Cold War Cold War Cycles. Cold War: years, essence

The period of 1953-1962 was time when the structurally decorated confrontation of the superpower in the Cold War reached the stage of almost irreconcilable confrontation. The United States has increased military potential and strengthened existing structures - NATO, the US-Japanese contract. The USSR fastened the discipline in the organization of the Warsaw Agreement (including and with the help of power influence, as in Hungary in 1956), while strengthening the country's strategic forces.

During the pre-election company of 1952, D. Eisenhower invariably invaded the zone of the influence of the USSR, promising millions of Americans of Eastern European origin to extend the principles of Western democracy into the territory of Eastern Europe by the "liberation of conquered peoples". A positive factor in the Cold War was the decision of the new president about the termination of the war in Korea, the stabilization of the military budget, as well as the promise to be more prudent and avoid the military adventur in the distant regions.

President Eisenhuer had a weapon in his hands, different from the on which President Truman could count. The US nuclear arsenal over several years has been increased repeatedly, the nuclear weapons of the 50s were thousands of times more powerful atomic bombs of the second half of the 40s. By 1955 The number of bomber capable of hitting the USSR has reached 1350 units, and the combat load of each strategic bomber carrying nuclear weapons was equivalent to the destructive strength of the total volume of all ammunition, discarded by the Federal Aviation to Germany for the Second World War. At this time, the administration of Eisenhower, the plans of a preventive nuclear strike on the Soviet Union and its allies are performed. Simultaneously with the construction of strategic armaments at this time, the intensive construction of American military bases in all corners of the globe is unfolding.

In the Soviet Union, the conviction in the determination of the United States to start a nuclear war and arrange a giant Hiroshima in the USSR, that the army, in order to gain experience in conducting hostilities in the conditions of nuclear bombardment, under the leadership of Marshal G.K. Zhukov conducted under the Semipalatian teaching using atomic weapons. Hundreds of tanks were held in the territory where the nuclear bomb was just reset. During the exercises, many thousands of military personnel received a huge dose of radiation.

Huge funds were allocated by scientists who, under the leadership of Academicians Kurchatov and the Queen, created a rocket-nuclear-type weapon. In November 1957 The intercontinental ballistic rocket of Soviet production has brought the first artificial satellite of the Earth on an near-earth orbit. Now any point of the planet has been vulnerable to a nuclear strike, including the entire territory of the United States. The USSR came out on the line of strategic parity.

John Kennedy, who replaced Eisenhower as President of the USA in 1961, began with the initiative to enhance the internal and external forces to ensure the decisive leadership of the United States in the Cold War. He expressed its administration in his inaugural speech: "Let each nation, regardless of whether it wishes to us good or evil, knows that we will pay any price, I will bring any burden, we will post any difficulties, support any friend, oppose any enemy For the sake of ensuring the celebration of Freedom. " The main elements of the Cold War, under the President of Kennedy, was the accelerated military construction, the consolidation of the allies, the desire to expand the influence and entrenched in developing countries, liberated or liberated from colonialism, the maintenance of diplomacy, which had a dialogue with any potential opponent.

The concept of Kennedy envisaged the accelerated building of rocket and nuclear weapons, in order to leave far behind the USSR. Strategic superiority should have become a solid foundation of the entire US foreign policy. By 1967 The number of ICBM (intercontinental strategic missiles) was increased 5 times - from 200 to 1000; A submarine fleet was constructed, consisting of 41 atomic submarines of the Polanis type, capable of launching 656 strategic rockets.

In addition to strategic forces, the usual US armed forces were increased by 300 thousand people. The strategy "of two and a half wars" - when the United States could lead two full-scale wars in Europe and Asia against the USSR and China and one "half" in any other place. To solve the last task, parts of the special purpose ("green berets") were also created, capable of conducting military operations secretly and in the most unusual conditions on the most remote bores of the Cold War. Cold War Marshall

The crown of this stage of the Cold War was the Caribbean crisis of October 1962. Faced with a real threat nuclear war, D. Kennedy concluded that the absolute settling of his superiority could involve USA into a suicide nuclear conflict, which will lead to a national catastrophe. For the White House, it became apparent that the injection of hostility to the degree of military conflict does not always serve American interests - on the contrary, it can contribute to the alienation of concerned neutral states, the departure of the allies frightened by such actions.

War is incredible
The world is impossible.
Reonon Aron

Modern relations between Russia with a collective West are difficult to name constructive or even more partner. Mutual accusations, loud statements, increasing bryacy of weapons and fury of propaganda - all this creates a resistant impression of a dejum. All this was once and repeated now - but already in the form of a farce. Today, the news tape seems to return to the past, during the epic confrontation between the two powerful superpowers: the USSR and the USA, which lasted a more population and repeatedly brought humanity to the face of the global military conflict. In history, this multi-year confrontation received the name of the Cold War. Its beginning of historians consider the famous speech of the British Prime Minister (at that time already former) Churchill, uttered in Fulton in March 1946.

The era of the Cold War lasted from 1946 to 1989 and ended in the fact that the current Russian president Putin called the "the largest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century," the Soviet Union disappeared from the map of the world, and with him she went into the fly and the whole communist system. The confrontation of the two systems was not war in the literal sense of the word, a clear clash between the armed forces of the two superpowers managed to avoid, but numerous military conflicts of the Cold War, which she spawned in different regions of the planet, carried out millions of human lives.

During the Cold War, the struggle between the USSR and the United States was carried out not only in the military or political sphere. No less acute competition and in the economic, scientific, cultural and other fields. But the main thing was the ideology: the essence of the Cold War is an acute opposition of two models of the state system: the communist and capitalist.

By the way, the term "Cold War" itself introduced a cult writer George Orwell in circulation. He used him before the beginning of the confrontation in his article "You and the Atomic Bomb". The article saw the light in 1945. Orwell himself in his youth was a tary adherent of communist ideology, but in mature years he was completely disappointed in it, therefore, probably, he was better understood by many on the matter. Officially, the term "Cold War" first used the Americans two years later.

