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Cold war: Conflicts around the globe
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True or false? Proxy wars were conflicts where the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in direct combat against each other.
After the end of World War II there are two global superpowers: The United States and the Soviet Union. Tensions between the two quickly grow, leading to a new kind of conflict, an ideological and political rivalry. No armed conflict, no hot war, ever breaks out between these two superpowers. Instead, it is a war of ideas, strategies, and diplomacy. It is a cold war.
The United States fears that the Soviet Union will claim territory and spread communism across Europe and the world. In 1947, the United States promises support to any country threatened by the Soviet Union. This policy of containment becomes known as the Truman Doctrine. In 1948 one of the first crises of the Cold War takes place. The Soviets, aiming to take full control of Berlin, block all land and water routes into West Berlin, cutting it off from the Western Allies.
This leaves people in West Berlin without vital supplies like food and fuel. In response, the U.S. and its allies organise a massive effort to bring supplies to West Berlin by air. They are supporting a country from Soviet aggression, just as they promised with the Truman Doctrine. The Berlin Blockade fails, but soon many more crises arise.
Among them, the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. When the U.S. discovers secret Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, it leads to a high-stakes standoff and a fear of nuclear war. Through diplomacy, both sides reach an agreement and the Soviets remove the missiles. Instead of risking direct armed conflict with each other, both the United States and the Soviet Union use other countries as their pawns.
When these countries go into armed conflicts, the U.S. and the Soviet Union jump in to support different sides, hoping to show that their system is superior. These battles are called proxy wars. The U.S. and the Soviet Union provide weapons, money, and sometimes even troops.
They use these conflicts to test their military strategies and equipment without directly confronting each other. Proxy wars take place all over the globe. Some of the most famous ones occur in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. In each of these wars, US and the Soviets support opposing sides of the conflict. But they never engage directly into a fight or officially declare a war against each other.
Proxy wars are often long and brutal, with devastating consequences for the countries where they take place. These wars are a way for the superpowers to flex their muscles without starting World War III, but they leave a legacy of suffering and instability in many parts of the world. During the Cold War, the United Nations is supposed to intervene and keep the peace, but it is an almost impossible job. The U.S. and the Soviet Union, both members of the UN, often disagree on how to handle conflicts.
Both have veto power and can block any UN action they don’t like. It is difficult for the UN to take strong, effective action because of this superpower stalemate. In 1975, leaders from 35 countries, including the U.S. and the Soviet Union, meet in Helsinki. They sign an agreement aiming to improve relations between the Western and Eastern blocs.
They agree on principles like respecting human rights and border security. It is a step toward reducing hostility between the superpowers, but it is not the end of the Cold War. The Cold War comes to a close in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapses. It leaves a lasting impact, shaping how the world looks even today.