...Conceptions of the Cold War My most informed interviewee was my father. He wasn’t just an expert who could tell me everything I know, but he knew enough to give me the general idea. While speaking with him, I was told that the Cold War was not a war like we would think of now. It was a political war much like we are dealing with now. He referred to it as an “espionage power struggle.” During the interviews, it was obvious; the two directly involved countries were the Soviet Union and the United States. However the US did not become directly involved until the anti-American dictator Fidel Castro seized the vulnerable Cuba in 1959 declaring his commitment to the communist party. Cuba became a threat to the United States during their move to building a closer relationship with Russia. Eisenhower ordered the CIA to arm and train a force of Cubans who had been barred from their home country for an attack on Cuba. There was great tension between the US and the Soviet Union parties. He added five new Army divisions increasing the nations air power and military reserves. Sen. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon both committed themselves to strengthen American military forces and promised a tough stance against the Soviet Union and other international communism. Kennedy blamed and criticized the Eisenhower admin for the permitting the development of a communist government in Cuba. It was feared that the plan would fail. President Kennedy addressed the American people...
Words: 658 - Pages: 3
...Conceptions of the Cold War James Brinkley The Cold War was a bloodless battle fought on the political front for over 40 years. It was not declared over until 1991, with the fall of communism and the USSR. During this war, there were no lives lost but billions of dollars spent by both countries playing a worldwide chess game with nuclear warheads. For the research on this topic, I conducted interviews and got personal opinions on matters related to the cold war. The people interviewed were two military personnel and a female homemaker. I wanted to get varied opinions on this topic to determine how well they grasped the topic. The first topic discussed was “what comes to your mind when you think of the term Cold War.” Unanimously, all three responded with similar answers. They described the cold war as a war between Russia and the United States of America to determine who would have advantage during a nuclear war. I found this interesting as the term was originally coined in the 14th century by Don Juan Manuel describing the conflict between Christianity and Islam. The modern terminology is synonymous with the battle less conflict between the USSR and the United States of America. Also found in my research that the Cold War was not only about nuclear supremacy, but about being the number one super power in the world on all fronts. Tied in to Cold War Politics is also the “Space Race” where both parties raced to have supremacy in space as well as on the earth. The second...
Words: 732 - Pages: 3
...Conceptions of the Cold War Ceara E. Carrier SS310-98 Kaplan University The Cold War is a subject that I don’t remember being taught in school but I do know that it was. Before I conducted the interviews bellow I myself did not recollect as much as they did. Having talked to them I now have a better understanding and more knowledge on the Cold War. Below you will find the questions that I asked and their word for word answers. Interview Transcript Question 1: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the cold war? Marty: “Communism, Iron Curtain, Berlin, Wall, Good vs. Evil, Olympic boycott, nuclear war dictator, freedom and poverty.” Rusty’s Mum: “Duck and cover, bomb shelter, air raid shelter, communism, missiles, nuclear attack, espionage and radioactive.” Adam: “Threat of nuclear war, heavy espionage, communism, "tear down this wall" and the KGB.” Question 2: Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? Marty: “Yes. The word “war” didn’t mean fighting and killing. It was a competition between two super powers trying to dominate the world. Communism vs. Democracy.” Rusty’s Mum: “No. In my memory there were no studying materials. Maybe not available yet? I don’t know how often school books were replaced, but I also don’t really recollect any discussion of the Cold War.” Adam: “Yes it was taught in school but I don't remember it.” Question 3: Who were the parties...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...1960s Assignment: In this assignment, you will do brief interviews with three people, asking them about their conceptions of the Cold War. Your interviewees can be anyone of your choosing: family members, friends, and so on. Below are some suggested questions that you may want to ask: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term Cold War? Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? Who were the parties involved in the Cold War? Can you name any key events that we mainly associate with the Cold War? Take notes on what each of your respondents say. You will need these notes to refer to later when you do the formal write-up of the assignment. After you have completed the assignment, write up your findings in a brief essay, which addresses the following: Using quotes from your interviews, describe how each of your three respondents understand the Cold War. Explain to what extent their definition/understanding of the Cold War differs from the definition above (see the bold typeface in the Overview section above). If your respondents’ understanding of the Cold War is different from the way the Cold War is defined in this course, explain why that might be the case. (Also, if their definition of the Cold War is very similar, explain this as well!) Your essay should be 2-3 pages in length (500–700 words) Double spaced #12 font –Times New Roman 1” margins on all sides Separate cover page...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...Cold War Cold War is a war between USA and Soviet Union during 1945 to 1980.During this war Americans used new atomic weapons. The reason for using the name ‘cold war’ due to the good and friendly relationship between USA and Soviet Union. Actually in the cold both countries not fight each other. It is war between communist countries and democratic countries during this war Soviet Union support the North Vietnam it is a communist country. But America supports the South Vietnam it was an anticommunist country. Americans fight for the safe democracy, but the Soviet Union fought for the communism. During this war USA and Soviet Union tried to hold their values and beliefs. There are so many events happened during this time, some of the events are Defeat of Germany, Returns to parliament democracy in the west, Soviet Control of Eastern Europe, The Berlin Crisis - the Climax of the Conflict between the East and the West in Europe are some of the events happened during this cold war (Cold war 1945-1960, p.1). Interviews I interviewed three of my friends to find out about the cold war and their conception about the cold war. The first person I interviewed gives me the following answers for the questions. 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term cold war. Bombs, Secrets. The trivial notion that a single button can end the world 2. Did you ever study the cold war in school? If so what are some aspects of the cold war that you remember? Yes. Planes...