Not only the Soviet Union and the United States participated in the Cold War. It was a global contest in which dozens of countries around the world were involved. Some of them were the closest allies (or satellites) superpowers, while others turned out to be drawn into confrontation by chance, sometimes even besides their will. The logic of processes demanded that the parties of the conflict, the creation of its own zones of influence in different regions of the world. Sometimes they were fixed with the help of military political blocs, NATO and the organization of the Warsaw Treaty were the main alliances of the Cold War. On their periphery, in the redesty of the spheres of influence and the basic military conflicts of the Cold War occurred.

The described historical period is inextricably linked with the creation and development nuclear weapons. Mainly, it is precisely the presence of the opponents of this powerful deterrent that has not allowed the conflict to switch to the hot phase. The cold war between the USSR and the United States spawned a unheard of the arms race: already in the 70s, the opponents had so many nuclear warheads that they would have enough to destroy the whole globe several times. And this is not counting the huge arsenals of ordinary weapons.

For decades of confrontation, there were both periods of normalization of relations between the United States and the USSR (discharge) and the times of tough confrontation. Cold War Crises several times brought the world on the edge of a global catastrophe. The most famous of them is the Caribbean crisis that occurred in 1962.

The end of the Cold War was rapid and for many unexpected. The Soviet Union lost the economic race with the West countries. The backlog was noticeable in the late 60s, and the situation was catastrophic to the 80th. The most powerful blow to the national economy of the USSR caused a drop in oil prices.

In the mid-80s, the Soviet leadership it became clear that in the country you need to immediately change something, otherwise the catastrophe will come. Termination of the Cold War and the Arms Racing were vital for the USSR. But the perestroika, taught by Gorbachev, led to the dismantling of everything state Device USSR, and then to the collapse of the socialist state. Moreover, the United States seems to have not even expected such a junction: Back in 1990, American Soviet experts prepared a forecast for the development of the Soviet economy for their leadership.

At the end of 1989, Gorbachev and Bush during the summit on the island of Malta officially announced that the world cold war was over.

The topic of the Cold War today is very popular in the Russian media. Speaking of the current foreign policy crisis, commentators often use the term "New Cold War". Is it so? What is the similarity and difference between the current situation and events of the forty years ago?

Cold War: Causes and Prerequisites

After the war, the Soviet Union and Germany lay in ruins, during the fighting, and Eastern Europe was very much. The economy of the old world was in decline.

On the contrary, the territory of the United States during the war was practically not affected, and the human losses of the United States did not have a comparison with the Soviet Union or Eastern European countries. Even before the beginning of the war, the United States has become the leading world industrial power of the world, and military supplies allies have further strengthened the American economy. By 1945, America managed to create a new weapon of unheard of power - a nuclear bomb. All of the above allowed the United States to confidently count on the role of a new hegemon in the post-war world. However, it was clear that the United States had a new dangerous opponent on the way to planetary leadership, the Soviet Union.

The USSR almost alone broke the strongest land German army, but paid for this the colossal price - millions of Soviet citizens died at the front or in the occupation, tens of thousands of cities and villages were in ruins. Despite this, the Red Army took the whole territory of Eastern Europe, including most of Germany. In 1945, the USSR, no doubt, had the strongest armed forces on the European continent. No less strongly positions Soviet Union And in Asia. Literally a few years after the end of World War II, the Communists came to power in China, which made it a vast country to the USSR ally in the region.

The Communist Guide of the USSR has never refused plans for further expansion and disseminate its ideology to new regions of the planet. It can be said that throughout the almost all of its history, the USSR's foreign policy was rather tough and aggressive. In 1945, especially favorable conditions were for the promotion of communist ideology.

It should be understood that the Soviet Union was low on most American, and in general Western politicians. A country where there is no private property and market relations, explode churches, and society is under the complete control of the special services and the party, seemed to be some kind of parallel reality. Even Hitler Germany was in a more understandable ordinary American. In general, by the USSR, Western politicians treated rather negatively before the start of the war, and after its completion, fear was also added to this relationship.

In 1945, the Yalta Conference was held, during which Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt tried to divide the world on the spheres of influence and create new rules of future world order. Many modern researchers see the origins of the Cold War in this conference.

Summarizing the above, you can say: the Cold War between the USSR and the United States was inevitable. These countries were too different to coexist peacefully. The Soviet Union wanted to expand the socialist camp through the inclusion of new states into it, and the United States sought to rebuild the world to create more favorable conditions for their major corporations. Nevertheless, the main reasons for the Cold War are still in the field of ideology.

The first signs of the future Cold War appeared before the final victory over Nazism. In the spring of 1945, the USSR presented territorial claims to Turkey and demanded to change the status of the Black Sea strait. Stalin was interested in the possibility of creating a naval base in Dardanelles.

A little later (in April 1945) British Prime Minister Churchill gave an instruction to prepare plans possible war With the Soviet Union. He later wrote this in his memoirs himself. At the end of the war, the British and the Americans kept unreformed several divisions of the Wehrmacht in case of conflict from the USSR.

In March 1946, Churchill uttered his famous speech in Fulton, which many historians consider the "trigger" of the Cold War. In this speech, politician called on the UK to strengthen relations with the United States in order to compare the expansion of the Soviet Union. Churchill seemed dangerous growth in the influence of communist parties in European countries. He called on not to repeat the mistakes of the 30s and not to go on the aggressor, but western values \u200b\u200btightly and consistently defend.

"... from Shattin on Baltic to Trieste on the Adriatic, the" iron curtain "was lowered through the entire continent. All the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe are located behind this line. (...) Communist parties, which were very small in all Eastern European countries, were reached by power everywhere and received unlimited totalitarian control. (...) Police governments prevail almost everywhere, and so far, in addition to Czechoslovakia, there is no genuine democracy. The facts are such: it is, of course, not the liberated Europe, for which we fought. This is not what is necessary for a permanent world ... "- so described the new post-war reality in Europe, Churchill - undoubtedly the most experienced and insightful politician of the West. In the USSR, this speech really did not like, Stalin compared Churchill with Hitler and accused him of inciting new war.

