World politics is a delicate matter that is difficult to control even for leaders of countries. Very often, we become witnesses or participants in state conflicts that occur inside the country and abroad. One of these confrontations was the Cold War.
What is it?
Before you figure out who won the Cold War, you'll have to find out what it is. The Cold War is not a specific event that happened in world history. Often this political science term is used to describe the global confrontation, which affects geopolitics, military, economic and ideological spheres.
But the most popular such conflict was the Cold War between the two blocs of states, the instigators of which were the USA and the USSR. Almost 30 years have passed since the end of this conflict, but some still do not understand whether the USSR or the United States defeated the Cold War.
Conflict details
Specifically, this Cold War has dates for the start and end of the conflict: March 5, 1946 and November 21, 1990. This event covered almost the whole world. The reason for the confrontation was the ideological and political disagreement of the two blocs. The confrontation between the capitalist and socialist models was especially observed.
The conflict ended, perhaps in the most unexpected way, which, however, was justified by a number of events.
How did it all start?
Before you find out who won the Cold War and why, it’s worthwhile to look into the historical details that have become key in this struggle for excellence.
The cause of the Cold War was another war - World War II. It was after her that the USSR actively began to control the countries of Eastern Europe. At some point, the United States and Britain felt threatened by the pro-Soviet government.
At the same time, many Soviet political scientists claimed that US foreign policy with its imperialism was purposefully engaged in fueling conflicts. Monopolistic circles were especially interested in this. It was imperative to maintain the capitalist system.
The preconditions for a “cold” confrontation were noticed after the Yalta Conference. From that moment, the division of territories and vague claims began. The heads of state began to boast of their strength and power. For example, in August 1945, Truman hinted to Stalin that the Americans had developed terrible weapons. Within a few days, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place.
These events clearly pushed for a nuclear arms race. There is evidence that Eisenhower was tasked with developing the Totality plan, which involved the dropping of 20-30 nuclear bombs into Soviet cities. After the refusal of the USSR to withdraw the occupying forces from Iran on March 5, 1946, Churchill decided to start the Cold War. It is his speech that is considered the beginning of the conflict, because after it followed Stalin's reaction. The head of the USSR put Churchill on a par with Hitler and suggested that the words of the former British Prime Minister are a call to war.
Special telegram
Then it was still unclear whether the USSR could have won the Cold War, because events developed at lightning speed. Conflict after conflict led to more aggression and action.
Another key event in this story was the “long telegram”. That is what they called message No. 511, which was created by Kennan, the US deputy ambassador to Moscow. The diplomat was convinced that the leadership of the USSR could be dealt with only by force, so it was extremely important to stop cooperation and resist expansion.
The telegram was written so competently and convincingly that the United States accepted all its tenets for truth. After this event, George Kennan was called the "architect of the Cold War."
Active actions
To trace all the historical details and understand who won the Cold War, you have to go to the very beginning of the action.
In March 1947, the United States decided to offer its military and economic assistance to Greece and Turkey. At the same time, the USSR rejects the Marshall plan, which entails a series of events: the inclusion of West Berlin in the plan, its transport blockade from the USSR, the declaration of Yakov Lomakin as a non-grata person, and the closure of the Soviet embassies in New York and San Francisco.
The main task of the USSR in this struggle was the elimination of the US monopoly on the possession of nuclear weapons. Therefore, scientists began the development of bombs. Already in 1949 the first tests passed. This shook the confidence of the US government, which was confident in its world superiority due to monopoly.
In April 1949, NATO was created, and Germany joined the West European Union. Naturally, such an event could not please the government of the USSR. In order to maintain their positions, repression against dissenters who allegedly bowed to the West intensifies. The most acute period of the Cold War is considered to be the years of the Korean War.
Thaw
Then it was still not clear which side won the Cold War. But already in 1953 the so-called Khrushchev "thaw" began. So they began to call the period after the death of Stalin and the beginning of the work of Nikita Khrushchev. The thaw came in the Cold War, so they stopped talking about the threat of World War II for a while.
In 1955, the Warsaw Pact entered into force. He united the European socialist states into a military alliance. Khrushchev tried in every possible way to establish relations between the USSR and the USA, so he was the first of the leaders to go to the USA in 1959. Upon arrival, he seemed enthusiastic and even held a rally, talking about Eisenhower, his wisdom and honesty.
Despite the fact that the USSR, under the leadership of Khrushchev, seemed loyal, in reality, not the most peaceful events took place in the world: the uprising in Hungary, the Suez II Caribbean crisis, etc.
