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Essays on Cold War

Hook examples for cold war essays, the tension-building anecdote hook.

Start your essay with a gripping anecdote from the Cold War era, such as a close encounter between opposing forces, a spy's daring mission, or a pivotal diplomatic negotiation.

The Iron Curtain Metaphor Hook

Draw parallels between the Iron Curtain that divided Europe during the Cold War and modern-day geopolitical divisions. Explore how historical lessons can inform contemporary politics.

The Cuban Missile Crisis Revelation Hook

Begin with a revelation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, a pivotal event during the Cold War. Discuss the world's reaction to this crisis and its implications for global peace.

The Space Race Innovation Hook

Highlight the innovative aspects of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Discuss the technological advancements and the impact on science and society.

The Proxy Wars Connection Hook

Start by exploring the concept of proxy wars during the Cold War. Discuss how these conflicts shaped the global political landscape and their relevance in today's world.

The Nuclear Arms Race Factoid Hook

Begin with startling facts about the nuclear arms race between superpowers. Discuss the fear of nuclear annihilation and its lasting effects on international relations.

The Espionage and Spy Games Hook

Introduce your essay by delving into the world of espionage during the Cold War. Discuss famous spies, intelligence agencies, and the intrigue of espionage operations.

The Cultural Cold War Reference Hook

Start with references to the cultural aspects of the Cold War, including the influence of literature, music, and art. Discuss how cultural diplomacy played a role in the conflict.

The End of the Cold War Paradox Hook

Begin with the paradox of the peaceful end of the Cold War. Explore the factors that contributed to its conclusion and the subsequent geopolitical shifts.

The Lessons from History Hook

Start by reflecting on the lessons that can be learned from the Cold War. Discuss how understanding this historical period can inform contemporary foreign policy and global relations.

Consequences of The Truman Doctrine

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Differences Between Stalin and Khrushchev

The cold war between the united states and the soviet union, analysis of how did the cold war shaped american politics, society, and economy, the cold war: an era of fear, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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Understanding The Effects of The Cold War

The policy of containment during the cold war, how the atomic bomb invention contributed to the ww2 and the cold war, the end of the cold war as a turning point in the history of global civil society, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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Beginning of The Cuban Missile Crisis

The role of "cold war" in bringing international order, american policy of containment during the cold war and its consequences, fears of america and the emergence of the cold war, america's leadership position at an international stage, the impact of world war ii and the cold war on the development of science in the 20th century, ronald reagan and mikhail gorbachev: discussion on resolving the cold war, analysis of the influence behind the actions of the united states army, cuban missile crisis as a world changing event, the korean war – a conflict between the soviet union and the united states, apocalypse now - cold war perspectives, the political situation in brazil during the cold war, the development of the peace corps in america, the geography of the cold war: why the us embarked on a containment policy, religion as one of the causes of the cold war, red scare: incitement to hatred of anarchy and communism, beware the red scare: another red threat to america, american containment strategy and the end of the cold war, history of american life in the early postwar era, advantages, disadvantages, and application of aip in modern submarines.

12 March 1947 – 26 December 1991 (44 years and 9 months)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Soviet Union, United States, Warsaw Treaty Organization.

Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Nikita Khrushchev, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan

Cuban missile crisis, Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Berlin crisis of 1961, collapse of the Soviet Union

The Cold War was a period of political tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. It emerged in the aftermath of World War II when ideological differences and geopolitical interests between the two superpowers intensified. The historical context of the Cold War can be traced back to the division of Europe after World War II, with the United States championing democratic principles and capitalism, while the Soviet Union sought to spread communism and establish spheres of influence. This ideological divide led to a series of confrontations and proxy wars fought between the two powers and their respective allies. The development of nuclear weapons added a dangerous dimension to the conflict, as both sides engaged in an arms race to gain a strategic advantage. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The division of the world into two ideological blocs: The capitalist bloc led by the United States and the communist bloc led by the Soviet Union. The arms race and nuclear proliferation, leading to the stockpiling of nuclear weapons by both superpowers and the development of advanced military technology. The establishment of military alliances such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the Warsaw Pact, which solidified the division between the Western and Eastern blocs. Proxy wars and conflicts fought between the United States and the Soviet Union or their respective allies, such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and various conflicts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The spread of communism to several countries, including Eastern European nations that became part of the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc. The Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War and the transition to a unipolar world with the United States as the dominant superpower.

One of the major effects of the Cold War was the division of the world into two competing blocs, the United States-led capitalist bloc and the Soviet Union-led communist bloc. This ideological divide created a bipolar world order and fueled numerous proxy wars and conflicts around the world, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union was another significant consequence of the Cold War. Both superpowers invested heavily in the development and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, leading to an unprecedented level of global military buildup. The fear of nuclear annihilation and the doctrine of mutually assured destruction shaped military strategies and had a lasting impact on international security policies. The Cold War also had economic ramifications. The United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence and sought to spread their respective economic systems, capitalism and communism, across the globe. This led to the creation of economic alliances and aid programs, such as the Marshall Plan, as well as the establishment of the Soviet-dominated Eastern Bloc and the NATO alliance. Furthermore, the Cold War influenced the course of decolonization and independence movements in many countries. The superpowers often supported or opposed regimes based on their alignment with capitalist or communist ideologies, leading to political instability and conflicts in various regions. In addition, the Cold War had cultural and social effects. It fostered a climate of suspicion and fear, which manifested in widespread political repression, surveillance, and the suppression of civil liberties. The ideological struggle between capitalism and communism influenced cultural productions, including literature, art, and film.

Studying and writing essays on the topic of the Cold War is essential for students due to its multidimensional significance. Firstly, exploring the Cold War provides students with a deeper understanding of the complexities of international relations, diplomacy, and ideological conflicts. It offers insights into the strategies, policies, and motivations of the superpowers involved, such as the United States and the Soviet Union. Secondly, writing essays on the Cold War promotes critical thinking and analytical skills. Students are encouraged to examine primary and secondary sources, analyze different perspectives, and evaluate the long-term consequences of historical events. This process enhances their ability to form well-reasoned arguments and develop a nuanced understanding of complex historical phenomena. Additionally, the Cold War has left a lasting impact on society, culture, and global dynamics. By exploring this topic, students can gain insights into the origins of the arms race, the nuclear age, the space race, and the proliferation of proxy wars. They can also examine the impact of the Cold War on civil rights, technological advancements, popular culture, and the formation of alliances.