It should be understood that during this period the front confrontation of the Cold War often ran not on the external borders of countries, but within them. The poverty of Europeans, ruined war, made them more susceptible to the left ideology. After the war in Italy and France, the Communists supported about a third of the population. The Soviet Union, in turn, did everything possible to support national compatures.

In 1946, the Greek rebels were activated, which were led by local communists, and the Soviet Union was supplied with weapons through Bulgaria, Albania and Yugoslavia. Suppress the uprising was managed only by 1949. After the end of the war of the USSR, for a long time refused to bring his troops from Iran and demanded to provide him with the right to Protectorate over Libya.

In 1947, the Americans developed the so-called Marshall Plan, which provided for significant financial assistance to the states of the Central and Western Europe. This program includes 17 countries, the total amount of transfers was $ 17 billion. In exchange for money, Americans demanded political concessions: recipient countries had to eliminate communists from their governments. Naturally, nor the USSR, nor the country of "folk democracies" of Eastern Europe did not receive any help.

One of the present "architects" of the Cold War can be called the Deputy Ambassador to the USSR George Kennan, who in February 1946 sent telegram number 511 to his homeland. In history, it entered the name "long telegram". In this document, the diplomat recognized the impossibility of cooperation with the USSR and called on his government to rigorously confront the Communists, because, according to Kennan, the leadership of the Soviet Union respects only power. Later, this document largely determined the position of the United States regarding the Soviet Union for many decades.

In the same year, President Truman announced the "deterrence policy" of the USSR around the world, later she was called the "Truman doctrine".

In 1949, the largest military-political block was formed - "Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty", or NATO. It includes most countries of Western Europe, Canada and the United States. The main task of the new structure was the protection of Europe from the Soviet invasion. In 1955, the Communist countries of Eastern Europe and the USSR created their military union, called the "Organization of the Warsaw Treaty".

Stages of the Cold War

The following stages of the Cold War are distinguished:

• 1946 - 1953, the initial stage, the start of which usually considers Churchill in Fulton. During this period, Marshall Plan for Europe is launched, the North Atlantic Alliance and the organization of the Warsaw Agreement are created, that is, the main participants of the Cold War are determined. At this time, the efforts of Soviet intelligence and the military-industrial complex were aimed at creating their own nuclear weapons, in August 1949 the USSR tested its first nuclear bomb. But the United States has long retained a significant superiority in both the number of charges and the number of media. In 1950, the war began on the Korean Peninsula, which lasted until 1953 and became one of the most bloody military conflicts of the last century;
• 1953 - 1962. This is a very contradictory period of the Cold War, during which the Khrushchev "Thaw" and the Caribbean crisis happened, almost ended with the Nuclear War between the United States and the Soviet Union. For these years, anti-communist uprisings fell in Hungary and Poland, the next Berlin crisis and the war in the Middle East. In 1957, the USSR successfully experienced the first intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of achieving the United States. In 1961, the USSR held demonstrative tests of the most powerful thermonuclear charge, and in the history of mankind - "Tsar Bomb". The Caribbean crisis led to the signing between the superpowers of several documents on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons;
• 1962 - 1979 This period can be called the apogee of the Cold War. The arms race reaches maximum intensity, dozens of billions of dollars spend on it, undermining the economies of rivals. Attempts by the Government of Czechoslovakia to hold pro-Western reforms in 1968 in 1968 by entering the troops of the members of the Warsaw Treaty on its territory. The tension in relations between the two countries, of course, was present, but the Soviet secretary of Brezhnev was not a fan of the adventure, so the sharp crises managed to avoid. Moreover, in the early 70s, the so-called "discharge of international tensions" began, which somewhat lowered the heat of confrontation. Important documents relating to nuclear weapons were signed, joint programs were implemented in space (the famous Soyuz-Apollo). In the conditions of the Cold War, these were out of the ranks of the outgoing events. However, "discharge" ended by the mid-70s, when Americans placed medium-range nuclear rockets in Europe. The USSR responded to this deployment of similar systems of weapons. Already by the mid-70s, the Soviet economy began to noticeably slip, the lag of the USSR and in the scientific and technical sphere;
• 1979 - 1987 Relations between the superpowers were spoiled again after the Soviet troops entered Afghanistan. In response to this, the Americans staged a boycott of the Olympiad, which was accepted by the Soviet Union in 1980, and began to help the Afghan Mujaughnes. In 1981, a new American president came to the White House - Republican Ronald Reagan, who became the most rigid and consistent opponent of the USSR. It was from his filing that a strategic defense initiative program (soy) began, which was supposed to protect the American US territory from Soviet warheads. During the reign, the Ragan in the United States began to develop neutron weapons, and allocations for military needs increased significantly. In one of the speeches, the American president called the USSR "Empire Evil";
• 1987 - 1991 This stage is the completion of the Cold War. In the USSR, a new Secretary General came to power - Mikhail Gorbachev. He began global changes in the country, radically revised the foreign policy of the state. Another discharge began. The main problem of the Soviet Union was the state of the economy, undermined by military costs and low prices Energy is the main export product of the state. Now the USSR could no longer afford to conduct foreign policy in the spirit of the Cold War, he needed Western loans. Literally over a few years, the condriding between the USSR and the United States practically came up. Important documents related to reducing nuclear and conventional weapons were signed. In 1988, the conclusion of Soviet troops from Afghanistan began. In 1989, one after another began to "raise" the prototype regimes in Eastern Europe, and at the end of the same year the Berlin Wall was broken. Many historians consider this event that the end of the Cold War era.

Why did the USSR lose in the Cold War?

Despite the fact that every year the Cold War event is further from us, the topics associated with this period are increasing interest in Russian society. Domestic propaganda gently and carefully penetrates nostalgia parts of the population at that time, when "sausage was two - twenty and all were afraid of us." Such, they say, the country ruined!

Why the Soviet Union, having huge resources, having quite high level social development and the highest scientific potential lost its the main war - Cold?

