...Conception of the Cold War Paul Tate SS310-02: Exploring the 1960s - An Interdisciplinary Approach Kaplan University March 10, 2013 Conceptions of the Cold War The cold war was quite enticing, yet filled with uncertainty, the expectations of the interviewees are each different, yet intriguing in the following synopsis of their opinions pertaining to the cold war. The first interviewee concept of the cold war was “Armageddon waiting to happen “as stated in her own words, she went on to say that “the world will probably come to an end soon”. Her understanding of the cold war was that the Russians are going to destroy America with very powerful atomic weapons, because we, the United States gave them the technology. She is now about sixty three years old, and felt that the world would suffer because of Russia’s disdain for the United States. Her definition of the cold war was very close to the definition, defining the cold war as a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. She called the Soviet Union Russia, when I questioned her understanding of the difference between the two terms. She still is worried about an atomic holocaust. I think her understanding of the cold war is very similar to that of this course, because in no uncertain terms, did she not relay the thought that the cold war was really a confrontational, anticipatory battle between the United States and the Soviet Union. “I heard that we were doomed to die, because the Soviet Union is...
Words: 645 - Pages: 3
...Conceptions of the Cold War James Brinkley The Cold War was a bloodless battle fought on the political front for over 40 years. It was not declared over until 1991, with the fall of communism and the USSR. During this war, there were no lives lost but billions of dollars spent by both countries playing a worldwide chess game with nuclear warheads. For the research on this topic, I conducted interviews and got personal opinions on matters related to the cold war. The people interviewed were two military personnel and a female homemaker. I wanted to get varied opinions on this topic to determine how well they grasped the topic. The first topic discussed was “what comes to your mind when you think of the term Cold War.” Unanimously, all three responded with similar answers. They described the cold war as a war between Russia and the United States of America to determine who would have advantage during a nuclear war. I found this interesting as the term was originally coined in the 14th century by Don Juan Manuel describing the conflict between Christianity and Islam. The modern terminology is synonymous with the battle less conflict between the USSR and the United States of America. Also found in my research that the Cold War was not only about nuclear supremacy, but about being the number one super power in the world on all fronts. Tied in to Cold War Politics is also the “Space Race” where both parties raced to have supremacy in space as well as on the earth. The second...
Words: 732 - Pages: 3
...Conceptions of the Cold War Ceara E. Carrier SS310-98 Kaplan University The Cold War is a subject that I don’t remember being taught in school but I do know that it was. Before I conducted the interviews bellow I myself did not recollect as much as they did. Having talked to them I now have a better understanding and more knowledge on the Cold War. Below you will find the questions that I asked and their word for word answers. Interview Transcript Question 1: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the cold war? Marty: “Communism, Iron Curtain, Berlin, Wall, Good vs. Evil, Olympic boycott, nuclear war dictator, freedom and poverty.” Rusty’s Mum: “Duck and cover, bomb shelter, air raid shelter, communism, missiles, nuclear attack, espionage and radioactive.” Adam: “Threat of nuclear war, heavy espionage, communism, "tear down this wall" and the KGB.” Question 2: Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? Marty: “Yes. The word “war” didn’t mean fighting and killing. It was a competition between two super powers trying to dominate the world. Communism vs. Democracy.” Rusty’s Mum: “No. In my memory there were no studying materials. Maybe not available yet? I don’t know how often school books were replaced, but I also don’t really recollect any discussion of the Cold War.” Adam: “Yes it was taught in school but I don't remember it.” Question 3: Who were the parties...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...Cold War Cold War is a war between USA and Soviet Union during 1945 to 1980.During this war Americans used new atomic weapons. The reason for using the name ‘cold war’ due to the good and friendly relationship between USA and Soviet Union. Actually in the cold both countries not fight each other. It is war between communist countries and democratic countries during this war Soviet Union support the North Vietnam it is a communist country. But America supports the South Vietnam it was an anticommunist country. Americans fight for the safe democracy, but the Soviet Union fought for the communism. During this war USA and Soviet Union tried to hold their values and beliefs. There are so many events happened during this time, some of the events are Defeat of Germany, Returns to parliament democracy in the west, Soviet Control of Eastern Europe, The Berlin Crisis - the Climax of the Conflict between the East and the West in Europe are some of the events happened during this cold war (Cold war 1945-1960, p.1). Interviews I interviewed three of my friends to find out about the cold war and their conception about the cold war. The first person I interviewed gives me the following answers for the questions. 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term cold war. Bombs, Secrets. The trivial notion that a single button can end the world 2. Did you ever study the cold war in school? If so what are some aspects of the cold war that you remember? Yes. Planes...