1. The term "Cold War" was coined by the American financier and presidential adviser Bernard Baruch in a speech in 1947. It referred to the absence of direct military confrontation between the superpowers, but the ongoing ideological and political struggle between them. 2. The Cold War was characterized by a state of non-military confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. 3. The space race played a significant role during the Cold War, prompting the establishment of NASA and fueling competition between the superpowers. 4. The proxy wars fought between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War resulted in the loss of numerous lives, with casualties reaching millions. 5. Notable "hot" conflicts of the Cold War period included the Korean War, the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, and the Vietnam War. These conflicts involved direct military engagement or support from the superpowers, leading to significant human suffering and loss.

1. Gaddis, J. L. (2005). The Cold War: A new history. Penguin Books. 2. Westad, O. A. (2012). The Cold War: A world history. Basic Books. 3. Leffler, M. P. (2008). For the soul of mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War. Hill and Wang. 4. Beschloss, M. R. (1997). Mayday: Eisenhower, Khrushchev, and the U-2 affair. HarperCollins. 5. Zubok, V. M., & Pleshakov, C. (2007). Inside the Kremlin's cold war: From Stalin to Khrushchev. Harvard University Press. 6. Hogan, M. J. (Ed.). (2015). The Cold War in retrospect: The formative years. Oxford University Press. 7. LaFeber, W. (2002). America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-2000. McGraw-Hill. 8. Lynch, T. (2010). The Cold War: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press. 9. Matlock, J. F. (1995). Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War ended. Random House. 10. McMahon, R. J. (2003). The Cold War: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.

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Cold War - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

The Cold War was a defining period in world history, spanning from the end of WWII until 1991. It was a political, economic, and ideological struggle between the USSR and the United States, which dominated the global debate for decades. Writing a research paper about Cold War is a challenging task, but with the help of free essay examples on Cold War, students can gain insight into this complex period.

Our experts have prepared a collection of essay samples covering various aspects of this period, including its causes, effects, and debates. Students can use these examples to evaluate different thesis statements, outline their arguments, and craft an effective introduction and conclusion

The Cold War was fueled by the clash of two powerful ideologies: communism and capitalism. The Soviet Union was a communist country, while the USA was a capitalist democracy. The states involved in this struggle were split into two camps based on their ideology and political beliefs. The impact of the Cold War was felt worldwide, as many countries were forced to choose sides and take part in ideological conflict.

One of the most significant events of the Cold War was the construction of the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Berlin for decades. By examining our argumentative essay topics, students can gain a deeper understanding of this critical period and make a summary of the human rights violations related to it.

The Cold War: Severe Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union

The feuding began after World War II, mostly regarding political and economic power. After the destruction that World War II caused, the United States and the Soviet Union were left standing. Gaining control of countries was sought after, even if the countries weren't benefiting them in any way. During this time, it was all about power. From the years of 1957 to 1975, the Cold War was in full effect and the United States and the Soviet Union were in […]

How did the Cold War Affect the World Today

This project is going to be about the Cold War affect at that time and today. The author-topic happened in the United States and the Soviet Union and during the mid of the 40's to late 80's. The author argument about a political and economic struggle between the two superpowers, we can describe it as militarism. This topic is essential to the United States Because the United States emerged as the sole superpower in the world and, capitalism beat communism. […]

Keith Haring is an American Pop Artist

Keith Haring is an American pop artist whose work became well known around the 1980s. He turned the average, bleak surroundings of his life into a platform that he could express his artwork and the many controversial ideas within through. Most of his work focuses on deep personal and human values, e.g. love, sex, war, death, and societal expectations, but he's most well known for dismantling the stigma of aids, advocating for the LGBT+ & African-American communities, and detesting drugs […]

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Relationship between United States and Soviet Union during Cold War

United States and Soviet Union's tensions were increasing and on edge leading up to, during, and after the Cold War. The conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States has two very different sides, creating different ways to place responsibility. The Soviet and US conflict began before the Cold War and continued on throughout. At the end of the WWII, Germany was defeated and split up among the victors. Because of this division, in 1948, conflict arose in the […]

Effects of the Cold War

The Cold War was a time of hostility that went on between the Soviet Union and the US from 1945 to 1990. This rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted decades and created a result in anti communist accusations and international problems that led up to the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster. During World War II, the Soviet Union and United States fought together as allies against the axis powers. However, the two nations […]

The Longest War Fought in America’s History

The Vietnam War was iniated in November 1st 1955 and was finished on April 30 1975 because communism was starting to grow in Vietnam and the U.S wanted to keep it contained. At the time President Nixon was really worried that if Vietnam was to become communist other nations would soon follow and switch to communism. Ultimately at the end of the war there were a million plus casualties on both sides. The war officially ended in 1975 with the […]

The Significance of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis on the Cold War

On January 1, 1959 a Cuban nationalist by the name of Fidel Castro, drove his guerilla army into Havana, the capital of Cuba. Him and his guerrilla dethroned General Fulgencio Batista who was the Cuban president at the time. He ruled for two two years while the State Department and the CIA aimed to push Castro out of power. Eventually, in April 1961, the CIA organized a definitive strike made up of Cubans that had been forced to flee from […]

Cold War Effects on America

The Cold War certainly changed and shaped the American economy, society, and politics from 1945 to 1992. The contrasting beliefs between Communism (the Soviet Union) and Democracy (the United States) caused the rift between the worlds top two most prominent superpowers -- Communism had established itself to be an immediate challenge to the importance of the United States of America. To stop these two world powers from becoming an even larger global conflict, a few military interventions were established in […]

The Vietnam War in the World History

Silence is all the soldiers could hear but they knew that they weren't alone. Soldiers from a foreign country attacked them from the shadows. Thousands of young American men were killed in the forests deep in Vietnam. The national interest of America that Americans developed after the Yalta Conference encouraged us to join the Korean War which led to the Vietnam War,the most regretted war in US History, guided America when it comes to foreign policies. At the end of […]