The USSR appeared as a result of an unprecedented social experiment on the creation of a fair society in a separate country. Such ideas appeared in different historical periods, but usually remained in location. Bolsheviks should be given due: for the first time they managed to realize this utopian plan in the territory of the Russian Empire. Socialism has chances to take their revenge as a fair system of a social device (socialist practices are increasingly awakened in the social life of the Scandinavian countries, for example) - but it was impracticable at a time when this public system was trying to introduce a revolutionary, compulsive way. It can be said that Socialism in Russia was ahead of his time. Hardly he became so terrible and inhuman, especially in comparison with the capitalist. And even more appropriate to remember that historically, the Western European "progressive" empires caused the suffering and death of the largest number of people around the world - Russia far in this regard, in particular, to the UK (probably it is she and is the genuine "Evil Empire ", Genocide gun for Ireland, the peoples of the American continent, India, China and someone else). Returning to the socialist experiment in the Russian Empire of the early 20th century, it should be recognized: the peoples living in it, it was worth the innumerable victims and suffering throughout the century. The German Chancellor Bismarck is attributed to such words: "If you want to build socialism, take the country that you do not feel sorry." Unfortunately, it was not a pity to Russia. Nevertheless, no one has the right to blame Russia in her way, especially considering the foreign policy practice of the last 20th century as a whole.

The problem is only that with the socialism of the Soviet sample and general level The productive forces of the 20th century economy does not want to work. From the word at all. Man deprived of material interest in the results of his work, works badly. Moreover, at all levels, starting from the usual worker and ending with a high official. The Soviet Union - having Ukraine, Kuban, Don and Kazakhstan - already in the mid-1960s, was forced to buy grain abroad. Already then the situation with food in the USSR was catastrophic. Then the socialist state saved the miracle - the detection of "big" oil in Western Siberia. and the rise of world prices for this raw material. Some economists believe that without this oil, the collapse of the USSR would have happened in the late 70s.

Speaking about the reasons for the defeat of the Soviet Union in the Cold War, of course, should not forget about ideologies. The USSR was originally created as a state with a completely new ideology, and for many years she was a powerful weapon. In the 50s and 60s, many states (especially in Asia and Africa) voluntarily chose a socialist type of development. They believed in the construction of communism and Soviet citizens. However, in the 70s, it became clear that the construction of communism was utopia, which at that time could not be implemented. Moreover, even many representatives of the Soviet nomenclature elite ceased to believe in such ideas - the main future beneficiaries of the collapse of the USSR.

But at the same time, it should be noted that these days many Western intellectuals recognize: it was the confrontation with the "backward" Soviet building forced the capitalist systems to mimicry, to make unprofitable social norms that initially appeared in the USSR (8-hour working day, equal rights of women All sorts of social benefits and much more). It is not superfluous to repeat: Most likely, the time of socialism has not yet come, since there is no civilization base for this and the corresponding level of production development in the global economy. Liberal capitalism is not a panacea from global crises and suicide global wars, but rather, on the contrary, the inevitable path to them.

The loss of the USSR in the Cold War was due not to so much by the power of his opponents (although she was certainly great) how many insoluble contradictions embedded within the Soviet system itself. But in the modern world order of internal contradictions, there was no less, and certainly not accustomed to security and peace.

The results of the Cold War

Of course, the main positive outcome of the Cold War is that she has not turned hot to war. Despite all the contradictions between states, the sides have enough of the mind to realize, at what edge they are, and do not cross the fatal line.

However, other consequences of the Cold War are difficult to overestimate. In fact, today we live in the world, which was largely formed at that historical period. It was during the Cold War that an existing system of international relations appeared today. And she is bad, but works. In addition, we should not forget that a significant part of the world elite was formed in the years of opposition to the United States and the USSR. We can say that they come from the Cold War.

The Cold War influenced almost all international processes that occurred during this period. New states arose, the war began, the uprisings and revolutions broke out. Many Asian countries, Africa gained independence or got rid of colonial yoke thanks to the support of one of the superpower, which thus strived to expand their own zone of influence. Today there are countries that can be bolded to call the "Cold War Rates" - for example, Cuba or North Korea.

It is impossible not to note the fact that the Cold War contributed to the development of technologies. The opposition to the superpower gave a powerful impetus to the study of outer space, without it it is unknown, a landing for the moon would take place or not. The arms race contributed to the development of rocket and information technologies, mathematics, physics, medicine and much more.

If we talk about the political results of this historical period, then the main of them, no doubt, is the collapse of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the entire socialist camp. As a result of these processes, about two dozen new states appeared on the political map of the world. Russia inherited from the USSR received the entire nuclear arsenal, most of the usual weapons, as well as a place in the UN Security Council. And the United States as a result of the Cold War has significantly strengthened its power and today, in fact, are the only superpower.

The end of the Cold War led to two decades of the turbulent growth of the global economy. Huge territories former USSRpreviously closed by the "iron curtain", became part of the global market. Military expenses decreased dramatically, the released funds were aimed at investment.

However, the main outcome of the global confrontation between the USSR and the West was the visual proof of the utopianness of the socialist state model in the conditions of public development of the late 20th century. Today in Russia (and other former Soviet republics) disputes about the Soviet stage in the history of the country do not subscribe. Someone sees the benefit in it, others call the greatest catastrophe. At least one more generation should be born so that the events of the Cold War (like on the whole Soviet period) began to watch how to historical fact - calmly and without emotions. The communist experiment is, of course, the most important experience for human civilization, which is still not "reflexed." And perhaps this experience will also bring Russia benefits.

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And the United States of America lasted for more than 40 years and was called the "Cold War". Years of its duration are evaluated by various historians in different ways. However, it is possible to declare confidence that the confrontation ended in 1991, with the collapse of the USSR. Cold War left an indelible mark in world history. Any conflict of the last century (after the end of World War II) must be considered through the Cold War's Prism. It was not just a conflict between the two countries.

It was a confrontation of two opposite worldviews, the struggle for domination over the world.

