Timeline of Cold War

Major events

• 1945 - End of World War II:

• World War II ends with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and Japan.

• The Allied Powers, including the United States and the Soviet Union, emerged as the two superpowers.

• 1945 - Start of the United Nations: The United Nations (UN) was established to promote international cooperation and prevent future conflicts.

• 1947 - Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan:

• President Harry Truman announces the Truman Doctrine, pledging U.S. support to countries resisting communist influence.

• The Marshall Plan is initiated, providing economic aid to rebuild war-torn Europe.

• 1948-1949 - Berlin Blockade and NATO:

• The Soviet Union imposes a blockade on West Berlin, leading to the Berlin Airlift by Western powers.

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is formed, creating a military alliance against Soviet aggression.

• 1950-1953 - Korean War:

• The Korean War broke out as North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, supported by the United Nations and the U.S.

• The conflict ended in an armistice in 1953, with Korea divided along the 38th parallel.

• 1955 - Warsaw Pact: The Soviet Union forms the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance with Eastern Bloc countries in response to NATO.

• 1961 - Berlin Wall: The Berlin Wall is constructed to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany.

• 1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis: The U.S. and the Soviet Union come to the brink of nuclear war over the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

• 1963 - Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: The United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, prohibiting nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in outer space.

• 1979 - Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan: The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, leading to increased tensions with the West.

• 1980s - Reagan Administration and Arms Race: The U.S. under President Ronald Reagan ramps up military spending, intensifying the arms race.

• 1985 - Mikhail Gorbachev becomes Soviet Leader: Gorbachev introduces reforms, including Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (economic restructuring), to revitalize the Soviet Union.

• 1987 - Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty: The U.S. and Soviet Union signed the INF Treaty, eliminating an entire class of nuclear missiles in Europe.

• 1989 - Fall of the Berlin Wall: The Berlin Wall falls, symbolizing the end of the division in Germany and the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

• 1991 - Dissolution of the Soviet Union:

• The Soviet Union collapses, leading to the independence of several former Soviet republics.

• The Cold War officially ends with the signing of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) between the U.S. and Russia.

Causes of the Cold War

• The Iron Curtain: Soviet Union's post-WWII divide, isolating Eastern Europe from the West.

• Competition for Influence: Both USA and USSR sought to fill power vacuums after WWII.

• Historical Conflict Tendency: Throughout history, cooperation has been brief, and conflict has persisted.

• Wartime Alliance's Short-lived Unity: Despite differences, USA and USSR fought together against fascism. Emerging suspicion during WWII set the Cold War stage.

• Security Concerns: USSR sought friendly neighbours due to past invasions, realizing that  geographical isolation was no longer secure.

• Ideological Differences: Contrast between Western and Soviet ideologies contributed i.e. Capitalism vs Communism.

Formal Declaration and Progress of the Cold War in regions across the globe

• Europe

• Truman Doctrine (1947): The Cold War's formal declaration began with the Truman Doctrine when President Truman requested $450 million from Congress for military expenses to support Greece and Turkey against communist threats.

• Marshall Plan (1947): In June 1947, the Marshall Plan aimed at European economic reconstruction, in contrast to the Soviet Molotov Plan.

• Czechoslovakia and Brussels Pact (1948): USSR imposed a communist government in Czechoslovakia in February 1948, leading to the formation of the Brussels Pact by Western countries in March 1948, which laid the groundwork for NATO.

• Berlin Blockade (1948): The Berlin Blockade of May-June 1948 and the formation of NATO in April 1949 heightened Cold War tensions.

• Asia and Africa

• Resource Competition: Both the USA and USSR sought resources in Asia and Africa to strengthen their global positions.

• USA

• Domino Theory (Vietnam): The USA applied the "Domino Theory" to Vietnam, justifying military intervention by claiming that communism in one country would spread to others.

• Eisenhower Doctrine (West Asia): The "Eisenhower Doctrine" aimed to push the USSR away from Gulf countries in Western Asia.

• Monroe Doctrine (Latin America): The "Monroe Doctrine" was revived and expanded to justify US intervention in Latin America, notably during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963.

• Global Military Bases: The USA established military bases worldwide, including in Pakistan, Turkey, and Okinawa, Japan.

• Military Alliances: The USA formed military alliances like CENTO (Baghdad Pact) and SEATO in South-East Asia in 1955.

• USSR

• Diverse Political Alliances: The USSR, despite its communist ideology, formed alliances with countries of various political backgrounds, including rightist governments and military dictatorships.

These strategies and alliances extended the Cold War beyond Europe into Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with both superpowers vying for influence and resources.

Tags:
History & Culture

Keywords:
Cold War 1945 United States Soviet Union US USSR Western allies Eastern Bloc allies nuclear threat Timeline of Cold War marshall plan Truman Doctrine Berlin Blockade NATO Korean War warsaw pact Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Reagan's arms race Gorbachev Dissolution of Soviet Union Fall of Berlin Wall Allied Powers North Atlantic Treaty Organization Harry Truman 38th parallel Mikhail Gorbachev Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty INF treaty Causes of the Cold War Capitalism vs Communism Formal Declaration and Progress of the Cold War in regions across the globe Czechoslovakia and Brussels Pact Domino Theory Eisenhower Doctrine Monroe Doctrine

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 1

Topics:
World History