Ending the Cold War

The Cold War, America's risk of starting a third world war with the U.S.S.R but also one of America's most profitable and popular wars. The cold war begun after the WWII, when the soviets took control of half of Germany and wanted to expand their control over Asia and surrounding countries. Russia wanted to expand communism through out the pacific and the U.S wanted to liberate it and make it a more democratic place. Before this became an arms race, […]

Richard Nixon Foreign Policy and Cold War

The Cold War began to come to an end once President Richard Nixon stepped into office. He wanted to take a different approach to the international relations by using diplomacy instead of military action. In 1972, Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet premier, and Nixon signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. This treaty made both sides agree to halt all nuclear weapons manufacturing. This would then lead to a big step to ending the threat of nuclear war. Even though Nixon had […]

John F Kennedy’s Life

John F. Kennedy grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts with nine siblings. He was the second child born to Rose Fitzgerald and Joseph Kennedy Sr. He attended a catholic all boys school but didn't really care about his academics. John F. Kennedy was also a very sick child having suffered severe colds, flu, scarlet fever, and many more severe undiagnosed diseases. Due to the many illnesses he had it caused him to have to miss months of school. Kennedy graduated and […]

Ideological Conflict in the Cold War

The cold war was a time of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective ideologies. It followed World War II and lasted from about 1945-1991. It was not declared in the same sense as most wars; rather, it progressed over time. Therefore, there are different opinions about the exact beginning of the war. The places of hostilities most often were competitions, such as: who gets to space first, sports events and espionage. This was proof […]

Conformity Within 20th and 21st Centuries Utopias/Dystopias Idealized by Cold War Era

The Cold War changed the way that many people in the United States and the world in general viewed the vast differences between freedom and control. One of the key factors in the Soviet Union that so frightened outsiders, was the level of conformity that they commanded over their people. In the People’s Republic of China, everything from communication to travel was controlled and people did their jobs in both communities or were left behind in history. Every person was […]

Cold War in China, Cold War in Cuba, and Space Race

Today, I'm going to write a research paper about, Origins of the cold war, Cold War in China, Cold War in Cuba, and Space Race. These four topics are all related to the horrible tragedies that happened during the Cold War. A lot of families suffered during this war. A lot of the soldiers have died during this war. I will start off with my first topic, which is Origins of the Cold War. I hope you enjoy reading my […]

Cold War: Sanctions and Effects Diplomatic Relations

Today, modern rhetoric prevents improvement between the United States and Russia, especially during the Trump administration. In terms of sanctions, the Cold War has never ended. Sanctions range from financial, economic, diplomatic, personal, and corporate, and seem to follow one after the other like a game of retaliation. The consequences of the evolving sanctions and the predicted likelihood of more sanctions between the United States and Russia are returning us to Cold War levels of tension; different but potentially just […]

American History Since 1865

According to the article by Joseph McCarthy on Communism “It has not been the less fortunate or members of minority groups who have been selling this nation out, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offer — the finest homes, the finest college education, and the finest jobs in government we can give.” In essence, McCarthy claimed that he had a list of communists in the American gov't, but […]

Socialism and Communism in Cold War

The Cold War was commonly a contention fight for world prevalence. The contention between Soviet Union astounding. The battle between Soviet Spousal relationship and the unified states was inescapable on the grounds that America US would not like to enable the possibility of socialism to spread.it was the bedcover .it was the adversary between the two party that quickened the cool coldness war and since neither the Soviet Union nor the assembled states was eager to surrender and surrender, abdication […]

Cold War Communism in East Germany and Poland

The Cold War was an ideological War that happened between the Soviet Union and the United States, and it started after the Second World War. After the Second World War, Germany was defeated, and France and Britain were left exhausted and drained. The Soviet Union and the United States were also drained, but they remained with considerable power, and they rose to the status of superpower. The Soviet Union and the United States became rivals via mutual distrust and conflicting […]

The Emergence of a New Cold War: Implications and Challenges

On October 4th, 2018 a speech was given in the Hudson Institute, the think tank and research center dedicated to nonpartisan analysis of United States and international economic, security, and political issues (Hudson Institute), in Washington D.C., Maryland. Vice President Mike Pence, addressed a speech to China's leaders/government. Pence formally addressed the matter that there will be a new, tougher approach toward Beijing. Pence's speech was very straightforward, surprising Beijing of the 'alleged offenses' in only one public indictment, speaking […]

The Cold War and U.S Diplomacy

My take on President Kennedy's doctrine ""Respond flexibly to communist expansion, especially to guerrilla warfare from 1961 to 1963"". The doctrine by President John F. Kennedy. During the Second World War, the Soviet Union and the United States worked together in fighting Nazi of Germany. The coalition between the two parties was dissolved after the end of the war in Europe. During the Potsdam conference, the tension broke up on July when the two parties decided to share Germany. The […]

Russian Global Expansion

A general consensus has formed among the leaders of Western nations and among western-oriented international organizations like NATO and the European Union (EU). “Not only have spheres of influence returned in the twenty-first century, but they have come back because of Russia’s desire to disrupt the post-Cold War peace.”. Russia’s current policies have two distinct goals. First Russian seeks to reclaim its control over the post-Soviet space. Secondly its larger goal which has become increasingly evident in the period since […]

The Exhibit Narrative: Art and Culture during the Cold War

The Global Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States shaped the world on various, different levels, the clash of contradictory ideologies led the two superpowers to the edge of a nuclear disaster and divided the earth for the second half of the 20th century. Further, the worldview of the United States was based on capitalism and Coca Cola Hollywood, the Marshall Plan, Elvis Presley or Apollo eleven characterized the American way of life. In contrast, the […]

The Cuban Missile Crisis and Cold War

COLD WAR 1947 - 1991 The Cold War referred to the competition, the tensions and a series of confrontations between the United States and Soviet Union, backed by their respective allies. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the considered to be the high point of what came to be known as the Cold War because of the following reasons. 1) Worries of the USSR In April 1961, the leaders of the USSR were worried that the United States would invade the […]