Main reasons

The year of the beginning of the Cold War - 1946. It was after the victory over Nazi Germany loomed new map Peace and new rivals for world domination. The victory over the Third Reich and His Allies went to huge blood for all Europe, and especially the USSR. The future conflict marked up at the Yalta Conference of 1945. At this famous meeting, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt decided the fate of post-war Europe. At this time, the Red Army was already suitable for Berlin, so it was necessary to produce the so-called section of the spheres of influence. Soviet troops, hardened in battles on their territory, carried the liberation to other people's peoples. In the countries that the Union occupied, friendly socialist regimes were established.

Spheres of influence

One of these was installed in Poland. At the same time, the previous Polish government was in London and considered himself legal. Supported it, however, chosen by the Polish people communist party de facto ruler country. At the Yalta Conference, this issue was particularly acutely considered by the parties. Also, similar problems were observed in other regions. The nations liberated from the Nazi occupation created their own governments with the support of the USSR. Therefore, after the victory over the Third Reich, the map of future Europe was finally formed.

The main stumbling blocks of former allies on the anti-Hitler coalition began after the German section. Eastern part The Soviet troops occupied, the Western Territories were proclaimed, which occupied allies, became part of Federal Republic Germany. Between the two governments immediately started. The confrontation ultimately led to the closure of the boundaries between the FRG and the GDR. Spyware began, and even sabotage promotions.

American imperialism

Throughout 1945, allies on the anti-Hitler coalition continued close cooperation.

These were acts of transferring prisoners of war (which captured the Nazis) and material values. However, the next year the Cold War began. The years of the first exacerbation fell on the post-war period. The symbolic start was the speech of Churchill in the American city of Fulton. Then the former Minister of British said that communism and the USSR communism and the USSR are the main enemy for the West, which personifies him. Winston also called on all English-speaking nations to combat the "Red Independence". Such provocative statements could not but cause the response of Moscow. After some time, Joseph Stalin gave an interview with the Pravda newspaper, which compared English politicians with Hitler.

Countries during the Cold War: Two Blocks

However, at least Churchill was a private person, he only identified the course of Western governments. The United States sharply increased their influence on the world stage. It happened in many ways thanks to the war. Martialctions Not conducted on the American territory (with the exception of the raids of Japanese bombers). Therefore, against the background of ruined Europe, the states had a rather powerful economy and armed forces. Fearing the start of the national revolutions (which would be supported by the USSR) on their territory, capitalist governments began to wade around the United States. It was in 1946 that the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a military in response was performed for the first time. It even came to the point that the parties have developed a strategy of armed struggle with each other. As directed by Churchill, a plan of a possible war from the USSR was developed. Similar plans were also from the Soviet Union. Preparation for the trade and ideological war began.

Arms race

The arms race between the two countries was one of the most indicative phenomena that the Cold War brought. The years of confronting led to the creation of unique means of warfare, which are still used. On the second half of the 40s, the United States had a huge advantage - nuclear weapons. The first nuclear charge bombs were still applied to the second world war. The bomber "Enola Gay" dropped shells to the Japanese city of Hiroshima than almost equalized him from the earth. It was then that the world saw the destructive power of nuclear weapons. The United States began to actively increase their stocks of such weapons.

The state of New Mexico creates a special secret laboratory. Based on a nuclear advantage and strategic plans were built regarding further relationships with the USSR. Tips, in turn, also began to actively develop a nuclear program. The Americans found the presence of charges with enriched uranium the main advantage. Therefore, the intelligence has hastily exported all documents on the development of atomic weapons from the territory of defeated Germany in 1945. Soon, a secretly developed strategic document was developed, which suggested a nuclear strike on the territory of the Soviet Union. According to some historians, various variations of this plan were several times the Truman. So the initial period of the Cold War ended, the years of which were the least intense.

Nuclear weapon of the Union

In 1949, the USSR successfully conducted the first tests of the nuclear bomb at the Polygon in Semipalatinsk, as soon as all Western media stated. The creation of RDS-1 (nuclear bomb) became possible largely due to the actions of Soviet intelligence, which penetrated on the secret polygon in Los Alamosse.

Such a rapid creation of nuclear weapons has become a real surprise for the United States. Since then, Yao has become the main restraining force of a direct military conflict between two camps. Precedent in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed the world terrifying power atomic bombs. But in what year was the cold war of the most fierce?

Caribbean crisis

For all the years of the Cold War, the most abandoned situation was in 1961. The conflict between the USSR and the United States entered the story as his prerequisites were still long before. It all started with the placement of American nuclear missiles in Turkey. The charges "Jupiter" were placed in such a way that they could hit any goals in the western part of the USSR (including Moscow). Such a danger could not be left unanswered.

A few years before that, the People's Revolution headed by Fidel Castro began in Cuba. At first, the USSR did not see the prospects in the uprising. However, the Cuban people managed to overthrow the batter mode. After that, the American leadership stated that he would not tolerate the new power in Cuba. Immediately after that, close diplomatic relations were established between Moscow and the island of freedom. Soviet armed parts were sent to Cuba.

Start of conflict

After placing nuclear weapons in Turkey, the Kremlin decided to take urgent countermeasures, because for this period it was impossible to carry out the start of atomic missiles in the United States from the territory of the Union.

Therefore, an "Anadyr" secret operation was reached. Military ships were tasked to deliver a long-range missile to Cuba. In October, the first ships reached Havana. Starting starting pads. At this time, American intelligence aircraft made a flight over the coast. The Americans managed to get several pictures of tactical divisions, whose weapons were sent to Florida.

Exacerbation of the situation

Immediately after that, the American armed forces were translated into a state of high combat readiness. Kennedy conducted an emergency meeting. A number of high-ranking persons called the president immediately start the invasion of Cuba. In case of such a development of events, the Red Army would immediately cause a rocket and nuclear strike on the landing. It could well lead to worldwide so both sides began to look for possible compromises. After all, everyone understood what such a cold war could lead to. Years of the nuclear winter were unequivocally not a better prospect.

The situation was extremely tense, everything could change literally at any second. As evidence historical sourcesAt this time, Kennedy even slept in his office. As a result, the Americans put forward an ultimatum - remove Soviet rockets from Cuba. Next began the sea blockade of the island.

