Chronology of the events of the Cold War. The main periods of the Cold War The second stage of the Cold War 1953 1969 table

Cold War service certificate ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Cold War Museum (disambiguation). Cold War Museum Exposition ... Wikipedia

This term has other meanings, see Cold War Museum (disambiguation). The Cold War Museum is a military history museum in Lorton, Virginia, USA. The museum was founded in 1996 by the son of Francis Gary Powers (American ... ... Wikipedia

Original English title Cold War Victory Medal Country ... Wikipedia

In the period from August 14 to August 16, 2008, the leaders of the states involved in hostilities signed a plan for the peaceful settlement of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict ("Medvedev Sarkozy's Plan"), which formally fixed the end ... Wikipedia

Consequences of the war in South Ossetia (2008) In the period from August 14 to August 16, 2008, the leaders of the states involved in hostilities signed a plan for the peaceful settlement of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict ("Medvedev's Plan ... ... Wikipedia

Information coverage of the armed conflict in South Ossetia played a significant role, as it influenced public opinion regarding the actions of one side or another. Contents 1 Shutdown of TV broadcasting 2 Attacks on websites 3 Internet warfare ... Wikipedia

Various versions of the reason that served as the beginning of the war in South Ossetia in 2008 were put forward. Contents 1 Official versions 1.1 South Ossetia 1.2 Russia 1.3 Abkhazia ... Wikipedia

Supported by various allies from all sides. This confrontation continued for almost fifty years (from 1946 to 1991).

The Cold War was not a military battle in the truest sense. The basis for the disputes was the ideology of the two most powerful states on the planet at that time. Scientists characterize this confrontation as a very deep contradiction between the socialist and capitalist systems. It is symbolic that the Cold War began immediately after the end of World War II, as a result of which both countries remained victorious. And since devastation prevailed in the world at that time, ideal conditions were created for planting many territories by their people. But, unfortunately, the United States and the USSR at that time disagreed in their opinions, so each side wanted to get ahead of the rival and make sure that on a vast territory where people did not know what to believe in and how to live, as soon as possible to implant their ideology. As a consequence, the people of the losing states will trust the winning country and enrich it at the expense of their human and natural resources.

This confrontation is divided into stages of the Cold War, among which are the following:

Beginning (1946-1953). This stage can be characterized as attempts by the USSR and the USA to hold the first events in Europe that would be aimed at imposing their ideology. As a result, since 1948, the possibility of starting a new war has hung over the world, so both states began to rapidly prepare for new battles.

On the verge (1953-1962). During this period, relations between the opponents improved slightly and they even began to make friendly visits to each other. But at this time, the European states, one by one, start revolutions in order to independently lead their country. The USSR, in order to eliminate the indignation, actively began the bombing of the outbreak of conflicts. The United States could not allow such liberties to the enemy and began to set up their air defense system themselves. As a result, the relationship deteriorated again.

Stage of detente (1962-1979). During this period, more conservative rulers came to power in the warring countries, who were not particularly willing to conduct an active confrontation, which could well lead to war.

A new round of confrontation (1979-1987). The next stage began after the Soviet Union sent troops to Afghanistan and several times shot down foreign civilian aircraft that flew over the state. These aggressive actions provoked the United States to deploy its forces on the territory of several European countries, which naturally pissed off the USSR.

Gorbachev's coming to power and the end of the confrontation (1987-1991). The new one did not want to continue the struggle for ideology in other European countries. Moreover, his policy was aimed at eliminating the communist government, which was the ancestor of political and economic repressions towards the United States.

The end of the Cold War was marked by the fact that the Soviet Union made great concessions and did not particularly claim power in Europe, especially since the defeated countries had already moved away from devastation and began independent development. The USSR, on the other hand, began to experience a deep crisis, which led to the final one in December 1991. Thus, the Cold War did not bring a positive result to our state, but became one of the elements that led to the collapse of a great state.

