The Clash of the Titans. Soviet-American rivalry - Essay Example

The Clash of the Titans Imagine living in a constant paranoia of being attacked by a super foreign power where nuclear bombs are just the beginning.An environment where scattering to bomb shelters becomes a regular day routine. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Cold War era. The Cold War was an ideological struggle between the capitalistic democracy and Marxism communism that lasted for 43 years. It was a war that was never “fought” but had a detrimental effect globally. The Cold War was complex and at the same time portrayed a struggle for military, diplomatic, economic, and scientific rivalry. From the Berlin airlift to the race of nuclear arms, the Cold War was not an accumulation of dramatic events, victories and defeats but the story of clash between two super powers that wanted to enforce their supremacy in the globe. What did the Americans and the Soviets want post World War II? Undeniably, the Americans wanted security but in the Soviets couldn’t tolerate the United States to be the model for the rest of the nations. Europe was without a doubt, obliterated and in turmoil as thirty million had been killed and sixty million people were homeless Ross 36. The horrors of the war lead many Europeans to believe that communism perhaps can be the answer . By 1947, half of Europe was communist due to the strong influence of the Soviets and President Truman feared the inferiority of democracy in Europe. Suddenly, both countries went from “allies to enemies” as feelings of mistrust began to mount between the two nations. Stalin’s goal was not to restore a balance of power in Europe but to implement a communist regime in Europe 14. Germany became focal point for both nations as it was obliterated by war and was in need in of dramatic recovery. Post World War II at the Yalta conference, Stalin, Churchill, and Truman agree to divide Germany into zones of military occupation in which the Soviets possessed the East Germany while the Americans would take control of West Germany Grant 4. On March 1948, a secret meeting between the United States, Great Britain and France took place where the three nations agreed that democracy was the best solution for Berlin Grant 8. The Soviets shocked by this conspiracy withdrew from the Allied Council and blockaded the city of Berlin, which cut all the supplies to West Berlin Grant 8. The tension of this situation can be best described by Winston Churchill, the leader of the Great Britain describes this division in his famous speech where he states, “…An iron curtain has descended across the continent…Behind that line... all are subject…I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines.” Grant 6. The “Berlin blockade” was a blessing in disguise for the United States, who quickly reacted by conducting airlift operations. The “Berlin airlift” showed the supremacy of American flight dominance and gave hope to citizens of Berlin, who feared that the West would abandon them 26. Finally, the Soviets ended the blockade and the West had won the first epic “battle.” The blockade was essentially a slap in the face, who failed to contain democracy at its best . Yet, the conflict was not over and the race for nuclear arms intensified the battle for the “survival of the fittest.” The atomic bomb deeply intensified Soviet-American distrust because it created panic and paranoia between both nations. In addition, Stalin disapproved of Truman dropping the bomb in Japan and called it “super barbaric” not because of humanitarian reasons, but the fact that Soviets had no answer for the American’s nuclear weapons. As Thomas Larson states in his book Soviet-American Rivalry, “The vulnerability to weapons that could destroy entire countries…heightened fears and antagonisms and made the struggle for power and influence appear to be also a struggle for survival” The ideological struggle between communism and democracy continued to be the focal point for both nations, who were ready to take any action necessary to propagate their cause. President Truman needed support from his nation and called the struggle as not a military struggle but a “spiritual struggle”. Furthermore, he insisted that if free enterprise was endangered, then America’s future was at risk. Truman realized that this was a prime opportunity for America to show its supremacy and become a world power at a time where nations were in chaos, turmoil and in despair. Hence, the philosophy of containment developed by George Kennan was quickly adapted by the Truman administration. Kennan is famous for his brilliant act of intercepting a telegram that foreshadowed a future conflict with the Soviet Union. Kennan’s philosophy was the same strategy that the Truman doctrine called for, which was to take any action necessary in order to stop communism. The Truman administration can be best described by President Truman as he states, “A fateful hour had arrived…If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world” . His powerful words influenced congress to quickly pass legislation which gave around $400,000,000 to Greece and Turkey fighting for their independence against communism. Another strategy that was part of the containment theory was known as the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan was a primary plan, developed by the United States to help Western Europe recover. The Marshall Plan was an effective financial strategy that limited communism without the use of warfare. The British foreign secretary described the Marshall aid as a “lifeline to a drowning man”. However, it was more than a “lifeline,” it was a diplomatic move that would influence Europeans to vote for a democratic government. On June 5, 1947 George C. Marshall announced the plan where he stated, “Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos…Any government which [blocks] the recovery of other countries cannot expect help from us.” . The Truman administration propagated the Marshall plan to the full extent and even advertised the plan throughout the European countries. The amount of U.S. aid to Europe was massive as more than $23 billion were invested in Western Europe. In order to avoid huge sums of debt which doomed Europe post World War II, 80% of the aid was given in grants. Yet, the Marshall Plan did have political consequences as it forced countries to choose an alliance, which lead to separation and civil wars. Without a doubt, the Cold war continues to leave a dark legacy of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. One of the philosophies that both nations learned was the fact that the enemy should be handed with precaution. In addition, the war taught both sides that nuclear weapons must be dealt with supreme caution and intelligence. The race for the nuclear arms was dangerous for both sides because it triggered chaos and paranoia. Furthermore, it served as a chilling reminder about the divisions between the East and the West. An ideological struggle the Cold War was, it will continue to drastically impact the lives of the future generations in America. Works Cited Larson, T. B. (1978). Soviet-American rivalry. New York: W.W. Norton. Lightbody, B. (1999). The Cold War. London: Routledge. Meyer, A. G. (1967). Communism (3d ed.). New York: Random House. Olesen, T. (2008). Under the national paradigm: Cold War studies and Cold War politics in post-Cold War Norden.Cold War History, 8(2), 189-211. (1981). Comparative research on communism: Some observations on editing Studies in Comparative Communism, 1970–1980. Studies in Comparative Communism, 14(2-3), 246-271. Read More