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Did you know the Cold War was never an actual war? It was a period of rivalry and geopolitical tension between the US and the USSR, and their respective allies. This was a period of ideological conflict, arms race, and proxy wars between the two superpowers. There are many interesting Cold War facts that you may have never even heard of. This blog covers the top Cold War facts. Moreover, you will learn who started the Cold War and when it happened.
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When Was the Cold War?
Before learning about the Cold War facts, you must know when the Cold War was. The Cold War, or the ideological conflict between capitalism and communism between the two superpowers, is a matter of history. The war lasted from 1947 to 1991. That is, it started after the end of the Second World War as the tensions escalated between the US and the Soviet Union. It only ended with the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991.
Who Started the Cold War?
The Cold War was never started by one single person. Instead, it was the result of rising tensions between the US and the Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War. The two main superpowers had conflicting ideologies. The U.S supported capitalism and democracy, and the USSR supported communism and authoritarianism. This led to a phase of mutual distrust and competition for influence in the world.
Facts that Contributed to the Cold War
Want to know some Cold War facts? The following are the major events that resulted in the beginning of the Cold War.
- After the Second World War, the USSR set up communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
- The US’s Truman Doctrine of 1947 aimed to contain the spread of communism.
- The US’s Marshall Plan of 1948 economically supported the Western European countries. This was seen as an attempt to weaken the spread of communism.
- The USSR decided to block the US access to West Berlin.
- The U.S formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. NATO was an alliance of the U.S and its allies.
This further divided the East and the West.
9 Interesting Facts About the Cold War
The Cold War was not a war that was fought on the battlefield. Instead, there were indirect fights due to the rivalry between the two superpowers. These are some of the top nine interesting facts about the Cold War.
1. Choosing Proxy Wars Instead of Direct Combat
One of the most obvious cold war facts is that no actual fight on the battlefield happened. However, the two superpowers (the US & the USSR) chose to indirectly fight. Therefore, they resorted to proxy wars. This means that they will support the opposing sides in regional conflicts. For example, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Soviet-Afghan War. Millions died as a result of these conflicts.
2. Cuban Missile Crisis Almost Resulted in a Third World War
In the year 1662, the US found out that the Soviet Union had made its military base in Cuba. This was alarming as Cuba was situated just 90 miles from Florida. President Kennedy blockaded Cuba. The world feared that there would be another nuclear war. However, after a tense 13-day standoff and secret negotiations, Soviet leader Khrushchev decided to remove the missiles from the region. Thus, the Cuban Missile Crisis ended.
3. The Space Race was a Battle of Supremacy
One of the Cold War facts is that a space race happened between the USA and the USSR. This was a race in which both superpowers wanted to demonstrate their technological advancement and commitment to space exploration. As a result, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik (1957), the world’s first artificial satellite. They even sent Yuri Gagarin, the first human to space. This was followed by the US Apollo mission in which humans landed on the moon.
4. The Berlin Wall- A Wall that Divided Germany for 28 Years
The Berlin Wall (1961) divided a country literally and ideologically. Germany was divided into two separate halves. East Germany (communist) built a wall to stop people from going to West Germany, which is democratic. Several people died trying to escape. When the Soviet Union was dissolved the wall had fallen.
5. Spies were Common During the Cold War
Espionage was so popular that the CIA and KGB were running their own hidden operations. Some of the popular spies are Kim Philby (a double agent for the Soviet Union) and Aldrich Ames (a CIA officer who sold US secrets to the USSR). The usage of spy gadgets, defections, and coded messages is one of the interesting Cold War facts.
6. The Superpowers Had Enough Weapons to Destroy the World Several Times
Another interesting fact about the Cold War is that the superpowers had sufficient weapons to destroy the world. For example, the USA had 31,000 nuclear warheads. On the contrary Soviet Union had 40,000. However, the idea of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) stopped them from attacking each other. They knew that if a war happened, both countries and the world would be destroyed.
7. The Cold War Resulted in an International Arms Race
One of the important Cold War facts is that both sides started developing and accumulating more and more missiles, bombers, and submarines. For example, the USSR was able to create MiG fighter jets, and the US was able to create the B-52 Stratofortress. This pushed the military technologies but drained economies.
8. The Red Scare Resulted in Paranoia Among Americans
The fear of the spread of communism or the Red Scare resulted in fear among Americans. For example, McCarthyism was launched. Thai was a witch hunt for Soviet sympathizers in America. On the other hand, House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) blacklisted politicians, writers, and even actors from the Soviet Union. This resulted in several false accusations and showed how it has affected society.
9. It Resulted in Modern Cybersecurity
Another one of the lesser-known cold war facts is that it resulted in modern cybersecurity. The first cyber espionage incident happened in 1962 when the CIA damaged a Soviet gas pipeline with the wrong software. This resulted in a massive explosion. Therefore, both sides developed their own computer networks. This laid the foundation for the modern internet and its security.
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FAQs
The Cold War is a war known for no confrontation between the countries. Instead, this was an ideological warfare fought through proxy wars, military coalitions, espionage, and an arms race.
Some of the most famous courses in DU are the BA programme, BA History Hons, BA Psychology Hons, BA in Journalism, and BA in Economics. Other courses like BA in Sociology, and BA in Geography are also famous courses.
One of the most famous actors in Delhi is Shah Rukh Khan. He has completed his studies at the University of Delhi. Other popular actors include Sidharth Malhotra and Anurag Kashyap.
This was all about the Cold War facts. If you find it fascinating and wish to read more such interesting facts, then stay tuned to the General Knowledge page of Leverage Edu!
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