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THE COLD WAR.
What is the Cold War? What was India’s response to it?
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2 Replies
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COLD WAR: What is it?
It is referred to as the era of geo-political tension between <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color); background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color);”>two factions (also called ‘<i style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color); background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color);”>blocs’), led by the two major superpowers: the <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color); background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color);”>Soviet Union (USSR) & <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color); background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color);”>USA. It began in 1947, right after the end of World War II, and ended in 1991. This period marked a non-violent state of hostility between the superpowers and their blocs. Since they did not partake in direct violence but fought each other over political, ideological, and economic supremacy, it is called a ‘cold’ war.
Origin
The Soviet Union and the US had fought against Nazi Germany in WWII as allies. But after WWII ended in May 1945, both powers began establishing their separate dominance in their respective regions. The US along with other Western powers established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was a response to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. After a few years in 1955, the Soviet Union signed the Warsaw Pact along with other communist regimes. Thus began the clear demarcation of Europe into two rival blocs. While the Western bloc was supported by NATO (i.e. the US), the Eastern bloc was led by the Soviet Regime.
Global Conflict during the Cold War
Subsequent years into the Cold War lead to a number of “hot” wars around the world.
- VIETNAM WAR: US interference in the Vietnam War was caused by the Cold War. It heightened tensions between the two blocs and their ideologies.
- CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: The Cuban resistance movement led by Fidel Castro deposed the pro-American military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959. Cuba got involved in the Cold War when the US broke off its diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961, and the Soviet Union increased its economic aid to Cuba. Castro’s Cuba quickly became militarily and economically dependent on the Soviet Union.
- ARMS RACE: The development of nuclear weapons also took place on a massive scale and the world entered into the age of nuclear age.
INDIA’S RESPONSE: The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Many countries in the third world felt caught in the conflict of the Cold War. India decided to remain neutral. This led to the creation of the <strong style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”>Non-Aligned Movement. It began as a policy of non-participation in the military affairs of a bipolar world.
In 1946, <b style=””>Nehru, as a part of the cabinet of the <font face=”inherit”>Interim Government of India</font>, said during a radio broadcast; “we propose, as far as possible, to keep away from the power politics of groups, aligned against one another, which have led in the past to world wars and which may again lead to disasters on an even vaster scale.” In 1948, he made a speech to the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) titled “We Lead Ourselves” in which he talked about what “alignment” entailed:-
- Keeping aloof from the big blocs;
- Being friendly to all countries;
- That does not, on the other hand, involve any lack of close relationships with other countries.
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COLD WAR: What is it?
It is referred to as the era of geo-political tension between two factions (also called ‘blocs’), led by the two major superpowers: the Soviet Union (USSR) & USA. It began in 1947, right after the end of World War II, and ended in 1991. This period marked a non-violent state of hostility between the superpowers and their blocs. Since they did not partake in direct violence but fought each other over political, ideological, and economic supremacy, it is called a ‘cold’ war.
Origin
The Soviet Union and the US had fought against Nazi Germany in WWII as allies. But after WWII ended in May 1945, both powers began establishing their separate dominance in their respective regions. The US along with other Western powers established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was a response to the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. After a few years in 1955, the Soviet Union signed the Warsaw Pact along with other communist regimes. Thus began the clear demarcation of Europe into two rival blocs. While the Western bloc was supported by NATO (i.e. the US), the Eastern bloc was led by the Soviet Regime.
Global Conflict during the Cold War
Subsequent years into the Cold War lead to a number of “hot” wars around the world.
- VIETNAM WAR: US interference in the Vietnam War was caused by the Cold War. It heightened tensions between the two blocs and their ideologies.
- CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: The Cuban resistance movement led by Fidel Castro deposed the pro-American military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959. Cuba got involved in the Cold War when the US broke off its diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961, and the Soviet Union increased its economic aid to Cuba. Castro’s Cuba quickly became militarily and economically dependent on the Soviet Union.
- ARMS RACE: The development of nuclear weapons also took place on a massive scale and the world entered into the age of nuclear age.
INDIA’S RESPONSE: The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Many countries in the third world felt caught in the conflict of the Cold War. India decided to remain neutral. This led to the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement. It began as a policy of non-participation in the military affairs of a bipolar world.
In 1946, Nehru, as a part of the cabinet of the Interim Government of India, said during a radio broadcast; “we propose, as far as possible, to keep away from the power politics of groups, aligned against one another, which have led in the past to world wars and which may again lead to disasters on an even vaster scale.” In 1948, he made a speech to the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) titled “We Lead Ourselves” in which he talked about what “alignment” entailed:-
- Keeping aloof from the big blocs;
- Being friendly to all countries;
- That does not, on the other hand, involve any lack of close relationships with other countries.
Therefore, Non-Alignment was not equivalent to ‘no alignment’ or simply staying equidistant from both power blocs, rather it involved taking an active interest in international affairs and was clearly differentiated from passive neutrality. India became a natural negotiator on controversial issues like nuclear disarmament and peacekeeping.
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