The conflict between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America lasted for more than 40 years and was called the Cold War. The years of its duration are estimated differently by different historians. However, we can say with full confidence that the confrontation ended in 1991, with the collapse of the USSR. The Cold War left an indelible mark on world history. Any conflict of the last century (after the end of World War II) must be viewed through the prism of the Cold War. It was not just a conflict between two countries.
It was a confrontation between two opposing worldviews, a struggle for dominance over the whole world.
Main reasons
The year the Cold War began - 1946. It was after the victory over Nazi Germany that a new map of the world and new rivals for world domination loomed. The victory over the Third Reich and its allies went to the whole of Europe, and especially the USSR, with great bloodshed. The future conflict was outlined at the Y alta Conference in 1945. At this famous meeting of Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, the fate of post-war Europe was decided. At this time, the Red Army was already approachingBerlin, therefore, it was necessary to produce the so-called division of spheres of influence. Soviet troops, hardened in battles on their territory, brought liberation to other peoples of Europe. In the countries occupied by the Union, 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 itself legitimate. Western countries supported him, but the Communist Party elected by the Polish people de facto ruled the country. At the Y alta Conference, this issue was especially sharply considered by the parties. Similar problems were also observed in other regions. The peoples liberated from Nazi occupation created their own governments with the support of the USSR. Therefore, after the victory over the Third Reich, the map of the future Europe was finally formed.
The main stumbling blocks of the former allies in the anti-Hitler coalition began after the division of Germany. The eastern part was occupied by Soviet troops, the German Democratic Republic was proclaimed. The western territories occupied by the Allies became part of the Federal Republic of Germany. Disputes immediately broke out between the two governments. The confrontation eventually led to the closure of the borders between the FRG and the GDR. Spy and even sabotage actions began.
American imperialism
Throughout 1945, the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition continued close cooperation.
These were acts of transmissionprisoners of war (who were captured by the Nazis) and material assets. However, the Cold War began the following year. The years of the first exacerbation occurred precisely in the post-war period. The symbolic beginning was Churchill's speech in the American city of Fulton. Then the former British minister said that the main enemy for the West is communism and the USSR, which personifies it. Winston also called for all English-speaking nations to unite to fight the "red plague". Such provocative statements could not but provoke a response from Moscow. After some time, Joseph Stalin gave an interview to the Pravda newspaper, in which he compared the English politician with Hitler.
Cold War countries: two blocs
However, although Churchill was a private individual, he only marked the course of Western governments. The United States has dramatically increased its influence on the world stage. This happened largely due to the war. The fighting was not conducted on American territory (with the exception of raids by Japanese bombers). Therefore, against the backdrop of a devastated Europe, the States had a fairly powerful economy and armed forces. Fearing the start of popular revolutions (which would be supported by the USSR) on their territory, the capitalist governments began to rally around the United States. It was in 1946 that the idea of creating a NATO military bloc was first voiced. In response to this, the Soviets created their own bloc - the ATS. Things even went so far that the parties were developing a strategy for armed struggle with each other. At the direction of Churchill, a plan was developed for a possible war with the USSR. Similar plansthe Soviet Union also had. Preparations for a trade and ideological war have begun.
Arms race
The arms race between the two countries was one of the most revealing phenomena that the Cold War brought. Years of confrontation led to the creation of unique means of warfare that are still in use today. In the second half of the 40s, the United States had a huge advantage - nuclear weapons. The first nuclear bombs were used during World War II. The Enola Gay bomber dropped shells on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, which almost razed it to the ground. It was then that the world saw the destructive power of nuclear weapons. The United States began to actively increase its stocks of such weapons.
A special secret laboratory was created in the state of New Mexico. Based on the nuclear advantage, strategic plans were made for further relations with the USSR. The Soviets, in turn, also began to actively develop a nuclear program. The Americans considered the presence of charges with enriched uranium the main advantage. Therefore, intelligence hastily removed all documents on the development of atomic weapons from the territory of defeated Germany in 1945. Soon a secret plan "Dropshot" was developed. This is a strategic document that assumed a nuclear strike on the territory of the Soviet Union. According to some historians, various variations of this plan were presented to Truman several times. Thus ended the initial period of the Cold War, the years of whichwere the least stressful.
Soviet Nuclear Weapons
In 1949, the USSR successfully conducted the first tests of a nuclear bomb at the Semipalatinsk test site, which was immediately announced by all Western media. The creation of the RDS-1 (nuclear bomb) became possible largely due to the actions of Soviet intelligence, which penetrated, among other things, the secret test site at Los Alamos.
Such a rapid creation of nuclear weapons came as a real surprise to the United States. Since then, nuclear weapons have become the main deterrent to direct military conflict between the two camps. The precedent in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed the whole world the terrifying power of the atomic bomb. But in what year was the cold war the most bitter?