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..4

1. The origins of the Cold War…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. "Cold War": concept, stages………………………………………..8

2.1 Beginning of the Cold War, 1946-1953 ……………………………eleven

2.2 Escalation period 1953-1962 ……………………………………...17

2.3 1962-1979 Achieving strategic parity. Discharging……19

2.4 1979-1985 “Second Cold War”………………………………24

2.5 1985-1991 End of the Cold War……………………..……26

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………30

Literature………………………………………………………………….…32

Introduction

This work is devoted to the theme of the "cold war" - a period in the development of international relations and foreign policy of the USSR, which lasted more than 40 years after the end of the Second World War. Its essence was the political, military-strategic and ideological confrontation between the countries of the capitalist and the so-called socialist system. The importance of these events is due to the fact that this war somehow involved the entire planet, it is in a sense also “worldwide” ... It split the world into two parts, two military-political and economic groups, two socio-political systems . The world has become bipolar, bipolar. A peculiar political logic of this rivalry arose - whoever is not with us is against us. All events in the world began to be viewed as if through this "black and white" prism of rivalry. The whole world watched with interest and fear the confrontation between the two monsters.

The relevance of this topic is represented by the fact that the events of the Cold War took place in the very recent (especially historical aspect) past, and its echoes can still be traced ...

The purpose of the work is to consider the period of the Cold War. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set: to identify the causes and origins of the Cold War and to identify the stages of development of this time.

1. Origins of the Cold War

May 8, 1945 in Karlshorst (a suburb of Berlin) was signed the Act of unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. On May 6-11, Soviet troops, assisting the rebellious population of Prague and other regions of Czechoslovakia, defeated the Nazi troops that refused to capitulate.

May 9th became Victory Day over Nazi Germany. To resolve issues arising from the defeat of Germany and its allies in Europe, the third conference of the heads of government of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain was convened. It took place in Potsdam from July 17 to August 2, 1945. The Soviet delegation was headed by I.V. Stalin, the American - by G. Truman, who assumed the presidency after the death of F. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, the British - first by W. Churchill, and from July 28, after the parliamentary elections, which were won by the Labor Party) C. Attlee.

The focus of the conference participants was the German problem. The conference participants developed general principles that should guide the occupying powers, coordinating their policy towards Germany during the period of Allied control - the so-called "principle of three" (demilitarization, denazification and democratization). The following goals for the occupation of Germany were defined: complete disarmament and demilitarization, the dissolution of the National Socialist Party and the prohibition of Nazi propaganda, the preparation for the democratization of political life, and the punishment of criminals. Industry serving the interests of war production was to be liquidated. The agreement stressed the need to develop the German economy on a peaceful basis. It was decided to consider Germany for the period of occupation as a single economic entity. An International Military Tribunal was established to try the main German criminals.

The conference established the procedure for levying reparations from Germany. The USSR received reparation payments from the Soviet occupation zone, as well as from German investments in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Finland and Eastern Austria. The Soviet Union also had to receive a quarter of all industrial equipment seized from the western zones (10% free of charge, and 16% in exchange for an equivalent amount of food, fuel, etc.). The USSR satisfied Poland's claims from its share of reparations. The Western powers received reparations from the Western occupation zones and from German investments abroad. In addition, they seized Germany's gold reserves, which the USSR refused to claim. The Soviet Union, the United States and Great Britain agreed on a parity division of the German surface naval and merchant fleets.

At the conference, it was decided to transfer to the Soviet Union the coastal part of East Prussia with the city of Koenigsberg, and to Poland - the rest of it. As a result of the tense struggle waged by the Soviet delegation, defending the just demands of Poland, the conference decided that the border of the Polish Republic in the west runs along the Oder and Western Neisse rivers. Thus, the western Polish lands were reunited with the territory of Poland.

The heads of government instructed the Council of Foreign Ministers to prepare peace treaties with Germany's former allies - Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Finland, as well as to develop the terms of a peace treaty with Germany.

Despite the sharp political struggle in which the meetings of the heads of government took place, the Potsdam Conference played an important role in developing a program for the post-war order of the world. It symbolized the unity of the United Nations during the war years and proved the real possibility of cooperation between states with different social systems in peacetime. Taking coordinated decisions together with the USSR, the governments of the USA and Great Britain reckoned with the increased international prestige of the Soviet Union, its military and economic power and the outstanding role of the USSR in the defeat of Nazi Germany. The Allies understood the extreme difficulty of solving the task of defeating Japan without the participation of the Soviet Union. Finally, the ruling circles of the Western powers took into account the growth of the forces of democracy throughout the world and their actions in support of the USSR's struggle to establish a lasting democratic peace.

As it became clear later, the United States and Britain were not going to implement the Potsdam agreements. The leading figures of these powers already in the spring and summer of 1945 began to revise their foreign policy strategy, basing it on a tough course towards the USSR.

