History Assignment
History Assignment
History Assignment
2, what were the political ideologies (philosophies) of the USA and the USSR?
5. List the major features of cold war and explain them briefly.
1. The United Nations (UN) was established in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II. Its primary
purpose was to maintain international peace and security, promote cooperation among nations, and
encourage respect for human rights. The UN was founded to replace the failed League of Nations, which
was unable to prevent the outbreak of World War II. The devastation caused by the war highlighted the
need for a more effective international organization to prevent future conflicts.
The UN was established through the signing of the United Nations Charter by 51 countries. It came into
existence on October 24, 1945, when the Charter was ratified by the five permanent members of the
Security Council (China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and a
majority of other signatory nations. The UN has since grown to include 193 member states.
2. The United States and the Soviet Union were the two major powers during the Cold War, and they
represented contrasting political ideologies.
The United States embraced liberal democracy and capitalism as its political and economic ideologies. It
championed individual freedoms, private property rights, free markets, and democratic governance. The
U.S. believed in the importance of protecting civil liberties, promoting economic growth through free
trade, and spreading its democratic values to other nations.
The Soviet Union, on the other hand, espoused communism as its political ideology. It aimed to establish
a socialist society where the means of production were owned and controlled by the state. The Soviet
Union advocated for the elimination of social classes, central planning of the economy, and the eventual
withering away of the state in favor of a classless society. It sought to spread communist ideology and
establish socialist regimes in other parts of the world.
3. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) began during the Cold War era as a response to the political
division between the United States and the Soviet Union. It emerged from a desire by newly
independent nations to maintain their sovereignty and avoid alignment with either bloc.
The movement started with the Bandung Conference held in 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia. A group of 29
countries from Asia and Africa attended the conference and expressed their commitment to remain
neutral in the Cold War and pursue their own paths of development. They aimed to promote peaceful
coexistence, national independence, and decolonization.
The Non-Aligned Movement achieved several notable accomplishments. It played a significant role in
the decolonization process by supporting the self-determination of colonized nations. It also advocated
for disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. The NAM provided
a platform for developing countries to voice their concerns and interests on the global stage,
contributing to the establishment of a more multipolar world order.
4. The Arab-Israeli conflict has deep historical and political roots, and its causes are multifaceted. Here
are some of the key factors:
a) Zionist Movement and Jewish Immigration: The Zionist movement, which sought to establish a
Jewish homeland in Palestine, gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The influx of
Jewish immigrants to Palestine increased tensions with the Arab population, who viewed it as a threat
to their national aspirations.
b) British Mandate and Palestinian Arab Nationalism: Following World War I, the League of Nations
granted Britain a mandate to administer Palestine. The growth of Palestinian Arab nationalism and
aspirations for self-determination clashed with Jewish immigration and Zionist aspirations, leading to
conflicts between the communities.
c) Partition Plan and Israeli Independence: In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan that
would divide Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The plan was accepted by Jewish leaders
but rejected by Arab leaders, resulting in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Israel declared independence,
leading to a series of wars and disputes over territory.
e) Control over Jerusalem: Jerusalem holds religious and symbolic significance to both Jews and Arabs,
and the control of the city has been a contentious issue, leading to further tensions and conflicts.
b) Arms Race: The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a massive arms race, stockpiling
nuclear weapons and developing advanced military technologies. This arms race heightened tensions
and created the constant threat of a nuclear conflict.
c) Proxy Wars: Instead of direct military confrontations between the superpowers, the Cold War
witnessed numerous proxy wars fought in various regions. Both the United States and the Soviet Union
supported different sides in conflicts such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in
AfricaContinuing from the previous response:
d) Division of Europe: Europe was divided into two major blocs during the Cold War. Western Europe
aligned with the United States and formed NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), while Eastern
European countries fell under the influence of the Soviet Union and formed the Warsaw Pact.
e) Space Race: The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a competition to achieve milestones
in space exploration. This rivalry culminated in the moon landing by the United States in 1969, with both
countries seeking to demonstrate technological and scientific superiority.
f) Propaganda and Espionage: Both sides engaged in extensive propaganda campaigns to promote their
respective ideologies and gain support. Espionage and intelligence operations were also prevalent as
each side sought to gather information and gain advantages over the other.
g) Détente and Crisis: The Cold War experienced periods of relative relaxation, known as détente,
where tensions eased, and diplomatic efforts were made to reduce conflict. However, there were also
moments of heightened crisis, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, which brought the world to the
brink of nuclear war.
h) Disintegration of the Soviet Union: The Cold War eventually came to an end with the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991. This marked a significant shift in global geopolitical dynamics and the emergence
of the United States as the sole superpower.
These are just a few of the major features of the Cold War, which was a complex and multifaceted
conflict that had a profound impact on international relations for several decades.