Khrushchev spent a similar meeting in Moscow. Some Soviet generals also insisted not to succumb to Washington's requirements and, in which case, to reflect the attack of Americans. The chief blow of the Union could not be at all in Cuba, but in Berlin, which was well understood in the White House.

"Black Saturday"

The world's greatest blows in the years of the Cold War was subjected to October 27, on Saturday. On this day, the American intelligence aircraft U-2 flew over Cuba and was shot down by Soviet Zenitchiki. After a few hours, this incident was known in Washington.

The US Congress advised the president immediately to start the invasion. The President decided to write a letter to Khrushchev, where he repeated his requirements. Nikita Sergeevich responded to this letter immediately, agreeing on them, in exchange for a promise of the United States not to attack Cuba and take a rocket from Turkey. To make the message reached as quickly as possible - the appeal was done through the radio. On this Cuban crisis and ended. Since then, the decomposition has become gradually decreasing.

Ideological confrontation

Foreign policy during the cold war for both blocks was characterized not only by rivalry for control over the territories, but a rigid information struggle. Two different builds in every way tried to show our superiority to the world. The famous "Radio Liberty" was created in the USA, which was broadcast on the territory of the Soviet Union and other socialist countries. The stated goal of this information agency was the fight against Bolshevism and Communism. It is noteworthy that Radio Liberty still exists and works in many countries. The USSR during the Cold War years also created a similar station, which broadcast to the territory of capitalist countries.

Each event that is significant for mankind of the second half of the last century was considered in the context of the Cold War. For example, the flight into the space of Yuri Gagarin was presented to the world as the victory of socialist labor. Countries spent huge resources to propaganda. In addition to sponsoring and supporting cultural figures, there was a wide agent network.

Spy Games

The spy intrigue of the Cold War was widely reflected in art. Secret services went to the most different tricks to be one step ahead of their opponents. One of the most characteristic cases is the Operation "Confession", which is more similar to the plot of a spy detective.

During the war, the Soviet scientific learned term The term created a unique transmitter who did not require recharging or power source. It was a kind of eternal engine. The listening device was called "Zlatoust". The KGB on the personal order of Beria decided to establish "Zlatoust" in the building of the US Embassy. To do this, a wooden shield was created with the image of the coat of arms of the United States. During the visit of the American ambassador to the children's health, it was arranged solemn rule. At the end, the pioneers were sang by the anthem of the United States, after which a wooden coat of arms was handed a touched ambassador. He, not suspecting a trick, installed it in personal Cabinet. Thanks to this, the KGB of 7 years received information about all the conversations of the ambassador. Such cases open to the public and secret, there was a huge set.

Cold War: years, essence

The end of the confrontation of the two blocks came after the collapse of the USSR, lambing 45 years.

The tension between the West and East has been preserved to this day. However, the world has ceased to be bipolar, when Moscow or Washington stood in the world in any significant event. What year was the Cold War of the most fierce, and the closer to "hot"? Historians and analysts still lead to disputes on this topic. Most converges in the fact that this is the period of the "Caribbean crisis" when the world stood in a step from the nuclear war.

Cold War - a period of confrontation between the USSR and the USA. The peculiarity of this conflict is the fact that he took place without direct military clash between opponents. The reasons for the Cold War were to be in worldview and ideological discrepancies.

She was kind of "peaceful". There were even diplomatic relations between the parties. But a quiet rivalry took place. It affected all spheres - this is the presentation of films, literature, and the creation of the latest weapons, and the economy.

It is believed that the USSR with the United States was in the state of the Cold War from 1946 to 1991. This means that the confrontation began immediately after the completion of the Second World War and ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. All these years, each country sought to win over another - the presentation of both states in front of the world looked like.

Both the USSR and America sought to gain support for other states. States enjoyed sympathy from the Western European countries. The Soviet Union was popular with the Latin American and Asian states.

Cold War divided the world into two camps. Only units retained neutrality (perhaps three countries, including Switzerland). However, some stand out even three sides, meaning China.

Political map of the world "Cold War"
Political map of Europe during the Year of Cold War

The most acute moments in this periods were Caribbean and Berlin crisis. With their start, political processes in the world deteriorated significantly. The world threatened even a nuclear war - she hardly managed to avoid.

One of the features of the confrontation is the desire to overtake each other in various fields, which included military technologies and weapons of mass lesion. It was called the "Arms Race". There was also a competition in the field of propaganda in the media, in science, sports, culture.

In addition, it is worth mentioning about the total espionage of the two states against each other. In addition, many conflicts occurred in the territories of other countries. For example, the United States established rockets in Turkey and Western European countries, and the USSR - in Latin American states.

Conflict running

Competition between the USSR and America could develop into the Third World War. Three world wars in one century are difficult to imagine, but it could happen many times. We list the main stages and milestones of rivalry - the table below shows:

In the 1980s, the Soviet Union began restructuring, and in 1991 collapsed. As a result, the entire socialist system was defeated. So the ending of many years of confrontation, which touched all the countries of the world.

Causes of rivalry

When the second World War Threaded, the USSR and America felt like winners. The question arose about the new world order. At the same time, political and economic systems and ideologies of both states were opposite.

The doctrine of the United States was the "salvation" of the world from the Soviet Union and Communism, and the Soviet side sought to build communism on the entire globe. Such were the main prerequisites for the occurrence of the conflict.

Many experts consider this conflict artificial. Just every ideology was needed an enemy - both America and the Soviet Union. Interestingly, both sides were afraid of the mythical "Russian / American enemies", while it seems that there would be nothing against the population of the enemy country.

The perpetrators of the conflict can be called ambitions of managers and ideologies. He passed in the form of the emergence of local wars - "hot spots". We give some of them.

Korean War (1950-1953)

The story began with the liberation of the Red Army and the American military naval of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese armed Forces. Korea was already divided into two parts - the prerequisites for future events arose.

In the northern part of the country, the power was in the hands of the Communists, and in the South-Military. The first were the pro-Soviet force, the second - pro-American. However, in fact there were three stakeholders here - China was gradually in the situation.