The Second World War caused enormous damage to the economies of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe. The national wealth of Poland decreased by more than a third, industrial enterprises were destroyed by two thirds. Huge losses were suffered by the national economy of Yugoslavia, which amounted to 46.9 billion dollars. The losses of other countries were also great.

Under these conditions, the economic support provided by the Soviet Union in the first post-war years to the peoples of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe acquired special significance. If we turn to the facts, they will clearly demonstrate that, despite the enormous difficulties in their own country caused by the need to overcome the consequences of the war, the Soviet Union, already in the course of the liberation of the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe from fascism, began to provide them with disinterested food, medical and other assistance in establishing a peaceful life, in restoring a disorganized economy.

The Soviet Union took an active part in solving the most important international issues, and above all in settling the post-war situation in Europe.

Left-wing, democratic forces came to power in seven countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The new governments created in them were headed by representatives of the Communist and Workers' Parties. The leaders of Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia carried out agrarian reforms in their countries, the nationalization of large-scale industry, banks and transport. In 1947, at a meeting of representatives of nine communist parties in Eastern Europe, the Communist Information Bureau was established. Treaties of friendship and mutual assistance were concluded between the USSR and the countries of Eastern Europe. Identical treaties linked the Soviet Union with the GDR, the DPRK and the PRC.

Meanwhile, already at the initial stages of cooperation between the USSR and the states of Eastern Europe, contradictions and conflicts appeared in their relations, especially with the choice of the path of building socialism in these countries. Difficulties in the economic sphere, ideologization of social and political life, increased international tension, tightening of the command-administrative system and the regime of personal power I.V. Stalin - especially inspired revolutionary sentiments and formed the idea of ​​the need for changes in society.

2. "Cold War": concept, stages

So the cold war. This term was put into circulation in 1947. They began to designate the state of political, economic, ideological, "semi-military" and other confrontations between states and systems. One of the main theorists and practitioners of the Cold War, John Foster Dulles, preached "balancing on the brink of war" as the pinnacle of strategic art for the United States. And in one Washington government document of that time, for clarity, it is written: the “cold war” is “a real war, the stake in which is the survival of the free world.”

The concept of "cold war" was traced into circulation by Churchill during his speech in Fulton (USA) on March 5, 1946. No longer the leader of his country, Churchill remained one of the most influential politicians in the world. In his speech, he stated that Europe was divided by the "Iron Curtain" and called on Western civilization to declare war on "communism."

In fact, the war of two systems, two ideologies has not stopped since 1917, however, it took shape as a completely conscious confrontation precisely after the Second World War. Why did the Second World War, in essence, became the cradle of the Cold War? At first glance, this seems strange, but if we turn to the history of the Second World War, many things will become clear. Germany began territorial seizures (Rhine region, Austria), and future allies look at this almost indifferently. Each of the future allies assumed that Hitler's further steps would be directed in the "necessary" direction for them. Western countries, to a certain extent, encouraged Hitler, turning a blind eye to many violations of international treaties on the demilitarization of Germany. The most striking example of such a policy is the Munich Treaty of 1938, according to which Czechoslovakia was given to Hitler, the USSR was inclined to consider Hitler's actions as a manifestation of the "general crisis of capitalism" and the aggravation of contradictions between "imperialist predators". Considering that after Munich, when the Western countries actually gave Hitler "carte blanche" in moving to the East, every man for himself - Stalin decided and the USSR concluded a "Non-Aggression Pact" with Hitler and, as it later became known, a secret partition agreement spheres of influence. It is now known that Hitler turned out to be unpredictable and started a war against everyone at once, which, in the end, killed him. But Hitler, even in a nightmare, could not have imagined the formation of a coalition, which in the end emerged victorious in the war. Hitler counted on the fact that the deep contradictions that existed between the future allies were insurmountable, and he was mistaken. Now historians have enough data about the personality of Hitler. And, although little good is said about him, no one considers him a fool, which means that the contradictions he was counting on really existed. That is, the Cold War had deep roots.

The state final certification in the XI classes in history is carried out orally by tickets. Each of the 25 tickets consists of 3 questions.

The first question to test the knowledge of the course "Recent History 1900 - 1939." (X class). The second question is to test the knowledge of the course "Recent and Modern History (1939 - the beginning of the XXI century)", studied in the XI grade. The third question is to test the knowledge of the course "History of the Fatherland in the XX - at the beginning of the XXI centuries (1939 - XXI century)”, studied in the 11th grade.