New aggravation
Soviet bomber aircraft grew, and the United States created an air defense system around large cities. And one and the other understood that it would be possible to relax only when they had an advantage over each other. For a long time, the United States believed that as long as their strength surpassed, there was no reason for concern. In addition, after the war, the resources of the Soviet Union were significantly depleted, which means that he was not capable of retaliation.
But already in 1957, an intercontinental ballistic missile appeared, which could fly from the USSR to the United States, and its mass production was also launched. A new aggravation was not long in coming, starting with the scandal with an American spy plane. And after it was supplemented by the test of the Tsar Bomb thermonuclear bomb.
Attempts to build relationships
It was too early to decide who won the Cold War, but NATO began to lose its strength. France withdrew from it, and after the disaster over Palomares, Spain limited the military activities of the US Air Force in the state. At the same time, the Moscow Treaty is concluded between the Federal Republic of Germany and the USSR. In 1968, the Prague Spring was interrupted by the military intervention of the USSR.
Brezhnev also launched a "detente of international tension." Thanks to her, a series of joint events with America followed. At that time, it was clear that the USSR was in short supply regarding the purchase of consumer goods and food.
But the United States continued to increase its military power, so the Soviet Union needed to keep up.
New aggravation
And again, it was not clear who won the Cold War, because it did not end there. New confrontations arose due to the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan. The West immediately perceived the move as an intervention in geopolitics.
The United States launched the production of neutron weapons in order to prepare as much as possible for a possible repulsion of aggression. In 1981, the operation began. The following year, they held exercises with the Warsaw Pact countries. Two years later, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, opposed the USSR, calling it the "Empire of Evil."
In the fall of 1983, a tragedy occurred in which Soviet air defense shot down a South Korean civilian airliner, which killed 270 people.
Active opposition and another recession
Yuri Andropov spoke about maximum readiness for military operations, while in the United States it was decided to deploy weapons in Western Europe. The Reagan Doctrine, which supported anti-communist and anti-Soviet rebel organizations, was also proclaimed. Thus, the United States supported the parties to the conflicts in Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, Ethiopia, etc.
The appearance of Gorbachev again changed the course of the state towards America. Despite several diplomatic scandals, the head of the USSR chose the path of "detente" and put forward peace initiatives.
To reassure the soul in Geneva in 1985, a document was signed by Gorbachev and Reagan, which forbade nuclear war, but essentially did not oblige anyone to anything. Already in 1986, it was decided to launch a nuclear disarmament program. Much has also been done to improve the situation in Afghanistan.
Completion
The main reason for the end of the Cold War was a change in the political course of the Soviet Union. And since it was ideology and politics that were the driving force, the conflict began to subside. A political process was launched to abandon the communist ideology. Also, the USSR planned to stop depending on Western technology and loans.
Even then, many believed that the United States won the Cold War. But the actions of the heads of state continued. Gorbachev, meanwhile, began the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. Already in the late 1980s, there was a clear position of abandoning the "Brezhnev doctrine." The new chapter has done a lot to promote the “new thinking”. The Soviet bloc was liquidated, and here it was actually possible to talk about the end of the Cold War.
At that time, a representative of the GDR government, Shabowski, spoke about the new rules for entering and leaving the country. By evening, hundreds of East Germans went to the border to forget about the Berlin Wall forever. And although she still stands, she remained only a symbol of the past.
The final point in the Cold War was the Charter for a New Europe, which was signed on November 21, 1990. She stopped the confrontation between socialism and communism, promoting democracy, peace and unity.
Victory and defeat
Many confidently say that America won the Cold War, although no one mentions the tragic defeat of the USSR. It is difficult to judge as the event itself is not a classic manifestation of war in the international legal sense. And, perhaps, it is not so important who lost, more importantly - what both states ultimately came to.
Some historians have calculated America’s military spending in this confrontation. According to some reports, over the entire period of the Cold War, the United States spent $ 8 trillion. There is information that in the midst of the conflict both the United States and the USSR thought every day about a possible attack, so they spent $ 50 million on weapons every day.
Some believe that the Soviet Union lost, if only because at the end of the conflict they dramatically changed their views on politics and ideology. Yes, and the collapse of the Union is difficult to recognize as a victory. Nevertheless, since neither a peace treaty nor a document of surrender was signed, it is essentially impossible to admit defeat or victory for one side or another.
New time
It is hard to imagine who will win the New Cold War. A new confrontation began relatively recently, but formally the conflict was launched after the events in Ukraine 2013-2014. So two camps have already formed: Russia and China against the USA, EU and NATO.
This time the situation has nothing to do with ideology, since in the current contemporary situation there can be no such confrontations. That is why so far many refuse to accept the New Cold War. But as practice and history show, both sides will suffer as a result anyway.