Baked tank
Soldiers in the trenches
Evacuation detachment

Training shooting
Korean boy on the "Dear Death"
Defense of the city

Two republics were formed. The state of the Communists began to be called the DPRK (completely - the Korean People's Democratic Republic), and the Military founded the Republic of Korea. At the same time there were thoughts and on the association of the country.

1950 was marked by the arrival of Kim Il Siena (leader of the DPRK) to Moscow, where he was promised to support the Soviet government. The Chinese leader Mao Zedong also believed that South Korea should be attached to the military way.

Kim Il Saint - Head of North Korea

As a result, on 25.06 of the same year, the Army of the DPRK went to South Korea. For three days she managed to take Seoul - the South Korean capital. After that, the offensive operation was slower, although in September the North Koreans had almost completely controlled the peninsula.

However, the final victory did not take place. The United Nations joints voted for the commissioning of the International Military Contingent to South Korea. The decision was realized in September, when Americans came to the Korean Peninsula.

It was they who began the strongest offensive from the territories that the son of Mana was still controlled by the army - the head of South Korea. At the same time, the troops landed on the west coast. The US military took Seoul and even crossed the 38th parallel, coming to the DPRK.

Is the son of Man - Head of South Korea

North Korea threatened the defeat, but China helped her. His government sent "folk volunteers", i.e., soldiers for the Assistance of the DPRK. Million Chinese military began to fight the Americans - this led to the level alignment on the source boundaries (38 parallels).

War lasted three years. In 1950, several Soviet aviation divisions came to the rescue of the DPRK. It is worth saying that the American technique was more powerful Chinese - the Chinese had the hardest losses.

The truce came after three years of war - 07.27.1953. As a result, North Korea continued to lead Kim Il Saint - "Great Leader". The division plan of the country after the Second World War still remains in force, and Korea is headed by the grandson of the then leader - Kim Chen Yun.

Berlin Wall (August 13, 1961 - November 9, 1989)

After the decade after the end of World War I, Europe was finally divided between the West and East. But there was no clear border of the conflict that was separated by Europe. Berlin was something like an open "window".

The city was divided into two halves. East Berlin was part of the GDR, and the West was part of the Federal Republic of Germany. Capitalism and socialism began in the city.

Berlin Berlin Wall separation scheme

For change, the system was enough to go to the next street. Every day, between the West and East, Berlin went to half a million people. It happened that the eastern Germans preferred to move to the western part.

Eastern Germany's authorities were concerned with the situation, besides, the "iron curtain" should have close due to the Spirit of the Epoch. The decision on the closure of the borders was made in the summer of 1961 - the plan was compiled by the Soviet Union and the GDR. Western states spoke against a similar measure.

The situation was especially shot in October. Near the Brandenburg Gate, the US Sun tanks appeared, and from the opposite side, Soviet military equipment. Tankists were ready to attack each other - the combat readiness lasted more than a day.

However, then both sides have grown equipment to far from Berlin. Western countries had to recognize the division of the city - this happened after a decade. The appearance of the Berlin Wall has become a symbol of the post-war section of peace and Europe.

Caribbean crisis (1962)

• Start: October 14, 1962
• Ending: October 28, 1962

In January 1959, the revolution was happened on the island, which was headed by the 32-year-old Fidel Castro - the leader of the partisan. His government decided to fight with the influence of America in Cuba. Naturally, the Cuban government has received support from the Soviet Union.

Young Fidel Castro

But in Havana there were concerns about the invasion of American troops. And in the spring of 1962, N. S. Khrushcheva had a plan to put the USSR nuclear missiles in Cuba. He believed that it scares the imperialists.

Cuba agreed with the idea of \u200b\u200bKhrushchev. This led to shipment to the territory of the island of forty-two missiles, equipped with nuclear warheads, as well as bombers for nuclear bombs. The equipment was transferred secretly, although the Americans learned about it. As a result, US President John Kennedy expressed a protest that he received the assurances of the Soviet side in the absence of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

However, in October, the US intelligence aircraft took photos of missile starting sites, and the American government thought over the answer. On October 22, Kennedy's television appeal to the population of the United States, where he said about Soviet missiles in Cuban territory and expressed the requirement to remove them.

Then the announcement of the naval blockade of the island sounded. 24.10 A meeting of the UN Security Council was held on the initiative of the Soviet Union. The situation in the Caribbean has become stressful.

In the direction of Cuba sailed about twenty ships of the Soviet Union. Americans were ordered to stop them even with fire. However, the battle did not take place: Khrushchev gave an order to stop the Soviet flotilla.

From 23.10, Washington exchanged official messages with Moscow. In the first of them, Khrushchev said that the behavior of the United States is "madness degenerated imperialism, as well as the" purest banditry ".

After a few days, it became clear: Americans want to get rid of rival missiles by any ways. On October 26, N. S. Khrushchev wrote a conciliatory letter to the American president, where he recognized the presence of Soviet potent weapons in Cuba. However, he assured Kennedy, which will not attack the United States.

Nikita Sergeevich said that this is the way to destroy the world. Therefore, I demanded a promise from Kennedy not to make aggression against Cuba in exchange for the export of Soviet weapons from the island. The President of the United States agreed to this proposal, so the plan of peaceful settlement of the situation has already been created.

October 27 came the "Black Saturday" of the Caribbean crisis. Then the third world could begin. In the air of Cuba twice a day, the squadron flew aircraft of the USA, seeking to frighten the Cubans and the USSR. 27.10 Soviet military shot down the American intelligence aircraft with the help of an anti-aircraft missile.

Anderson pilot, who managed him, died. Kennedy decided to start bombing Soviet missile databases for two days and attack the island.

But the next day the authorities of the Soviet Union decided to agree to the conditions of the United States, i.e. to remove missiles. But this did not agree with the leadership of Cuba, and Fidel Castro did not welcome a similar measure. However, after that, the tension decreased and on November 20, the Americans stopped the seabal blockade of Cuba.

War in Vietnam (1964-1975)

The beginning of the conflict in 1965 put the incident in the Tonkin Gulf. Vietnamese coast guard ships shot through American destroyers who supported the anti-Partisan struggle of the South Names. It so happened to the open entry into the conflict of one of the superpowers.