Geopolitics and the Cold War

Soon following World War II was the Cold War. The Cold War was a hapless and extreme time of discomfort caused by a great geopolitical tension between two areas(Prager U). The western bloc and the eastern bloc served great roles in this conflict. The western bloc contained countries allied with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).Such as France, Norway, and Denmark. As for the term Eastern bloc referred to countries associated and run by the soviet union. These were countries like […]

Women of Cold War in America

Homeward Bound by Elaine Tyler May is an American Ideology of the 1940 and 50's that appeared into two traditional narratives in white American suburban families and fear of anti-cold war nuclear disaster. This in turn formed a new American ideology, called women's independence in white America. May argues in her book about US foreign relations, communist, lifestyle and culture of a domestic American women. May present the idea that in the era of 1940 and 50s the united states […]

President John F. Kennedy’s Assassination

Friday morning on November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was parading through the Dallas, Texas streets with his wife, and the Vice President and his wife in the car behind, in opened convertible limousins on their way to the Trade Mark, so he could give a speech. However, the President did not make it to his destination. Around 12:30 p.m. shots were fired from the Texas School Book Depository hitting the thirty-fifth President in the neck and head. President […]

Gender Roles during the Great Depression and the Cold War

A role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender which is determined by the prevailing cultural norms is called a gender role. Both men and women have been told how to behave, dress, and even present themselves to the public. An example of gender roles in society is women are supposed to be feminine, graceful, polite, nurturing, emotional, take care of kids, cook, clean; while men are supposed to be muscular, aggressive, tall, take care of […]

How US Intervention in Afghanistan during the Cold War Led to the Global War on Terror

During the Cold War in the late 1970s the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. At the time, tensions between the Soviet Union and the US were high, and so the US was trying to combat the Soviet influence without direct military action that may result in a war between the two nuclear armed countries. The US answer to this problem was to train, arm, and support local Afghans who were against the Soviets. This strategy of waging a proxy war was […]

The Berlin Crisis and the Cold War

This investigation will explore the question: To what extent was the United States responsible for the Berlin Crisis? The scope of this investigation will focus on the causes of the Berlin crisis and the effect of the US' presence before and during the conflict. The first source which will be evaluated is a US government document titled Soviet and Allied Statements on the Berlin Blockade . The purpose of this document is to share both the US and Soviet Government's […]

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Essays About the Cold War Those who are eager to know the American history of the 20th century without opening the history books should embark upon reading To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the most brilliant masterpieces of American literature that was created by Harper Lee. It tells the story of the American communities between the years of 1933 and 1935 – when the Great Depression was sniffing in the streets – in the light of a child’s point of view. The novel gives the readers a look into how capitalism became one of the main causes of the Cold War. And thanks to the Animal Farm essay you can understand what was happening in the society of the Soviet Union on the eve of the Cold War. World War II that followed not long after the Great Depression has become the first time when the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc united for the sake of conquering one enemy – the Nazis. Unfortunately, the topics that were predominant in the American community of the 1930s talked not about the relations between the Soviet Union and the United States but rather about examples of communities in which the blacks were not even considered human beings.  Writing an essay on the Cold War seemed to be nonsense in the times that are described in the novel. However, when the novel was published, the introduction of the United States into the world of communism has become a widely discussed DBQ. Given that the novel and the times that the author is talking about have been greatly analyzed, we are ready to write a research paper or an argumentative essay about the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Our professional writers can follow your outline, or they can come up with one of their own, either way complying with the highest quality requirements. Ordering an essay on the Cold War from us, you can rest assured that your instructions will be followed, and your argument will be defended.

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“Tear Down This Wall”: Ronald Reagan and the End of the Cold War

Written by: Bill of Rights Institute

By the end of this section, you will:.

• Explain the causes and effects of the end of the Cold War and its legacy

Suggested Sequencing:

Use this decision point after students have read the introductory essay to introduce foreign policy milestones during Reagan’s presidency. This decision point can be used with  The Iran-Contra Affair  Narrative; the  Ronald Reagan, “Tear Down this Wall” Speech, June 12, 1987  Primary Source; and the  Cold War DBQ (1947–1989)  Lesson.

In the wake of World War II, a Cold War erupted between the world’s two superpowers—the United States and the Soviet Union. During the postwar era, the contest between their respective capitalist and communist systems manifested itself in a nuclear arms race, a space race, and several proxy wars. In the 1960s and 1970s, as the United States fought the Vietnam War and struggled internally with its aftermath and a faltering economy, the Russians seemed ascendant. Increasing oil prices globally led to a revenue windfall for oil-rich Russia, which paid for a massive arms buildup and supported communist insurrections that Russia backed in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Eventually, the policy of détente decreased tensions between the two countries and led to their signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) in 1972. SALT I, the first of two SALT agreements, limited the number of nuclear missiles either country could possess and banned the building of antiballistic missile (ABM) systems used to defend against nuclear strikes. The use of ABMs would have upset the stalemate represented by the possibility of mutual assured destruction (MAD)—the obliteration of both parties in a nuclear war—because it would allow one side to strike first and then defend itself against retaliation.

The December 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to prop up a puppet communist regime led President Jimmy Carter to seek increased military budgets and to withdraw from Senate consideration the recently signed SALT II treaty, which would have reduced both countries’ nuclear missiles, bombers, and other delivery vehicles. When Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980, he rejected détente and instituted a tough stance with Soviets designed to reverse their advances, topple communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and win the Cold War. His administration supported freedom in Eastern Europe and the Polish resistance movement known as Solidarity; armed fighters resisting communism around the world, including the  mujahideen  in Afghanistan; and increased military spending to support peace through strength and to bankrupt the Soviet economy if it tried to match the increases. Reagan also launched an ideological crusade against the Soviet regime for violating inalienable rights and liberties.

For decades before coming into office, Reagan had criticized the spread of Soviet communism and the danger it posed. He compared communism to Nazism and totalitarianism, characterized by a powerful state that limited individual freedoms. In a 1964 televised speech, Reagan told the American people he believed there could be no accommodation with the Soviets.

