Their Missiles Near The Soviet Union example essay topic

The rivalry between the superpowers of the day, United States of America, and the Soviet Union, lasted from 1945 to 1991. An intense rivalry built up between the powers, the Soviet Union wishing to spread their communist ideals throughout the world, while America severely opposed. During this rivalry, both sides built up considerable weaponry and the threat of nuclear war was imminent. The peak of this threat was seen at the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Soviet Union and USA also backed opposing sides in wars that were fought at that time. Fears of communism spreading throughout the world when Asia became involved, saw extreme views like "McCarthyism" take control over citizens of capitalist governments in fear of a domino theory taking place.

This intense period in history is known as the Cold War because during this period no actual armed conflict occurred. In 1959 Fidel Castro along with a small group, overthrew the Batista government and a communist regime in Cuba was set up in it's place. American businesses were taken over. Immediately, Kennedy ordered all trade and aid with Cuba to cease. A hatred built up between the US and Cuba because of this. In 1961 a group of Cuban exiles were landed at the Bay of Pigs.

The US wished to begin a popular revolt against the Castro's government, but was greatly unsuccessful. The Soviet Union, able to see the political advantage in the situation, befriended Cuba. Shortly after, the Soviets moved into Cuba and established missile launch areas easily capable of hitting any major American site. At the same time, the US had set up their missiles near the Soviet Union. The missiles remained in place with virtually one word, holding back the beginning of nuclear warfare. JFK ordered a naval blockade of Cuba until the Soviets agreed to withdraw their missiles.

Finally Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles in place in Cuba, if the US agreed not to invade Cuba and to (secretly) remove their missiles from Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis was an extremely intense point during the Cold War. It demonstrated the power both countries had, militarily including nuclear capabilities. After the Soviet back down in Cuba, the Soviet Union set up and began building missiles which were able to hit targets in the US from the Soviet Union. Upon finding out this news, the US began spending tonnes of money on building their own high-tech weaponry. This rivalry was known as the Arms Race.

At this time, the SALT treaty was established because the concern and the cost of the Arms Race was becoming ridiculous. The SALT treaty failed because it put a limit on the amount of missiles allowed to be manufactured and the two countries began fitting each missile with extra warheads. The Arms Race was one way in which the two superpowers competed against each other for power. The Space Race, however was different in that way. Similar to the Arms Race, the Space Race was also a huge rivalry between the two countries, but it was a race for achievement in technological advances, rather than power. The space race began in 1957 upon the launch of the Sputnik.

The world was shocked by the Soviet ability. In 1961, the Soviets launched the first human, Major Yuri Gagarin into space. Immediately, JFK announced a massive increase in his (America's) space program in order to compete with the Soviet Union. In July, 1969 the USA saw Neil Armstrong to be the first man on the moon. The Arms and Space Races saw the technological abilities of both superpowers and the amounts of money both were willing to spend on ensuring their place ahead of their rival. Since the end of World War Two, the Middle East has been a place full of trouble.

Over the years, there have been six major wars between the Israelis and the Arabs. The two Cold War superpowers, Soviet Union and USA moved into the Middle East backing opposing sides. The US backed Israel, and as a result of this, the Arab states turned to the Soviet Union. During the Six Day War, in 1967 the US committed herself to the defence of Israel. The Soviets, with no interests in the region, began backing the Arabs to compete once again against the US. The Soviets gave the Egyptians and Syrians weapons and the Arabs, believing they were now immortal, closed off the waterway to Eilat.

The Israelis struck back and within six days, had destroyed the entire Egyptian army and claimed the Suez Canal. This was a great success for the USA and evidently, a huge loss for the Soviets. Throughout all other Middle Eastern wars and conflicts, until this day, the US has backed Israel. She has provided weaponry and military aid when it has been necessary. The Six Day War was a great slap to the Soviet Union with America's successes. In 1937, Japan invaded China and occupied large parts of China.

China defeated Japan in 1945 and a Chinese civil war began. The communists overthrew the sitting government, led by Mao Tsi-Tung. In 1949, the communists, with appointed leader Mao, occupied the capital, Peking. Soon after the communists had taken over all of China. The Chinese communism, founded by Mao Tsi-Tung, was greatly different from the Soviet Communism. Soviet Communism was greatly based on technology while the new found Chinese communism was fully focused on agriculture.

Mao's communism focused on the peasant population. He focused on lessening land taxes which greatly appealed to the larger Chinese population. Mao, and his communism was hugely successful in China, and this concerned the US. They believed that it was all a plan to spread communism through the world. America maintained that China's successes with communism were because of the Soviet Union, and refused to recognise that the Chinese had achieved this on their own. The US became even more concerned upon their realisation that, with communism in Asia, it meant that the whole world could easily turn.

The "Domino Theory", arose. This theory presumed that with communist countries in different areas, it was too easily possible for each one to fall to communism. Once one fell, their neighbour would, resulting in a domino effect, with the whole world ultimately adopting communism. The fears of this domino theory were perceived as a huge threat to the capitalist countries. The strained relationship between The USA and the USSR was provoked further in an era which became widely known as McCarthyism. Beginning in America by a man called Joseph McCarthy, it was a period in which an anti-communist hysteria consumed the hearts and minds of many citizens in the capitalist countries.

Indeed, this Capitalist pre-occupation resulted in a "witch hunt", similar to those of the middle ages. Many were declared guilty of having communist ties without trial and were punished severely. McCarthyism was another percussion of the intense rivalry between the Soviets and the United States. It was proof of how strongly the American (and other capitalist) citizens would take the threat of mass-communism.

The intense rivalry that made up the Cold War greatly affected the relationship of the two countries. The constant competition forced citizens of the two countries to strongly hate each other on no bases of knowledge besides ideals. Neither country was open to any type of contrast to what they were used to believing in. The Cold War made the world a hateful place to live with almost every country divided towards one of the superpowers and every walk of life becoming a competition.

The Cold War, even without armed conflict, greatly affected the world we live in today.