UKRAINE was once a part of the Soviet Union. It became independent in 1991 when the United Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR) disintegrated. Now, Russia would want to take back Ukraine. The first step was the sending of Russian troops to the Crimean Peninsula.
Russia is rebuilding its force as a world power (again). Ukraine is a good location to advance Russia’s political, physical and economic positioning. The move of Russia for invasion was condemned by US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom. This brewing conflict is perceived to repeat the cold war. The nations at peace do not want another cold war. It is not just an ice cream war.
What is a cold war? After the Second World War, USA and the Soviet Union were the two world’s dominant super powers. They were the best allies but the time had come that they took separate ways by not having a common interest. The cold war started when the Soviet Union established Communist governments in the countries of Eastern Europe liberated by the Red Army. This put a division in Europe known as the “iron curtain.”
The US-backed Marshall Plan (1947) extended financial aid to countries devastated by war to boost their economies. This was a strategy to stop communism to reach the West. After the war, Germany was divided by the Allies. The western section was controlled by France, Britain and USA. The east was under the Soviet Union. The fever went up. In 1948, the Soviets blocked West Berlin for five months. In 1949, Germany was split into West and East.
On April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was organized with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. This was to be an alliance between several Western European countries, Canada and USA to protect their group from outside attack. In 1955, the Soviet Union formed also the Warsaw Pact, an alliance of Communist states. Another incident happened. Korean War burst (1950-1953). North Korea was supported by China and South Korea was supported by USA.
In 1956, the Soviet invaded Hungary to preserve Communist rule. In 1958, Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba and established an alliance with the Soviet Union. In 1960, there was a split between the Soviet Union and China. What was expected happened. In 1961, the Berlin Wall was built across the city to divide the east from the west. Both sides increased their stocks of nuclear weapons. Fidel Castro (1962) allowed the Soviet Union to build missile bases in Cuba.
US President John F. Kennedy reacted to it considering that Cuba is close to the USA. He ordered the US Navy to blockade Cuba which led to the withdrawal of the Soviets. JFK became the hero of the democratic world. The two sides of the Cold War were very expensive. NATO did not want a direct war. The Warsaw Pact did not admit that it cultivated war.
Both sides did not admit guilt but both were involved in Korean War in 1950s and Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s. There was a strong espionage program on both sides and propaganda campaigns were shocking. The invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union to preserve Communist rule in 1968 disbanded families and ruined fortunes.
Even blockbuster movies reveal the horror of The Cold War: “Brotherhood”, “For Your Eyes Only”, “Rambo”, “Mission: Impossible”, “From Russia With Love”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Platoon”, “Good Morning, Vietnam”, etc. In The Cold War, there was no direct confrontation between the parties involved, but there was always destruction in countries that served as pawns.
The Cold War came to an end when both parties agreed to ban the use of nuclear weapon, when the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) started, when the Berlin Wall was demolished, when East and West Germany were reunited, when the Soviet Union was abolished and replaced by 15 independent nations in 1991.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia is on the rise. Can the other world leaders stop him. They must! We don’t want to experience another Cold War. It is not just cold. It kills! It destroys!