Florence Elliot

A state of tension between countries in which each side adopts policies designed to strengthen
itself and weaken the others while falling short of actual hot war.

Origin: 1917

Evolution: U.S.S.R. blamed west for following policy of appeasement towards Germany 1930s.
Treaty of Versailles.

Different war aims. U.S.S.R. wanted division of Germany in order to control it. Thus, east
Germany under Russian control and west under American. Also wanted to create a buffer if
friendly was European countries.

Black sea. US wanted Russia to open the water body for trade. But it means opening a gate for
the capitalistic invasion into Russia.

Delay in opening of second front.

Manhattan project.

Russian annexation of Japanese territory.

Remilitarization of Greece.

Formal declaration of war: 1946 Westminster speech Fulton college.

"A shadow had fallen upon the scene so lately lighted by allied military. Nobody knows what
Soviet Russia and its communist organization intends to do. From Baltic to Adriatic, an iron
curtain had descended across Europe.

Phases:

I. 1946-49

Truman doctrine- of active involvement into world affairs; aggressive, forward.

Marshall plan- 20 billion dollars loan to European nations.

China- 1949 another communist nation. Maoist

Cominform- 1947. Communists information bureau. So that all countries follow uniform type of
communism. Yugo protested, expelled by Stalin, joined NAM.

Molotov plan- 1949 money to re-establish Europe.

NATO. '49. Initially to encircle Russia, later China too.

II. 1949-53

U.S.S.R. nuclear test.

Korean war:

1910- Japan occupies Korea.

1945- Withdraws. So U.S.S.R. takes over North Korea. US controls S. Korea.

Post 45- Powers agree to unify Korea and hold elections. South more populated than North.
Elections only took place in South. Now, NK Kim Il Sung. SK Synman Rhu. No unification.
Communist western division on ideals.

38th parallel.

Invasion- 1950- NK aggression begins.

Phase I. NK occupies most of SK except Pusan n Inchon.

II. UN & US. Resolution passed. American troops diverted to Pusan n Inchon. Gradually started
clearing the NK invasion.

III. US troops cross 38th parallel and attack NK. Entry of China. Massively.

IV. UN troops move in. Commander changed (cause the previous one was a warmonger)

1957- Negotiations. Agreed to keep 38th parallel as the official border.

Consequences:

20million dead. Heavy destruction to property.

China as a global power/player.

US started building military bases around China. Policy of containment.

III. 1953-57

SEATO. South east Asian treaty org.

MEDO. Middle east defence org.

US involvement in the Vietnam war.

Russia concludes Warshaw pact.

US n U.S.S.R. explore thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb).

IV. 1957-62

Cuban missile crisis:

1898- Colony of Spain. Independence. Onwards only U.S. was the investor there.

1952- Change of regime. Batista came to power. After WWII American influence weakened.
Dictatorship. Reign of terror.

1959- Fidel Castro overthrew Batista. Leaned towards U.S.S.R.

1960- Castro nationalized the American properties in Cuba. In retaliation, U.S. stopped
importing Cuban sugar. Also formed an Anti-Castro Forum.

1961- ACF invaded Cuba but failed miserably. Cubans had prior info, feigned ignorance.

1962- First Soviet missile consignment reached Cuba. Second consignment of nukes was about
to reach but U.S. navy surrounded the Cuban borders, caging the country, preventing the nuke
ships from harbouring on the cast.

U Thant- U.S. Secretary General. Negotiated.

U.S.S.R. agreed to withdraw provided U.S. will not invade Cuba and that U.S. should withdraw
from Turkey. Thus labelled 'chicken'.

The American camp celebrated this as a victory. Fidel Castro joined NAM.

U2 incident- American spy plane shot down in Russian territory. Pilot caught.

Berlin wall crisis- Creation.

Vietnam war:

Laos+Cambodia+Vietnam= Indochina
Vietnam under France then Japan during WWII. After Japanese defeat, went back under French
control.

1946- League for Vietnamese Independence. Ho Chi Minh. Fought till '54. Defeated France:
cause France was weakened by WWII. Experts on guerrilla warfare.

Geneva conference- 1954. Great powers in attendance. France will withdraw troops. Indochina
will gain independence. Temporary division of Vietnam. North to U.S.S.R. South to U.S.
Administrative reasons. Till 1956 when elections were to be held. But they never did and so
divided they remained.

NV: Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh.

SV: Saigon. Bao Dai. Murdered. Replaced by NGO Diem. Led to anarchy.

US policy-

Eisenhower: Indirect support.

JFK: Direct involvement. 61-63. Against the guerrilla campaign (Vietcong). 'Safe village policy'.

Lyndon Johnson: 63-69. Carpet bombing in Vietnam on the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Nixon: 69-74. 'Vietnamisation policy'. Trained Vietnamese people to fight the guerrillas.
Restarted bombings. Napalm jelly bombs to destroy foliage.

Left. 16.9

New Cold War: What lead to it?

Soviet intervention in Afghanistan

Soviet influence in Middle east.

Carter's assertive policy. Blamed Russia for human rights violation. Cruise missile(pinpoint
accuracy) development by U.S.

Sino-US relations. 1979 SALT II between US and U.S.S.R. Later US retreated. Commented [somya2191]: Strategic arms limitation
treaty
Iran-79- Shah regime ended. Was pro-American.

Old n new: Differences

Alliances. Active partners before.

Armaments. Conventional n non conventional weapons used before. Now, only on nuclear.
Deterrence. Theory worked before. Nukes aren't just for show now.

Ideology. Communism v. capitalism. Not the issue today. Balance rather than dominance.

1989- Malta summit. Formal ending of cold war. Reasons: Costly military bases around the
world. To divert resources to social cause.

Impact/Legacy-

Military alliances and arms race considered as futile.

Focus shifted to betterment of people.

Rise of new world order.

Divided views on NAM.

Liberalism gained popularity by 9/11 again brought realism to the forefront.

Indian FP changed. Rapport with U.S. Deterioration of Pak U.S. relations. 9/11 reversed this.

U.S. China relations strained. Russia's relations with 3rd world countries soured. Came closer to
western nations.

Disarmament:-

'Deterrence'. 'MAD'. 'Mutual vulnerability'.

Baruch plan 1946.

1963: PTBT

1968: NPT

1972: SALT I- ABM treaty. Interim agreement.

1972-79: SALT II- failed.

Détente 1969-79: TTBT. PNET.

Reagan moratorium 1980-86.

1986: Reykjavík summit. Failed.

1987: INFA. Intermediate nuclear forces agreement.

START I. 1991. Strategic arms reduction treaty.

START II. 1992. Not ratified.