The Cold War: A Geopolitical Division of the World

New Global Geopolitics: The World Divided into Blocs

The Formation of the Blocs

As of 1947, the United States and the USSR became adversaries because they adopted radically different political and economic systems. They formed two blocs of countries.

Capitalist Bloc (USA)

Included the countries of Western Europe and Japan, with common features like parliamentary democracy and a capitalist economy. This bloc was strengthened by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Communist Bloc (USSR)

Included the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (occupied after World War I). These countries subordinated freedoms and individual rights to the state's interests and a planned economy. The bloc was reinforced by a military alliance (the Warsaw Pact).

Each bloc spread its influence to other countries in Latin America, etc.

Relations Between the Blocs: The Cold War

Between 1945 and 1991, the world experienced the Cold War, a situation of permanent military, ideological, and diplomatic tension. It had several stages:

1. A Time of Great Tension (1947-1956): The Truman Doctrine denounced the creation, under pressure, of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe. The Zhdanov Doctrine denounced U.S. imperialism.
2. Peaceful Coexistence (1956-1976): Marked by the desire for dialogue between the blocs, favored by the rise of nuclear power and leaders like Kennedy and Nixon in the U.S., and Khrushchev and Brezhnev in the USSR.
3. The Resurgence of the Cold War (1977-1985): The USSR tried to achieve military supremacy with missiles, nuclear warheads, and foreign interventions. The U.S. increased military spending under Reagan and undertook the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars).
4. The End of the Cold War (1985-1991): The USSR eased tensions under Gorbachev with dialogue and disarmament initiatives. In the U.S., the public deficit hampered the maintenance of nuclear arms. Both superpowers signed several disarmament and arms reduction agreements. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the disappearance of the USSR marked the end of the Cold War.

The Capitalist Bloc (1945-1973)

The U.S. Hegemonic Power

The U.S. adopted a two-party political system in which the Democratic and Republican parties alternated in power. The most important domestic issues were the struggle of African Americans to achieve equal rights, led by Martin Luther King Jr., and the protest against American intervention in the Vietnam War.

The economy grew rapidly after World War II, with powerful multinational companies emerging and mass consumption becoming widespread.

Western Europe: Reconstruction and Integration

Most European countries had a multi-party system, with exceptions like Greece, Portugal, and Spain, which were dictatorships until the 1970s.

The Marshall Plan

By 1945, the European economy was in ruins because of the war. The U.S. organized the Marshall Plan, a rescue and reconstruction plan based on grants and low-interest loans. The U.S. sought to obtain new markets through this initiative.

The Start of European Integration (1945-1973)

• First test: Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) in 1948.
• 1948: Organization for European Economic Cooperation.
• 1951: Treaty of Paris (European Coal and Steel Community) ECSC/CECA.
• 1957: Treaty of Rome (European Economic Community) EEC/CEE.