Words: 328 - Pages: 2
...1960s Assignment: In this assignment, you will do brief interviews with three people, asking them about their conceptions of the Cold War. Your interviewees can be anyone of your choosing: family members, friends, and so on. Below are some suggested questions that you may want to ask: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term Cold War? Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? Who were the parties involved in the Cold War? Can you name any key events that we mainly associate with the Cold War? Take notes on what each of your respondents say. You will need these notes to refer to later when you do the formal write-up of the assignment. After you have completed the assignment, write up your findings in a brief essay, which addresses the following: Using quotes from your interviews, describe how each of your three respondents understand the Cold War. Explain to what extent their definition/understanding of the Cold War differs from the definition above (see the bold typeface in the Overview section above). If your respondents’ understanding of the Cold War is different from the way the Cold War is defined in this course, explain why that might be the case. (Also, if their definition of the Cold War is very similar, explain this as well!) Your essay should be 2-3 pages in length (500–700 words) Double spaced #12 font –Times New Roman 1” margins on all sides Separate cover page...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...the Cold War today. For example, what do everyday people today think of when they hear the term “Cold War”? This is what you are going to find out! In this assignment, you will do brief interviews with three people, asking them about their conceptions of the Cold War. Your interviewees can be anyone of your choosing: family members, friends, and so on. Below are some suggested questions that you may want to ask: 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term Cold War? 2. Did you ever study the Cold War in school? If so, what are some aspects of the Cold War that you remember? 3. Who were the parties involved in the Cold War? 4. Can you name any key events that we mainly associate with the Cold War? Take notes on what each of your respondents say. You will need these notes to refer to later when you do the formal write-up of the assignment. After you have completed the assignment, write up your findings in a brief essay, which addresses the following: 1. Using quotes from your interviews, describe how each of your three respondents understand the Cold War. 2. Explain to what extent their definition/understanding of the Cold War differs from the definition above (see the bold typeface in the Overview section above). 3. If your respondents’ understanding of the Cold War is different from the way the Cold War is defined in this course, explain why that might be the case. (Also, if their definition of the Cold War is very...
Words: 348 - Pages: 2
...The Cold War Sindu Joy SS 310 10/30/2012 Boris Nikolov The Cold War Cold War is a war between USA and Soviet Union during 1945 to 1980.During this war Americans used new atomic weapons. The reason for using the name ‘cold war’ due to the good and friendly relationship between USA and Soviet Union. Actually in the cold both countries not fight each other. It is war between communist countries and democratic countries during this war Soviet Union support the North Vietnam it is a communist country. But America supports the South Vietnam it was an anticommunist country. Americans fight for the safe democracy, but the Soviet Union fought for the communism. During this war USA and Soviet Union tried to hold their values and beliefs. There are so many events happened during this time, some of the events are Defeat of Germany, Returns to parliament democracy in the west, Soviet Control of Eastern Europe, The Berlin Crisis - the Climax of the Conflict between the East and the West in Europe are some of the events happened during this cold war (Cold war 1945-1960, p.1). Interviews I interviewed three of my friends to find out about the cold war and their conception about the cold war. The first person I interviewed gives me the following answers for the questions. 1. What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the term cold war. Bombs, Secrets. The trivial notion that a single button can end the world 2. Did you ever study the cold war in school? If so what...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
...The origin of the Cold War was based off the conflict that the Soviet Union and the United States had during World War ll. The two countries still had hostility and mistrust against each other even until the end of the war, which spilled over into the Cold War. Alliance between Soviet Union and the United States ended in the World War ll. The Soviet Union claimed capitalism and communism would take over the political parties throughout the nation. World War ll ended but the issue with Antagonism came up again between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union was an aggressive government who was part of Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania. President Truman was trying to share with the Soviet Union his conception of democracy, equality, and liberty. President Truman was also concerned about the United States markets, atomic weapons, and raw materials. The Soviet Union refused to back down from Iran and the United States "Containment” policy. With the distrust and suspicion between the Soviet Union and the United States the cold war begun....