We cannot buy our security, our freedom from the threat of the bomb by committing an immorality so great as saying to a billion human beings now in slavery behind the Iron Curtain, “Give up your dreams of freedom because to save our own skins, we are willing to make a deal with your slave-masters.”

Shortly before he became president, Reagan told an aide: “My idea of American policy toward the Soviet Union is simple, and some would say simplistic. It is this: We win and they lose.”

Reagan also specifically targeted the Berlin Wall, erected by communist East Germany in 1961 to separate East and West Berlin. In a 1967 televised town hall debate with Robert Kennedy, Reagan argued, “I think it would be very admirable if the Berlin Wall should . . . disappear.” He continued, “We just think that a wall that is put up to confine people, and keep them within their own country . . . has to be somehow wrong.” In 1978, he visited the wall and was disgusted to learn the story of Peter Fechter, one of the first among hundreds who were gunned down by East German police while trying to escape to freedom.

Americans knew Ronald Reagan was an uncompromising Cold War warrior when they elected him president in 1980. Over the heads of many in the State Department and the National Security Council, he instituted controversial policies that reversed détente because he thought it had strengthened and emboldened the Soviets during the 1970s. He joked that détente was “what a farmer has with his turkey—until Thanksgiving Day.”

Reagan also pressed an unrelenting ideological attack on communism in stark moral terms that pitted it against a free society. In 1981, he asserted at the University of Notre Dame that “The West won’t contain communism, it will transcend communism . . . it will dismiss it as some bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages are even now being written.” In a 1982 speech to the British Parliament, he said communism ran “against the tides of history by denying human freedom and human dignity” and predicted that the Soviet regime would end up “on the ash heap of history.” The Berlin Wall was “the signature of the regime that built it.” During that trip, Reagan visited the wall and said, “It’s as ugly as the idea behind it.” In a 1983 speech that made the supporters of a softer line toward the Soviets cringe, he called the Soviet Union an “evil empire.”

In June 1987, Reagan was in West Berlin to speak during a ceremony commemorating the 750th anniversary of the city and faced an important choice. The Berlin Wall was one of the most important symbols of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, and a symbol of communist oppression. He could confront the Soviets about the injustice of the wall, or he could deliver bland remarks that would satisfy the members of the American foreign policy establishment who wanted to avoid conflict. He decided to deliver a provocative speech demanding an end to the oppression of the wall and of communism.

Many officials in Reagan’s administration and in the allied West German government were strongly opposed to his delivering any provocative words or actions during the speech. The West Germans did not want the speech to be given anywhere near the wall and sought to avoid what might be perceived as an aggressive signal. The German Foreign Ministry appealed to the White House, but to no avail. Some members of the administration were even more concerned. At the time, the United States was in the midst of Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) negotiations with the U.S.S.R., and officials did not want to jeopardize the progress they had made by undermining the Soviet leader so close to home. As a result, Secretary of State George Shultz, Chief of Staff Howard Baker, and the U.S. Embassy in Bonn (the West German capital) read the drafts of Reagan’s speech and repeatedly implored the president and his speechwriters to tone down the language. Deputy National Security Advisor Colin Powell and other members of the National Security Council were particularly adamant and offered several revisions of the speech. Reagan listened to all the objections and unalterably decided, “I think we’ll leave it in.” He would not be deterred from challenging the Soviets and communism.

The stark moral difference between the systems on either side of the Berlin Wall was evident on June 12. Reagan and his team arrived in West Berlin and encountered some protesters who freely voiced their dissent at his appearance. He also spoke to reporters and nervous German officials who feared the fallout over an antagonistic speech. As he told them, “This is the only wall that has ever been built to keep people in, not keep people out.” In East Berlin, in contrast, the German secret police and Russian KGB agents cordoned off an area a thousand yards wide on the other side of the wall from where Reagan was to speak. They wanted to ensure that no one could hear his message of freedom.

Reagan stepped up to the podium to speak, with the Brandenburg Gate and the imposing wall in the background. He told the audience, “As long as this gate is closed, as long as this scar of a wall is permitted to stand, it is not the German question alone that remains open, but the question of freedom for all mankind.” In the middle of the speech, Reagan directly challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, who wanted to reform communism in an attempt to save it. He delivered the line that had caused so much consternation among American and German officials: “If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Reagan finished the speech by predicting the wall would not endure. “This wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.” Reagan took responsibility for causing a diplomatic furor because he believed in universal ideals of freedom and self-government. And he understood the power of using a dramatic moment to promote American ideals.

A year later, Reagan addressed the students at Moscow State University. “The key is freedom,” he told them. It was an ideal that had been at the core of his political philosophy and public statements for 50 years, since the dawn of the Cold War. In a statement that reflected his own sense of responsibility for defeating communism and defending freedom, he told them: “It is the right to put forth an idea, scoffed at by the experts, and watch it catch fire among the people. It is the right to dream—to follow your dream or stick to your conscience, even if you’re the only one in a sea of doubters.”

In applying military, economic, moral, and ideological pressure against the system to facilitate its collapse, Reagan was joined by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, and others who fought for democracy and freedom. No one imagined the Berlin Wall would fall only two years later on November 9, 1989, as communism collapsed across Eastern Europe, or that the Soviet Union would formerly dissolve by the end of 1991.

Review Questions

1. The Cold War manifested itself through all the following except

• a nuclear arms race
• the space race
• direct military conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union

2. The massive Soviet arms buildup during the 1960s and 1970s was financed by

• increased oil prices globally
• mineral wealth gained from Afghanistan
• increased Soviet industrial productivity
• surplus tariffs from the trade war with the United States

3. Tensions between the United States and the U.S.S.R. increased in the 1970s with the

• signing of the SALT Treaty in 1972
• banning of the antiballistic missile system
• Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
• policy of détente

4. The president most often credited with advocating policies leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union was

• Richard Nixon
• Jimmy Carter
• Ronald Reagan
• George H. W. Bush

5. The Reagan administration challenged Soviet influence by

• supporting the Solidarity movement in Poland
• refusing to get involved in the Afghanistan conflict
• embracing unilateral nuclear disarmament
• continuing the policy of détente

6. For President Ronald Reagan, the “evil empire” confronting the world was

• Afghanistan
• Communist China
• the Soviet Union

7. Events marking the end of the Cold War included all the following except

• Eastern European uprisings against communism
• the tearing down of the Berlin War
• the disintegration of the U.S.S.R.
• the end of communist rule in China

Free Response Questions

• Explain how détente led to a lessening of nuclear tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1970s.
• Compare President Reagan’s attitudes and policies toward the Soviet Union with those of his predecessors.