View document content
"Causes, Stages and Consequences of the Cold War"

Ticket 10

10.2. Causes, stages and consequences of the Cold War

The Cold War is the name of the period in international relations in the 20th century, which is characterized by the aggravation of the ideological and military-political confrontation between the USSR and the USA.

Causes:

Contradictions after the Second World War between the victorious countries of the USA and the USSR

Ideological contradictions between two models of society: socialist and capitalist

The struggle for spheres of influence between the USSR and the USA

Rivalry for world domination

Stages of the Cold War:

Stage 1 - 1946-1953

General characteristics:

Military-political confrontation of the former allies of the anti-Hitler coalition

Conflict in the communist military bloc (USSR and Yugoslavia)

Truman Doctrine 1947

Main events:

Civil war in China and Greece (1946-1949)

Korean Civil War

Soviet-Yugoslav conflict

- "Marshall Plan" 1947

Creation of NATO (1949)

Creation of the Cominformburo.

Stage 2 - 1953-1969

General characteristics:

A sharp confrontation between the two main military-political blocs (Western and Eastern)

Direct participation of each of the blocks in regional events

Confrontation between two superpowers in international organizations

Decolonization

Stage 3 first half of the 1970s

General characteristics:

Detant - easing tension

Ideological contradictions

Main events:

1971 - agreement on measures to reduce the risk of a nuclear war between the US and the USSR

1972 - ABM Reduction Treaty

1972 - Interim Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms

1973 - Agreement on the Prevention of Nuclear War

1974 - underground nuclear test ban treaty

1975 - meeting on security and cooperation in Europe

Stage 4 late 1970s - late 1980s

General characteristics:

End of discharge

Increasing tension

Main events:

The coming to power in the USSR of M.S. Gorbachev

The collapse of the USSR and the collapse of the communist regime as a socio-political system

The collapse of multinational states in Eastern Europe (Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia)

After the Second World War, the always implied confrontation between the countries of the capitalist West and the communist East received a natural development. The end of the war, with the moral superiority of the Soviet Union and new territorial boundaries in Europe, exacerbated ideological contradictions in the post-war world. The West considered it necessary to work out a system of checks and balances so that the communist ideology could not find new allies in the world. In turn, the USSR, as a victorious country, could not help being offended by the snobbish arrogance of the West.

"And let's quickly invent some other calendar, so that now is not the twentieth century?", -
Stanislav Jerzy Lec.

One day in March

Once Winston Churchill went on vacation. The war had already ended six months ago, his party lost, so he was no longer prime minister and calmly went into opposition. After going through several stressful years before, he finally allowed himself to rest and decided that the best thing to do was to go to a country that he loved almost as much as England and where, according to him, he would like to be born in his next life - the USA. He went to the small town of Fulton, Missouri. The weather in Fulton in early March was rainy and windy. That did not stop the politician from talking a little, numbering just over 2,800 thousand, speaking on March 5, 1946 at the local Westminster College.

“I'm afraid I haven't come to a final conclusion on the title of the speech yet, but I think it might be 'World Peace'.

The former prime minister, speaking solely on behalf of himself, as a private person, and in no case on behalf of the UK, delivered a very beautiful speech, built according to all the criteria of oratory, where, among other things, the phrase “iron curtain” was used.

1979 - 1987 - the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan aggravated the permanent. NATO countries have established military bases in the immediate vicinity of the borders of the Warsaw Pact countries, the United States has deployed ballistic missiles in European countries and in England.

1987 - 1991 - the period of stagnation in the Soviet Union was replaced by Perestroika. Mikhail Gorbachev, who came to power, made radical changes both in his country and in foreign policy. At the same time, the spontaneous economic reforms he introduced contributed to the rapid collapse of the USSR, since by the middle of his reign the economy was completely destroyed.

“When the people do not have a voice, it is felt even when singing the anthem” - Stanislav Jerzy Lec.

November 9, 1989 - the date of the destruction of the Berlin Wall, marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The final was not long in coming: the reunification of Germany in 1990 marked the victory of the West in a decades-long confrontation. On December 26, 1991, the USSR ceased to exist.

The USSR was defeated on all fronts: economic, ideological, political. This was facilitated by ideological and socio-cultural stagnation, economic decline and scientific and technological degradation.