Words: 523 - Pages: 3
...Sovereignty’s definition is dynamic; often changing with major geopolitical developments. As a result, this essay asserts that sovereignty has essentially changed with the Cold War’s end. To develop this assertion, a definition of Westphalian sovereignty will be established. Furthermore, the Cold War’s consequences will be explored to understand the reasons behind sovereignty’s change. Additionally, the recent upsurge in humanitarian interventions will be taken as evidence of change. The Responsibility to Protect will be considered as proof of change too. Finally, the impact globalisation has had on sovereignty will be explored. Ultimately, through analysis of these factors, this essay aims to prove that sovereignty has changed significantly with the Cold War’s end. During the Cold War, sovereignty had remained largely unchanged from its conception in 1648. Westphalian sovereignty revolves around the “principle that within its territorial boundaries the state is the supreme political authority and that outside those boundaries the state recognises no higher political...
Words: 1085 - Pages: 5
...of religions, a vast field of religious identities and conceptions, a sea of swirling religious currents. Religions legitimate the existing social system, institutions and values to a certain extent. They also provide a means to contend with and change the system; they are at once conservative and liberal. They motivate people to do things, to change the world in many ways. It might be said that the ultimate purpose and effect of religion is to take humans and their cultures to the “Ultimate”. (Eller, p 330) Owing to the importance of religion in America’s national identity, which is largely shaped by American core cultural values and "mainstream religions", these attitudes and traditions have played an important role in American social life, thus religious power naturally has penetrated into politics and foreign policy decisions more regularly in America than in other countries. Religious values are the sources of American “exceptionalism” and “messianism”. (Xie, p 39) After the Cold War¹, it became evident that religion was a key factor in many conflicts, including Bosnia, Rwanda, and Afghanistan. However, the ¹ “Cold War”: the state of hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries and the Western powers from 1945 to 1990. Oxford Dictionaries. April 2010. Oxford University Press. 16 December 2012. <http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cold war?q=the cold war>. U.S. failed to predict the fall of the Iranian theocrats...
Words: 1177 - Pages: 5
...a extensively challenged and debated topic, especially in the recent decades. In recent decades, a widely contested debate over the universality of human rights has emerged. Rights are certainly not universally-applied today, with oppression, torture and various atrocities committed in many parts of the world. This paper will focus on the notion that both in the Third-World and the West, states have used human rights discussion as a political tool, which has weakened arguments for its universality. This perspective will be utilised to break down arguments made against universal human rights before presenting alternative conceptions of universal human rights and identifying developments which may ensure they can be universally applied and respected. It is important to first define the theoretical basis of ‘universal’ human rights. Universal conceptions argue human rights are inalienable, self-evident and applicable to all human beings (Donnelly, 2003, 10). These arguments are often linked to origins in Western philosophy and natural law, developed from philosophers such as John Locke (Langlois, 2009, 12). Many scholars maintain that human rights are ‘pre-political’, thus unchangeable and unaffected by cultural or political variation. Donnelly identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the basis in establishing the “contemporary consensus on internationally recognised human rights” (2003, 22). Human rights hold universal values which should be adopted by states...
Words: 2646 - Pages: 11
...Past Papers, Marks Scheme indicative content and examiners Report comments June 2010 A) How far did ‘peaceful coexistence’ ease Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the USA in the years 1953–61? Mark Scheme: Candidates should have knowledge about the main features of ‘peaceful coexistence’ in the period 1953-61. Developments which helped to ease Cold War tensions might include: the end of the Korean War (1953); Soviet settlement of border disputes with Turkey and Iran (1953) and recognition of Israel (1953); Austrian independence and improved Soviet-Yugoslav relations (1955); the ‘Geneva spirit’ based on east-west summit diplomacy and Khrushchev’s visit to the USA in 1959. Developments which sustained Cold War tensions during the period might include: US attitudes towards communism in the 1950s (domino theory, ‘roll back’, Eisenhower doctrine); Soviet concept of peaceful coexistence based on long-term victory of communism; the impact of the Hungarian Rising (1956) and the launch of Sputnik (1957); the U2 spy plane incident (1960) and the issue of Germany (1958-1961). At Levels 1 and 2 simple or more developed statements will provide either only simple or more developed statements about peaceful coexistence with either only implicit reference to the extent tensions were eased or argument based on insufficient evidence. At Level 3, students should provide some sustained...