Words: 328 - Pages: 2
...the Cold War today. For example, what do everyday people today think of when they hear the term “Cold War”? This is what you are going to find out! In this assignment, you will do brief interviews with three people, asking them about their conceptions of the Cold War. Your interviewees can be anyone of your choosing: family members, friends, and so on. Below are some suggested questions that you may want to ask: 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term Cold War? 2. Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? 3. Who were the parties involved in the Cold War? 4. Can you name any key events that we mainly associate with the Cold War? Take notes on what each of your respondents say. You will need these notes to refer to later when you do the formal write-up of the assignment. After you have completed the assignment, write up your findings in a brief essay, which addresses the following: 1. Using quotes from your interviews, describe how each of your three respondents understand the Cold War. 2. Explain to what extent their definition/understanding of the Cold War differs from the definition above (see the bold typeface in the Overview section above). 3. If your respondents’ understanding of the Cold War is different from the way the Cold War is defined in this course, explain why that might be the case. (Also, if their definition of the Cold War is very...
Words: 348 - Pages: 2
...traditional deportment which are characteristics of a given society, or of a group of societies, or of a certain race, or of a certain area, or of a certain period of time. (Margaret Mead, 1951: p.17) Definition of the Cold War The Cold War is the denomination given to the relationship that developed primarily between the USA and the USSR after World War Two. The Cold War was a period of economic, political and military tension between the Coalesced States and Soviet Amalgamation from 1945 to 1991. Following the terminus of the Second World...
Words: 4528 - Pages: 19
...The Cold War Sindu Joy SS 310 10/30/2012 Boris Nikolov The Cold War Cold War is a war between USA and Soviet Union during 1945 to 1980.During this war Americans used new atomic weapons. The reason for using the name ‘cold war’ due to the good and friendly relationship between USA and Soviet Union. Actually in the cold both countries not fight each other. It is war between communist countries and democratic countries during this war Soviet Union support the North Vietnam it is a communist country. But America supports the South Vietnam it was an anticommunist country. Americans fight for the safe democracy, but the Soviet Union fought for the communism. During this war USA and Soviet Union tried to hold their values and beliefs. There are so many events happened during this time, some of the events are Defeat of Germany, Returns to parliament democracy in the west, Soviet Control of Eastern Europe, The Berlin Crisis - the Climax of the Conflict between the East and the West in Europe are some of the events happened during this cold war (Cold war 1945-1960, p.1). Interviews I interviewed three of my friends to find out about the cold war and their conception about the cold war. The first person I interviewed gives me the following answers for the questions. 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term cold war. Bombs, Secrets. The trivial notion that a single button can end the world 2. Did you ever study the cold war in school? If so what...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
...The origin of the Cold War was based off the conflict that the Soviet Union and the United States had during World War ll. The two countries still had hostility and mistrust against each other even until the end of the war, which spilled over into the Cold War. Alliance between Soviet Union and the United States ended in the World War ll. The Soviet Union claimed capitalism and communism would take over the political parties throughout the nation. World War ll ended but the issue with Antagonism came up again between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was an aggressive government who was part of Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania. President Truman was trying to share with the Soviet Union his conception of democracy, equality, and liberty. President Truman was also concerned about the United States markets, atomic weapons, and raw materials. The Soviet Union refused to back down from Iran and the United States "Containment” policy. With the distrust and suspicion between the Soviet Union and the United States the cold war begun....
Words: 523 - Pages: 3
...Sovereignty’s definition is dynamic; often changing with major geopolitical developments. As a result, this essay asserts that sovereignty has essentially changed with the Cold War’s end. To develop this assertion, a definition of Westphalian sovereignty will be established. Furthermore, the Cold War’s consequences will be explored to understand the reasons behind sovereignty’s change. Additionally, the recent upsurge in humanitarian interventions will be taken as evidence of change. The Responsibility to Protect will be considered as proof of change too. Finally, the impact globalisation has had on sovereignty will be explored. Ultimately, through analysis of these factors, this essay aims to prove that sovereignty has changed significantly with the Cold War’s end. During the Cold War, sovereignty had remained largely unchanged from its conception in 1648. Westphalian sovereignty revolves around the “principle that within its territorial boundaries the state is the supreme political authority and that outside those boundaries the state recognises no higher political...
