Cold War and Post-Cold War Era: Key Events and Analysis

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuba, an ally of the Soviet Union, received diplomatic and financial aid. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base. In 1962, he placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, threatening the US mainland. After three weeks, the US became aware of the missiles. President John F. Kennedy ordered American warships to intercept Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a warning. This standoff is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The End of World War II and the Dawn of the Cold War

The end of World War II marked the beginning of the Cold War. The war concluded when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender. This decision remains controversial, with critics arguing it was unnecessary and supporters claiming it was necessary to prevent further loss of life.

India's Challenge to Bipolarity

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) emerged during the Cold War. Its roots trace back to a 1956 meeting between Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito, India's Jawaharlal Nehru, and Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser. Indonesia's Sukarno and Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah also played key roles, with these five leaders becoming known as the founders of NAM. The first non-aligned summit was held in Belgrade in 1961. Three factors contributed to NAM's formation: cooperation among the five countries, growing Cold War tensions, and the influx of newly decolonized African countries into the international arena.

The New International Economic Order (NIEO)

Non-aligned countries played more than a mediating role during the Cold War. Many, classified as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), faced the challenge of economic development and poverty reduction. Economic progress was crucial for these newly independent nations.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

The stated purpose of Operation Iraqi Freedom was to prevent Iraq from developing weapons of mass destruction. Other objectives included controlling Iraqi oil fields and installing a US-friendly regime.

The US Invasion of Iraq: A Military and Political Failure

The 2003 US invasion of Iraq is widely considered a military and political failure. Over 3,000 US personnel and an estimated 50,000 Iraqi civilians were killed. The invasion led to significant instability and loss of life.