AP Practice Questions

“But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind —too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor. And now—now the Soviets themselves may, in a limited way, be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. . . . There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev—Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Ronald Reagan, Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate, June 12, 1987

Refer to the excerpt provided.

1. The sentiments expressed in the excerpt contributed to which of the following?

• An end to the war on terrorism
• Conflicts in the Middle East
• The fall of the Soviet Union
• The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001

2. The Soviet conditions referred to in this excerpt most directly resulted from

• the end of World War II
• collective security agreements
• the creation of the United Nations

3. This excerpt was written in response to

• Cold War competition extending into Latin America
• postwar decolonization
• efforts to seek allies among nonaligned nations
• political changes and economic problems in Eastern Europe

Primary Sources

Reagan, Ronald. “Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin.” June 12, 1987.  https://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/speech-at-brandenburg-gate/

Reagan, Ronald. “Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin.” June 12, 1987. Reagan Foundation Video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MDFX-dNtsM

Suggested Resources

Brands, H. W.  Reagan: The Life . New York: Doubleday, 2015.

Busch, Andrew E.  Ronald Reagan and the Politics of Freedom . Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2001.

Gaddis, John Lewis.  The Cold War: A New History . New York: Penguin, 2005.

Hayward, Steven F.  The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution, 1980–1989 . New York: Three Rivers Press, 2009.

Lettow, Paul.  Ronald Reagan and His Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons . New York: Random House, 2005.

Ratnesar, Romesh.  Tear Down This Wall: A City, A President, and the Speech that Ended the Cold War . New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum website.  https://www.reaganfoundation.org/library-museum/

Schweizer, Peter.  Reagan’s War: The Epic Story of His Forty-Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism . New York: Doubleday, 2002.

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Cold War History

By: History.com Editors

Updated: June 26, 2023 | Original: October 27, 2009

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension marked by competition and confrontation between communist nations led by the Soviet Union and Western democracies including the United States. During World War II , the United States and the Soviets fought together as allies against Nazi Germany . However, U.S./Soviet relations were never truly friendly: Americans had long been wary of Soviet communism and Russian leader Joseph Stalin ’s tyrannical rule. The Soviets resented Americans’ refusal to give them a leading role in the international community, as well as America’s delayed entry into World War II, in which millions of Russians died.

These grievances ripened into an overwhelming sense of mutual distrust and enmity that never developed into open warfare (thus the term “cold war”). Soviet expansionism into Eastern Europe fueled many Americans’ fears of a Russian plan to control the world. Meanwhile, the USSR came to resent what they perceived as U.S. officials’ bellicose rhetoric, arms buildup and strident approach to international relations. In such a hostile atmosphere, no single party was entirely to blame for the Cold War; in fact, some historians believe it was inevitable.

Containment

By the time World War II ended, most American officials agreed that the best defense against the Soviet threat was a strategy called “containment.” In his famous “Long Telegram,” the diplomat George Kennan (1904-2005) explained the policy: The Soviet Union, he wrote, was “a political force committed fanatically to the belief that with the U.S. there can be no permanent modus vivendi [agreement between parties that disagree].” As a result, America’s only choice was the “long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.”

“It must be the policy of the United States,” he declared before Congress in 1947, “to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation…by outside pressures.” This way of thinking would shape American foreign policy for the next four decades.

Did you know? The term 'cold war' first appeared in a 1945 essay by the English writer George Orwell called 'You and the Atomic Bomb.'

The Cold War: The Atomic Age

The containment strategy also provided the rationale for an unprecedented arms buildup in the United States. In 1950, a National Security Council Report known as NSC–68 had echoed Truman’s recommendation that the country use military force to contain communist expansionism anywhere it seemed to be occurring. To that end, the report called for a four-fold increase in defense spending.

In particular, American officials encouraged the development of atomic weapons like the ones that had ended World War II. Thus began a deadly “ arms race .” In 1949, the Soviets tested an atom bomb of their own. In response, President Truman announced that the United States would build an even more destructive atomic weapon: the hydrogen bomb, or “superbomb.” Stalin followed suit.

As a result, the stakes of the Cold War were perilously high. The first H-bomb test, in the Eniwetok atoll in the Marshall Islands, showed just how fearsome the nuclear age could be. It created a 25-square-mile fireball that vaporized an island, blew a huge hole in the ocean floor and had the power to destroy half of Manhattan. Subsequent American and Soviet tests spewed radioactive waste into the atmosphere.

The ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation had a great impact on American domestic life as well. People built bomb shelters in their backyards. They practiced attack drills in schools and other public places. The 1950s and 1960s saw an epidemic of popular films that horrified moviegoers with depictions of nuclear devastation and mutant creatures. In these and other ways, the Cold War was a constant presence in Americans’ everyday lives.

HISTORY Vault: Nuclear Terror

Now more than ever, terrorist groups are obtaining nuclear weapons. With increasing cases of theft and re-sale at dozens of Russian sites, it's becoming more and more likely for terrorists to succeed.

The Cold War and the Space Race

Space exploration served as another dramatic arena for Cold War competition. On October 4, 1957, a Soviet R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile launched Sputnik (Russian for “traveling companion”), the world’s first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth’s orbit. Sputnik’s launch came as a surprise, and not a pleasant one, to most Americans.

In the United States, space was seen as the next frontier, a logical extension of the grand American tradition of exploration, and it was crucial not to lose too much ground to the Soviets. In addition, this demonstration of the overwhelming power of the R-7 missile–seemingly capable of delivering a nuclear warhead into U.S. air space–made gathering intelligence about Soviet military activities particularly urgent.