Words: 7464 - Pages: 30
...To what extent is security a necessary precondition for development? Introduction It is put forward that security is not necessarily a precondition for development, but rather, both concepts of security and development are inextricably linked. With neither one being predominant over the other; rather the influence of both oscillate, dependent upon the individual circumstances within the State or region. In essence, what this answer will aim to illustrate, is the extent of this link, the theories which explain it, and whether or not security underpins development. Before we begin however, it would be prudent to first, define the concepts of ‘security’ and ‘development’. From the obvious, national security dimension, to the more human-centred, holistic definitions, finding a simple definition for the concept of security is a complex task, due to the variety of ways in which it can be defined. For the purposes of this essay however, the definition provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as security being “the prevention of any threat to individual or national security irrespective of that threat being political or economic in its nature, as such threats would threaten the process of development”[1] would be an appropriate fit, as it incorporates both the traditional State-centric element, and also the more holistic, human security definition.. Traditionally, the definition of development has been one that has been predicated upon a mainly economic...
Words: 3100 - Pages: 13
...‘A cold war between East and West was inevitable after 1945.’ Do you agree? Up until May 7th 1945 Germany had been Europe’s main defence against Russian hegemony. Once the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany was complete, this defence no longer existed and the USSR held onto the territorial gains it had made during its monumental war effort. Germany’s fate had not yet been decided but in the meantime it had been divided into four areas by the former Allies. The tension between the remaining post war Superpowers, the United States and The Soviet Union were ever increasing. Britain became economically and militarily dependant on the US as its empire floundered. British rhetoric and ‘scaremongering was born of Britain’s desire to keep America involved in Europe.’ Stalin began to consolidate the Soviet area and the anti-Western language of the Soviet regime became just as scathing as Churchill’s. The ‘Iron Curtain’ was now in place and America, Britain and Russia were coming to realise that their respective ideologies were for the most part irreconcilable. Although it is often said that nothing is inevitable, there are times when the consequences of decisions and policies gather momentum and become an unstoppable force. By considering their differences and how the individual iron willed leaders involved expressed their intentions and shaped their stances against each other it will become apparent that the consequences and the forces that the East and the West put in motion made the Cold...
Words: 2384 - Pages: 10
...iTHE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS Module prepared for CIAO By Richard Ned Lebow August 2000 The Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 is generally regarded as the most serious military confrontation of the Cold War. American destroyers deployed along a picket line to intercept Soviet ships transporting missiles and nuclear warheads to Cuba while American air, ground and naval forces prepared for air strikes against Soviet missile sites under construction in Cuba and a follow-up invasion. The Strategic Air Command was put on an unprecedented state of alert – “DEFCON II,” only one step away from “war is imminent.” On Saturday morning,October 27, President Kennedy and his advisors were pessimistic about their ability to preserve the peace. Robert Kennedy, the President’s brother and Attorney General of the U.S., had “the feeling that the noose was tightening on all of us, on Americans, on mankind, and that the bridges to escape were crumbling.”1 In Moscow, the tension was “phenomenal.” On Sunday morning, General Secretary Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev and his advisors worried “that Kennedy intended to declare war, to launch an attack” against the Soviet Union.2 That same day, the two leaders reached an accommodation that, in retrospect, turned out to be one of the key turning points of the Cold War. 1 OVERVIEW The “Caribbean crisis,” as it was known in the former Soviet Union, was attributed to the Kennedy administration’s unwillingness to accept the status quo in Cuba. Unalterably opposed...
Words: 7837 - Pages: 32