At the same time, another, i.e., the Soviet Union, indirectly supported Vietnamese. The war was severe for Americans and provoked mass anti-war demonstrations held by young people. In 1975, the Americans brought their contingent from Vietnam.

After that, America has begun internal reforms. In the country, 10 years after this conflict continued the crisis.

Afghan conflict (1979-1989)

• Start: December 25, 1979
• Ending: February 15, 1989

In the spring of 1978, revolutionary events took place in Afghanistan, the Communist Movement - the People's Democratic Party. Nur Muhamed Taraki became the head of the government, the writer.

Soon the party was mired in the internal contradictions, in the summer of 1979 by the opposition between Taraki and the other leader named Amin. In September, Taraki was removed from power, excluded from the party, after which he was arrested.

Afghan leaders of the 20th century

The batch began "cleaning", which caused indignation in Moscow. The situation resembled a "cultural revolution" in China. The authorities of the Soviet Union began to be fear of changing the course of Afghanistan to Socaitsky.

Amine voiced requests to introduce Soviet troops to the Afghan territory. The USSR carried out this plan, at the same time deciding to eliminate the amine.

The West condemned these actions - the exacerbation of the "Cold War" happened. In the winter of 1980, the UN General Assembly spoke in favor of the conclusion of the Soviet Army from Afghanistan 104 votes.

At the same time, the Afghan opponents of the Communist revolutionary authorities began to fight against the Soviet troops. Armed Afghans supported the United States. These were "Mujahideen" - supporters of "Jihad", radical Islamists.

The war lasted 9 years and claimed the lives of 14 thousand Soviet military and more than 1 million Afghans. In the spring of 1988, in Switzerland, the Soviet Union was signed an agreement to bring troops. Gradually, this plan began to act. The process of withdrawal of the military lasted from February 15 to May 15, 1989, when the last soldier Soviet army Out of Afghanistan.

Effects

The last event in confrontation is the elimination of the Berlin Wall. And if the causes and nature of the war are understandable, the results are difficult to describe.

The Soviet Union had to reorient the economy to finance the military sphere due to rivalry with America. Perhaps this was the cause of the deficit of goods and the weakening of the economy and the subsequent collapse of the state.

The current Russia lives in conditions when it is necessary to find the right approaches to other countries. Unfortunately, there is no sufficient counterpart of the NATO block. Although the world is still influential 3 countries - USA, Russia and China.

US with his actions in Afghanistan - the help of the Mujahedam - spawned international terrorists.

Moreover, modern Wars Locally (Libya, Yugoslavia, Syria, Iraq) are also conducted in the world.

In contact with

It became the most large-scale and cruel conflict in the entire history of mankind, there was a confrontation between the countries of the communist camp on the one hand and the Western capitalist countries on the other, between the two superpowers of the time - the USSR and the United States. It is briefly described as a rivalry for domination in the new post-war world.

The most important cause of the Cold War was the insoluble ideological contradictions between the two models of society - socialist and capitalist. West feared the strengthening of the USSR. The lack of the common enemy's winning countries, as well as the ambitions of political leaders and the ambitions of the winning leaders.

Historians allocate the following stages of the Cold War:

• March 5, 1946 - 1953: The beginning of the Cold War was put in Churchill's speech, uttered in the spring of 1946 in Fulton, in which the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating the Union of Anglo-Saxon countries to combat communism was proposed. The purpose of the United States has become an economic victory over the USSR, as well as the achievement of military superiority. In fact, the cold war began before, but precisely by the spring of 1946 due to the refusal of the USSR from the withdrawal of troops from Iran, the situation seriously aggravated.

1953-1962: During this period of the Cold War, the world was on the verge of a nuclear conflict. Despite some improvement in relations between the Soviet Union and the United States during the thaw of Khrushchev, it was at this stage that events occurred in the GDR and in Poland, an anti-communist uprising in Hungary, as well as the Suez crisis. International tensions increased after the development and successful test of the USSR in 1957 of the intercontinental ballistic missile.

However, the threat of a nuclear war retreated, because now the Soviet Union has been able to put a retaliatory blow to the US cities. This period of relations between the superpowers of the Berlin and Caribbean crises of 1961 and 1962 ended. respectively. Allow the Caribbean crisis was only possible during the personal negotiations of the heads of states - Khrushchev and Kennedy. As a result of the negotiations, agreements on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons were signed.

• 1962-1979: The period was marked by the arms race undermining the economy of rival countries. The development and production of new types of weapons demanded incredible resources. Despite tensions in relations between the USSR and the United States, agreements on the limitation of strategic arms were signed. The development of the joint Soyuz-Apollo Space Program began. However, by the beginning of the 80s, the USSR began to lose in the arms race.
• 1979-1987: Relationship between the USSR and the United States again aggravated after the input of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. US placed in 1983. Ballistic rockets at the bases in Italy, Denmark, England, Germany, Belgium. The development of a system of anti-symbolic defense was carried out. The USSR responded to the actions of the West with access to the Geneva negotiations. During this period, the missile warning system was in constant combat readiness.
• 1987-1991: The parish in 1985 to power in the USSR entailed not only global changes within the country, but also radical changes in foreign policy, called "new political thinking." The ill-conceived reforms finally undermined the economy of the Soviet Union, which led to the actual damage to the country in the Cold War.

The end of the Cold War was caused by the weakness of the Soviet economy, its inability to more maintain the arms race, as well as the Soviet Communist regimes. A certain role was played by anti-war performances in different parts of the world. The results of the Cold War found themselves for the USSR depressing. The symbol of the victory of the West was reunion in 1990. Germany.

After the USSR failed in the Cold War, a unipolar model of the world with the dominant superpowering of the United States was formed. However, these are not the only consequences of the Cold War. The rapid development of science and technology began, primarily the military. So, the Internet was originally created as a communication system for the American army.

A lot of documentary and feature films about the period of the Cold War were shot. One of them, telling detailed about the events of those years - "Heroes and Cold War Sacrifice."