What is the most important event during the Cold War ? - Author's opinion

Résumé du document

The Cold War is an ideological clash between the Western capitalist block - the "Free World" led by the USA- and the Eastern communist block lead by mother Russia USSR. The two blocks fought by proxy from 1947 to 1990, through violent crisis, such as the Korean War from 1951 to 1953, the Vietnam War from 1965, and the Cuban Crisis in 1968, and some softer crisis, such as the Berlin Blockade from June 1948 to May 1949, and the Berlin Wall in august 1961. The common point with all these events is that they are relevant to the Cold War climate, without having a real influence on the post cold war period, and in the current international issues.

Extraits

[...] In the other hand, the fall of Panarabism and the pro-American positions slowly taken by Sadate, and then Moubarak and King Hussein nowadays, don't allow the Arab World to take a strong position in the international relationships, not even in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. ( Moubarak even sends troops against Iraq in the first Gulf War Similarly, Occidental European governments are still nowadays dependent on the USA policies, without managing to build a strong political base. Thus, leaders of the Third World countries, no matter how extreme they were, tried to find a third issue during the Cold War, by avoiding to join one Block and loose its independence. [...]

[...] The question is to find which events had such an important impact during the Cold War, that even after the Cold War they have consequences on the World relationships issues. The Cold War is an ideological clash, between Western capitalist block - the Free World” led by the USA- and the Eastern communist block lead by mother Russia USSR. The two blocks fought by proxy from 1947 to 1990, through violent crisis, such as the Korean War from 1951 to 1953, the Vietnam War from 1965, and the Cuban Crisis in 1968, and some softer crisis, such as the Berlin Blockade from June 1948 to May 1949, and the Berlin Wall in august 1961. [...]

[...] In 1970, Iraq is the theatre of a coup, led by the general Ahmed Hassan al Bakr, and general Kassem. They abolish monarchy, and nationalise Oil resources which were exploited by the Americans. Panarabism won't last long, particularly because of the progressive pro- American attitude of Saddate and King Hussein of Jordan, who will be considered as traitors by other Arab countries. But this Arab secular movement marks a period, when for once, Arab leaders tried to play an international role and to give a prestige and strength to the Arab world. [...]

[...] They tried to gain prestige and make their voices heard on the international stakes, by rejecting all foreign imperialism. As a result, nowadays, these countries are independent from the winner of the Cold War, the USA, and follow their own policies, like Iran or Venezuela. Indicative bibliography - The Cold War and Postwar America 1946-1963 de Consulting Editor Richard Jensen Tim McNeese (2010) - The Cold War and the Middle East de Yazid Yusuf Sayigh et Avi Shlaim (1997) - Iran's Constitutional Revolution: Popular Politics, Cultural Transformations and Transnational Connections de H.E. [...]

[...] Peron is maybe the most charismatic leader of this Southern American attempt to independence. Also few attempts were made in Africa, but without any success because of European involvement in Kinshasa, Katanga or Biafrag conflicts. It is interesting to notice how most of these movements, called non- aligned, were following a socialist issue in their countries, without asking any help or support from the USSR, like Tito. The most extreme reject of the block policy stands however in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 : The Iranian Revolution is a clear demonstration on the reject of both communist and capitalist policies, considered as being occidental. [...]