Words: 1085 - Pages: 5
...of religions, a vast field of religious identities and conceptions, a sea of swirling religious currents. Religions legitimate the existing social system, institutions and values to a certain extent. They also provide a means to contend with and change the system; they are at once conservative and liberal. They motivate people to do things, to change the world in many ways. It might be said that the ultimate purpose and effect of religion is to take humans and their cultures to the “Ultimate”. (Eller, p 330) Owing to the importance of religion in America’s national identity, which is largely shaped by American core cultural values and "mainstream religions", these attitudes and traditions have played an important role in American social life, thus religious power naturally has penetrated into politics and foreign policy decisions more regularly in America than in other countries. Religious values are the sources of American “exceptionalism” and “messianism”. (Xie, p 39) After the Cold War¹, it became evident that religion was a key factor in many conflicts, including Bosnia, Rwanda, and Afghanistan. However, the ¹ “Cold War”: the state of hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the Western powers from 1945 to 1990. Oxford Dictionaries. April 2010. Oxford University Press. 16 December 2012. <http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cold war?q=the cold war>. U.S. failed to predict the fall of the Iranian theocrats...
Words: 1177 - Pages: 5
...a extensively challenged and debated topic, especially in the recent decades. In recent decades, a widely contested debate over the universality of human rights has emerged. Rights are certainly not universally-applied today, with oppression, torture and various atrocities committed in many parts of the world. This paper will focus on the notion that both in the Third-World and the West, states have used human rights discussion as a political tool, which has weakened arguments for its universality. This perspective will be utilised to break down arguments made against universal human rights before presenting alternative conceptions of universal human rights and identifying developments which may ensure they can be universally applied and respected. It is important to first define the theoretical basis of ‘universal’ human rights. Universal conceptions argue human rights are inalienable, self-evident and applicable to all human beings (Donnelly, 2003, 10). These arguments are often linked to origins in Western philosophy and natural law, developed from philosophers such as John Locke (Langlois, 2009, 12). Many scholars maintain that human rights are ‘pre-political’, thus unchangeable and unaffected by cultural or political variation. Donnelly identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the basis in establishing the “contemporary consensus on internationally recognised human rights” (2003, 22). Human rights hold universal values which should be adopted by states...
Words: 2646 - Pages: 11
...Over the past decade, the field of security studies has developed as one of the more dynamics and contested areas in International Relations. A different concept and understanding of “security” has been created with the emergence of new challenges that have put into question our traditional conceptions. The creation of a newer and much broader definition of security has resulted in discussions between those who support the traditionalist views and those who challenged it, as they try to showcase how their approach to security holds the most value. After the end of the Cold War military power had decline significance in the international arena making it essential for scholars to reevaluate the way we used to look at international relations and especially the way we used to analyze security. Issues like economic instability, freedom, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and others started to take more and more attention, creating a necessity for a widen view on security. Such necessities shifted the agenda from a nation-centric (traditional) to a more individual-centric (non-traditional) perspective by treating...
Words: 596 - Pages: 3
...Past Papers, Marks Scheme indicative content and examiners Report comments June 2010 A) How far did ‘peaceful coexistence’ ease Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the USA in the years 1953–61? Mark Scheme: Candidates should have knowledge about the main features of ‘peaceful coexistence’ in the period 1953-61. Developments which helped to ease Cold War tensions might include: the end of the Korean War (1953); Soviet settlement of border disputes with Turkey and Iran (1953) and recognition of Israel (1953); Austrian independence and improved Soviet-Yugoslav relations (1955); the ‘Geneva spirit’ based on east-west summit diplomacy and Khrushchev’s visit to the USA in 1959. Developments which sustained Cold War tensions during the period might include: US attitudes towards communism in the 1950s (domino theory, ‘roll back’, Eisenhower doctrine); Soviet concept of peaceful coexistence based on long-term victory of communism; the impact of the Hungarian Rising (1956) and the launch of Sputnik (1957); the U2 spy plane incident (1960) and the issue of Germany (1958-1961). At Levels 1 and 2 simple or more developed statements will provide either only simple or more developed statements about peaceful coexistence with either only implicit reference to the extent tensions were eased or argument based on insufficient evidence. At Level 3, students should provide some sustained...
Words: 7464 - Pages: 30
...To what extent is security a necessary precondition for development? Introduction It is put forward that security is not necessarily a precondition for development, but rather, both concepts of security and development are inextricably linked. With neither one being predominant over the other; rather the influence of both oscillate, dependent upon the individual circumstances within the State or region. In essence, what this answer will aim to illustrate, is the extent of this link, the theories which explain it, and whether or not security underpins development. Before we begin however, it would be prudent to first, define the concepts of ‘security’ and ‘development’. From the obvious, national security dimension, to the more human-centred, holistic definitions, finding a simple definition for the concept of security is a complex task, due to the variety of ways in which it can be defined. For the purposes of this essay however, the definition provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as security being “the prevention of any threat to individual or national security irrespective of that threat being political or economic in its nature, as such threats would threaten the process of development”[1] would be an appropriate fit, as it incorporates both the traditional State-centric element, and also the more holistic, human security definition.. Traditionally, the definition of development has been one that has been predicated upon a mainly economic...
Words: 3100 - Pages: 13