In 1958, the U.S. launched its own satellite, Explorer I, designed by the U.S. Army under the direction of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, and what came to be known as the Space Race was underway. That same year, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a public order creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a federal agency dedicated to space exploration, as well as several programs seeking to exploit the military potential of space. Still, the Soviets were one step ahead, launching the first man into space in April 1961.

That May, after Alan Shepard become the first American man in space, President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) made the bold public claim that the U.S. would land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. His prediction came true on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission , became the first man to set foot on the moon, effectively winning the Space Race for the Americans. 

U.S. astronauts came to be seen as the ultimate American heroes. Soviets, in turn, were pictured as the ultimate villains, with their massive, relentless efforts to surpass America and prove the power of the communist system.

The Cold War and the Red Scare

Meanwhile, beginning in 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee ( HUAC ) brought the Cold War home in another way. The committee began a series of hearings designed to show that communist subversion in the United States was alive and well.

In Hollywood , HUAC forced hundreds of people who worked in the movie industry to renounce left-wing political beliefs and testify against one another. More than 500 people lost their jobs. Many of these “blacklisted” writers, directors, actors and others were unable to work again for more than a decade. HUAC also accused State Department workers of engaging in subversive activities. Soon, other anticommunist politicians, most notably Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957), expanded this probe to include anyone who worked in the federal government. 

Thousands of federal employees were investigated, fired and even prosecuted. As this anticommunist hysteria spread throughout the 1950s, liberal college professors lost their jobs, people were asked to testify against colleagues and “loyalty oaths” became commonplace.

The Cold War Abroad

The fight against subversion at home mirrored a growing concern with the Soviet threat abroad. In June 1950, the first military action of the Cold War began when the Soviet-backed North Korean People’s Army invaded its pro-Western neighbor to the south. Many American officials feared this was the first step in a communist campaign to take over the world and deemed that nonintervention was not an option. Truman sent the American military into Korea, but the Korean War dragged to a stalemate and ended in 1953.

In 1955, the United States and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) made West Germany a member of NATO and permitted it to remilitarize. The Soviets responded with the Warsaw Pact , a mutual defense organization between the Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria that set up a unified military command under Marshal Ivan S. Konev of the Soviet Union.

Other international disputes followed. In the early 1960s, President Kennedy faced a number of troubling situations in his own hemisphere. The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis the following year seemed to prove that the real communist threat now lay in the unstable, postcolonial “Third World.” 

Nowhere was this more apparent than in Vietnam , where the collapse of the French colonial regime had led to a struggle between the American-backed nationalist Ngo Dinh Diem in the south and the communist nationalist Ho Chi Minh in the north. Since the 1950s, the United States had been committed to the survival of an anticommunist government in the region, and by the early 1960s it seemed clear to American leaders that if they were to successfully “contain” communist expansionism there, they would have to intervene more actively on Diem’s behalf. However, what was intended to be a brief military action spiraled into a 10-year conflict .

The End of the Cold War and Effects

Almost as soon as he took office, President Richard Nixon (1913-1994) began to implement a new approach to international relations. Instead of viewing the world as a hostile, “bi-polar” place, he suggested, why not use diplomacy instead of military action to create more poles? To that end, he encouraged the United Nations to recognize the communist Chinese government and, after a trip there in 1972, began to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing.

At the same time, he adopted a policy of “détente”—”relaxation”—toward the Soviet Union. In 1972, he and Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982) signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I), which prohibited the manufacture of nuclear missiles by both sides and took a step toward reducing the decades-old threat of nuclear war.

Despite Nixon’s efforts, the Cold War heated up again under President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). Like many leaders of his generation, Reagan believed that the spread of communism anywhere threatened freedom everywhere. As a result, he worked to provide financial and military aid to anticommunist governments and insurgencies around the world. This policy, particularly as it was applied in the developing world in places like Grenada and El Salvador, was known as the Reagan Doctrine .

Even as Reagan fought communism in Central America, however, the Soviet Union was disintegrating. In response to severe economic problems and growing political ferment in the USSR, Premier Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022) took office in 1985 and introduced two policies that redefined Russia’s relationship to the rest of the world: “glasnost,” or political openness, and “ perestroika ,” or economic reform. 

Soviet influence in Eastern Europe waned. In 1989, every other communist state in the region replaced its government with a noncommunist one. In November of that year, the Berlin Wall –the most visible symbol of the decades-long Cold War–was finally destroyed, just over two years after Reagan had challenged the Soviet premier in a speech at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” By 1991, the Soviet Union itself had fallen apart. The Cold War was over.

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The Cold War: US Foreign Policy Essay

Introduction, works cited.

One critical question that bogs the minds of most people when talking about the Cold War is the concern of securing the national interests of the United States. A substantial number of people argue that the Cold War, which lasted for four decades, was a contest of ideologies whereby the United States sought to spread its national interests across the globe. The development of the war had implications on the political and cultural standing of the United States.

The Cold War was an ideological war in which the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a war whereby each country sought to propagate its policies through the pursuance of different courses in different parts of the world. In this paper, it is argued that the nature of policy goals that were pursued in the Cold War period had implications on the political and cultural setup of the United States.

This paper discusses the Cold War. The paper seeks to explore issues surrounding the US foreign policy in the course of the war, as well as the implications of the war on the United States’ society and culture.

The Cold War marked a period in the world history after the Second World War. The two main countries that battled in the war are the United States and the Soviet Union. This war was not an actual physical battle between the two countries, but it entailed the utilization of foreign policy by both countries to advance national ideologies.

However, proxy wars were fought as the two countries applied their containment strategies in proxy nations in different regions of the world. The United States embraced the ideology of capitalism, while the Soviet Union embraced communism. At the end of the Second World War, the United States insisted on the pursuance of a course that was meant to see the world pursue self-determination and the continuity of free trade.

On the other hand, the Soviet Union focused on molding its influence on Eastern Europe and the restructuring of its economy to gain power and influence in the region and the world at large. The most critical question that rings in the mind of most people concerns the possibilities of avoiding the Cold War at that time, given the political status of the world during the post-World War II.

