Cold War Military Blocs and Early Conflicts

Military Organizations of the Cold War

After dividing the world into two blocs, the following military organizations were created:

• NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): Formed by Western Bloc countries, including the USA, Canada, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.

Greece and Turkey joined in 1952, and Spain in 1982.

The entrance of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1955 led to the creation of the Warsaw Pact.

• Warsaw Pact: Created in 1955, it comprised Eastern Bloc countries such as East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Besides these two main blocs, other organizations also existed.

Early Stages of the Cold War (1948-1953)

• Czechoslovakia: The confrontation between the two blocs led to the elimination of democratic parties in Czechoslovakia in 1948, bringing the country into the Soviet sphere of influence.

• Berlin: Like the rest of Germany, Berlin was divided into four zones controlled by the Allies.

The Soviets aimed to fully incorporate the city's eastern administration, a move unacceptable to the Allied powers.

On June 23, 1948, Soviet authorities initiated a blockade of the city, cutting off access via highways and railways.

The Western response was to establish an airlift to supply the city. Truman threatened Stalin with war if the aid was intercepted. The armies of both sides were mobilized, bringing the world to the brink of another global war.

Stalin ended the blockade in 1949. The same year, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic were formed.

• Korea: The Korean Peninsula held significant strategic value. Over the years, it had been contested by China, Russia, and Japan. After World War II, the Allies agreed that Korea should be an independent state, but it was occupied by Soviet and American armies, separated by the 38th parallel.

Due to the lack of unification, two countries were established:

• North Korea: Ruled by Kim Il Sung (Communist).
• South Korea: Governed by Syngman Rhee (under U.S. protection).

In 1950, North Korean forces invaded South Korea, initiating one of the most intense conflicts of the Cold War. The UN condemned North Korea's actions, and General MacArthur led a UN offensive against them, pushing them back to the Chinese border. This prompted China to enter the conflict, leading to UN condemnation. U.S. President Truman dismissed MacArthur, fearing the conflict would escalate into World War III. He was replaced by Ridgway.

On July 27, 1953, negotiations took place in Panmunjom. The border between the two territories was re-established at the 38th parallel, leaving Korea divided into two states.