Caribbean Crisis
For all the years of the Cold War, the most tense situation was in 1961. The conflict between the USSR and the USA went down in history as the Caribbean Crisis. His prerequisites were long before that. It all started with the deployment of American nuclear missiles in Turkey. The Jupiter charges were placed in such a way that they could hit any targets in the western part of the USSR (including Moscow). Such a danger could not go unanswered.
A few years earlier, a popular revolution had begun in Cuba, led by Fidel Castro. At first, the USSR did not see any prospects in the uprising. However, the Cuban people managed to overthrow the Batista regime. After that, the American leadership declared that it would not tolerate a new government in Cuba. Immediately after that, close relations were established between Moscow and the Island of Freedom.diplomatic relations. Soviet military units were sent to Cuba.
Start of conflict
After the deployment of nuclear weapons in Turkey, the Kremlin decided to take urgent countermeasures, since for this period it was impossible to launch nuclear missiles at the United States from the territory of the Union.
Therefore, the secret operation "Anadyr" was hastily developed. The warships were tasked with delivering long-range missiles to Cuba. In October, the first ships reached Havana. The installation of launch pads has begun. At this time, American reconnaissance aircraft flew over the coast. The Americans managed to get several shots of tactical divisions, whose weapons were aimed at Florida.
The situation escalates
Immediately after that, the US military was put on high alert. Kennedy held an emergency meeting. A number of dignitaries urged the president to immediately launch an invasion of Cuba. In the event of such a development of events, the Red Army would immediately launch a nuclear missile attack on the landing force. This could well lead to a worldwide nuclear war. Therefore, both sides began to look for possible compromises. After all, everyone understood what such a cold war could lead to. The nuclear winter years were clearly not the best prospect.
The situation was extremely tense, everything could change literally at any second. According to historical sources, at this time Kennedy even slept in his office. As a result, the Americansput forward an ultimatum - to remove Soviet missiles from the territory of Cuba. Then the naval blockade of the island began.
Khrushchev also held a similar meeting in Moscow. Some Soviet generals also insisted not to succumb to Washington's demands and, in which case, repel an American attack. The main blow of the Union could not be in Cuba at all, but in Berlin, which was well understood in the White House.
Black Saturday
The greatest threat of nuclear strikes to the world during the Cold War was on October 27, Saturday. On this day, an American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft flew over Cuba and was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft gunners. A few hours later, this incident became known in Washington.
The US Congress has advised the President to launch an immediate invasion. The President decided to write a letter to Khrushchev, where he repeated his demands. Nikita Sergeevich responded to this letter immediately, agreeing to them in exchange for a US promise not to attack Cuba and take the missiles out of Turkey. In order for the message to reach as quickly as possible, the appeal was made through the radio. This was the end of the Cuban crisis. Since then, the intensity of the situation began to gradually decrease.
Ideological confrontation
Foreign policy during the Cold War for both blocs was characterized not only by rivalry for control over territories, but by a tough information struggle. Two different systems tried in every possible way to show their superiority to the whole world. In the United States, the famous Radio Liberty was created, whichwas broadcast to the territory of the Soviet Union and other socialist countries. The stated aim of this news agency was to fight Bolshevism and Communism. It is noteworthy that Radio Liberty still exists and operates in many countries. The USSR during the Cold War also created a similar station that broadcast to the territory of the capitalist countries.
Every significant event for humanity in the second half of the last century was considered in the context of the Cold War. For example, Yuri Gagarin's flight into space was presented to the world as a victory for socialist labor. Countries spent huge resources on propaganda. In addition to sponsoring and supporting cultural figures, there was a wide agent network.
Spy games
Spy intrigues of the Cold War are widely reflected in art. The secret services went to all sorts of tricks to be one step ahead of their opponents. One of the most characteristic cases is Operation Confession, which is more like a spy detective plot.
Even during the war, the Soviet scientist Lev Termin created a unique transmitter that did not require recharging or a power source. It was a kind of perpetual motion machine. The listening device was named "Zlatoust". The KGB, on Beria's personal order, decided to install "Zlatoust" in the building of the US Embassy. For 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 Artek children's he alth camp, a solemn ceremony was heldruler. At the end, the pioneers sang the US anthem, after which the touched ambassador was presented with a wooden coat of arms. He, unaware of the trick, installed it in his personal account. Thanks to this, the KGB received information about all the conversations of the ambassador for 7 years. Similar cases, open to the public and secret, there were a huge number.
Cold War: years, essence
The end of the confrontation between the two blocs came after the collapse of the USSR, lasting 45 years.
Tension between West and East has persisted to this day. However, the world has ceased to be bipolar when Moscow or Washington was behind any significant event in the world. In what year was the cold war the most bitter, and closest to the "hot"? Historians and analysts are still arguing on this topic. Most agree that this is the period of the "Caribbean Crisis", when the world was on the verge of nuclear war.