Most of the commentators argue that the war could not have been easily avoided, given that a political vacuum prevailed in the world after the Second World War. The United States and the Soviet Union, which were the two main powers in the bipolar world order, engaged in a battle that resulted in a unipolar state, with the United States becoming the key dominant power in the world.

According to Kennan (para. 4), one main thing in the Cold War was the application of containment strategies that were embedded in the foreign policy activities. The foreign policy of the United States, just after the end of the Second World War, was shifted to containing the Soviet Union. What ought to be asked is whether the containment strategy of the US was welcome by the citizens of the country.

The other question concerns the impact of the pursuance of the containment strategy by the United States during the Cold War on the American society. Several documents have been authored on the historical developments in the post-World War II period, which marked the period of the Cold War. Most of the documents point to the political discourse in the Cold War period. The Cold War was a political development, thus it is quite difficult to eliminate the question of political discourse when talking about the Cold War.

Arguing from the perspective of the world wars, the distribution of power was one of the main issues that shaped the developments at the international stage during the world wars. The cold war was, therefore, an extension of power politics in the international arena; only that this point in time, the power struggle shifted to two states in the world (Truman para. 1).

According to “NSC 68 and the Ideological Cold War” (591), both the United States and the Soviet Union, which were the main powers that presented a hegemonic state in the international arena, were involved in the pursuance of different policies that were aimed at consolidating power. The United States under its leaders presented issues in the foreign countries in the manner that presented the attention of its citizens and the search for support in implementing the foreign policies of the country.

An example that can be given here is the presentation of the situation in Greek by Harry Truman, the then US President. Truman argued that the situation that prevailed in Greece had implications on the national security of the United States as he addressed the US Congress. The address pointed out that the Greek government was being negatively affected by the communistic advancements, a situation that warranted the support of the United States (Truman para. 1-5).

According to Lippmann (para. 1), the policy of containment used during the Cold War period called for the use of different tactics by the players in the war. The United States was, therefore, forced to be strategic in terms of crafting and implementing its foreign policy to match the strategies of the Soviet Union.

There was an expansive pressure on the United States, which resulted from the policies of the Soviet Union. The main way through which the United States would respond to the pressure was, therefore, through the deployment of diplomatic tactics in containing the Soviet Union’s influence in the world. Foreign policies were vital in the planning and implementation of containment strategies since it authorized the actions of the US government.

This has shaped the culture of the United States in such a way that policies are often subjected to the public. The United States is highly organized based on the principles of participation and democracy. The question of policy support in the United States also came out during the Cold War in which the US was quite active in terms of the search for policy support locally.

The other aspect of culture and society in the United States as was depicted by the Cold War revolves around the question of freedom in terms of policy making and participation. Capitalism, which is an ideology that was fully backed by the United States, entails the embrace of diversities of people in diverse sectors.

The free trade of ideas is, therefore, one of the most critical components of a free market of ideas. While this ought to be the nature of the American society, there are still a lot of pointers to the embrace of absolutism in the country. A free society ought to give each individual a chance to exercise and pursue his or her goals, which is contrary to what the United States policy entailed during the Cold War (“NSC 68 and the Ideological Cold War” para 2-5).

The civil rights movement that was experienced in the United States in the course of the Cold War can be taken as one of the indicators of the lack of embrace of free ideas and the value of every individual course, which are core features of capitalism. The differences in terms of race came out strongly during the Cold War. While the United States struggled a lot to contain the actions of the Russians through policy, it did less in pursuing a domestic policy to contain racial segregation within the country.

The United States government concentrated a lot on the pursuance of foreign policy, rather than addressing the issue of civil rights in the country. The American society can be depicted as an expansionist society due to a lot of focus on foreign policy at the expense of addressing the domestic issues (President’s Commission on Civil Rights para. 1-4).

According to McCarthy (para. 2), the pacification of the world seemed to be the main Agenda of the United States. This was depicted by its efforts to see the establishment of the United Nations during the Second World War. However, the actions of hatred and the support of proxy battles was an order of the Cold War, which made it impossible to attain the goals of peaceful existence of people in the world.

This paper has explored the Cold War and how the domestic and foreign policy of the United States was shaped during the war. From the discussion, it has come out that the foreign policy goals of the United States during the early periods of the war were largely centered on containing Russia. This barred the US from pursuing domestic policies that were critical in addressing domestic issues.

Kennan, George, F. The Sources of Soviet Conduct , 1947. Web.

McCarthy, Joseph. Enemies from Within , 1950. Web. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6456/

NSC 68 and the Ideological Cold War , 1950.

President’s Commission on Civil Rights. To Secure These Rights , 1947.

Truman, Harry S. Excerpts from the Truman Doctrine , 1947.

Walter Lippmann. A Critique of Containment , 1947.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 10). The Cold War: US Foreign Policy. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-cold-war-2/

"The Cold War: US Foreign Policy." IvyPanda , 10 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/the-cold-war-2/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'The Cold War: US Foreign Policy'. 10 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "The Cold War: US Foreign Policy." December 10, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-cold-war-2/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Cold War: US Foreign Policy." December 10, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-cold-war-2/.

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IvyPanda . "The Cold War: US Foreign Policy." December 10, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-cold-war-2/.

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Scripps Senior Theses

The russia-ukraine war: the second cold war.

Madeline Levine , Scripps College Follow

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Bachelor of Arts

Politics and International Relations

Professor Jordan Branch

Professor Nancy Neiman

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2023 Madeline P Levine

Under the guise of a “special military operation,” Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The immediacy with which the United States rallied support for Ukraine within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (“NATO”), the United Nations (“UN”), and the European Union (“EU”) raised speculation: Is Russia-Ukraine the beginning of a second Cold War? Did the Cold War actually end in the 1990s? Is Ukraine the first proxy war in a series of more to come between the United States and Russia? This thesis will address the first question by identifying and analyzing the characteristics that distinguished the Cold War from earlier conflicts, how the Russia-Ukraine War compares, and the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war on the global order.

Recommended Citation

Levine, Madeline, "The Russia-Ukraine War: The Second Cold War?" (2023). Scripps Senior Theses . 2208. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/2208

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