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Author Archives: theory
UN Intervention
UN Intervention 1947–? The United Nations remained generally unable to influence the struggle between the superpowers due to Security Council veto power throughout the Cold War. However, it occasionally stood as a gauge for world opinion, and could mediate in … Continue reading
Red Scare/Purge
Red Scare/Purge 1945–1989 Sparked by fears that the “enemy is among us,” the “red scare” hit its apex with Senator Joseph McCarthy, and the hearings on “Un-American activities” in the House of Representatives during the 1950s. Soviet purges were a … Continue reading
Regions: Africa
Africa Scoring African history throughout the Cold War reflects the promise and tragedy that go hand in hand with that continent’s experience. At first buoyed by the political success of rapid decolonization, the jubilation would devolve into cynicism. One after … Continue reading
Decolonization
Decolonization 1947–1979 While it is hard to put precise dates on the decolonization process, those dates chosen represent two of the most significant decolonization successes. Sparking the retreat from empire was Britain’s fulfilled promise of independence for India in 1947. … Continue reading
East European Unrest
East European Unrest 1956–1989 Captured most visibly by Nagy’s attempt to withdraw Hungary from the Warsaw Pact and Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring of 1968, members of the Warsaw Pact frequently sought to loosen the reins of Moscow. When taken too far, … Continue reading
Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis 1956 An embarrassment among allies, the Suez Crisis ended any remaining doubt that the old system of Great Power imperialism was dead. Threatened by Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal, Israel, France and the United Kingdom conspired to … Continue reading
US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact
US/Japan Mutual Defense Pact 1951 On September 8th the United States quietly extended its nuclear umbrella to its former Pacific rival. In doing so, it also soothed the nerves of Japan’s neighbors about a remilitarized Japan appearing on the world … Continue reading
CIA Created
CIA Created 1947 In an effort to bring to a close the inter-service bickering that marred U.S. intelligence during WWII, President Truman created the United States’ first independent agency capable both of intelligence analysis and covert operations. Its 40 year … Continue reading
Containment
Containment 1947 A term coined by diplomat and Sovietologist George Kennan, it came to form the cornerstone of US policy toward the Soviet Union during the early Cold War. It found early application in the Truman Doctrine and sought to … Continue reading
Indo-Pakistani War
Indo-Pakistani War 1947–48, 1965, 1971 From the time of India’s independence from Britain, the Muslim and Hindu elements of this former colony have been in conflict. Pakistan has traditionally been on the losing end of these conflicts, but has relied … Continue reading
Twilight Strategy 