The Cause of the Cold War From the Effect of Decolonization in WWII, Essay Example

At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill lamented: “What is Europe now? A rubble heap, a charnel house, a breeding ground for pestilence and hate (Perry, et al. 851).”  Although, many countries were affected by the impacts of World War II, the negative aftermath of the war contributed to decolonization throughout Europe, causing Europe’s separation to influence the development of the Cold War.  As a result of WWII, Europe had been faced with countless financial problems and was not unified entirely.  Europe became exceptionally weak after WWII, causing major complications uniting as one country and being controlled by the United States and Soviet Union.  Europe was politically cut in half; Soviet troops had overrun Eastern Europe and penetrated into the heart of Germany (Perry, et al. 851).

The decolonization after World War II generally refers to Europe, and the fact its various colonies were expanded all throughout Africa and some parts of the Middle East.  According to the map shown on below (Spielvogel 1), several countries throughout Europe were controlled by either the United States or the Soviet Union.  Europe had no choice, but to abandon their colonies and they lost total control over these areas.  After WWII, whole cities had been reduced to debris.

An estimated sixty million people had lost their lives on the battlefields, in bombed towns, and in concentration camps.  Millions more had been expelled from their homes.  There was psychological legacy of defeat suffered by all European countries except Britain, the Soviet Union, United States and a handful of neutral states (Duignan 33).

The Soviet Union imposed dictatorship on the Western-oriented countries in Eastern and Southeastern Europe (Perry, et al. 851).  The United States claimed power of the Western tradition.  The desire for complete global dominance between United States and Soviet Union was a vital influence causing the Cold War.  The craving for power became a negative impact affecting the Cold War, especially when Europe was decolonized, because each country was trying to gain more power.

Europe was in need for reconstruction after the post-war era, leaving Europe unable to recover economically.  As a result of the United States having control of the Western tradition, Western Europe experienced the most rapid recovery in its history.  The material wealth of the United States, its industrial efficiency, and the ideals of democratic freedom embedded in its institutions helped rebuild democratic government and generate prosperity in Western Europe (Perry, et al. 851).  Cities were rebuilt.  Unemployment—the scourge of the interwar years—strikingly declined.  Living standards rose throughout the community.  Health improved; street drugs as yet were little used (Duignan 35).

Western Europe was rebuilt with American help and became part of a wider Atlantic community.  Europe’s renaissance after 1945 was initiated, supported and guided by American generosity, values and methods.  Western Europe not only recovered ad restricted itself, it prospered economically, spiritually and militarily beyond anyone’s dreams at war’s end.  It was helped in rebuilding by the Marshall Plan defeated by the American-initiated NATO (Duignan 56).

When the Cold War began, relations between the East and the West became critically strained. Both the United States and the Soviet Union tried to tighten their control over their ‘satellites’ within their own spheres of influence (Chung 1).  However, the Soviet Union and the United States established conflicting systems of government, as well as economical views.  The United States was, and currently still views democracy as a convenient form of government. The people can form political parties to voice their political opinions.  They also possess the right of assembly, of speech and of the press (Chung 1).  However, within the Soviet Union, the government was based on Communist Party – whereas the people do not have a right to vote or decide on their political party. They do not enjoy the right of assembly, of speech and of the press. Since these two systems of government are diametrically opposed to one another, there can be little compromise between the United States and the Soviet Union (Chung 1).  Another conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union was the fact that United States persuaded free trade all through the globe.  On the other hand, Soviet Union wanted to blockade international trade, because they worried that they might adapt Western influences. Western Europe might be intimidated into making separate political and economic arrangements with the Soviet Union (Maier 25).  Since the Soviet Union and the United States couldn’t agree of major decisions, they were never able to compromise.  The separation of the two parties, which was maintained for tactical reasons, thereafter became nominal (Maier 88).

Eventually, the Cold War had erupted, and the process of decolonization became involved within the Cold War politics as well. For example, since independent nations surfaced, countries sometimes would find themselves torn between disagreements with the United States and the Soviet Union.  After the decline of Europe, authority was shared between the Soviet Union and the United States, both nations wanted total domination.  The power rivalry usually resulted with other independent nations getting involved.  In Vietnam, for example, the division of the country in 1954 left the northern half under the Communist leader Ho Chi Minh supported by the Soviet Union.  Meanwhile, South Vietnam was kept afloat by American financial and military aid (Spielvogel 890).

Though some new nations tried to remain neutral in the Cold War, United States and the Soviet Union would find ways to gain more power.  The political cartoon above demonstrates the constant fight for domination between the Soviet Union and the United States.  The Soviet Union is represented by their symbol of the bear and United States being represented by the significant Uncle Sam.  Any opportunity the United States or the Soviet Union had, they would bribe the following country in hopes of more power.  However, countries would also demand money and values from United States and Soviet Union if they had the opportunity.  For instance, Indonesia was highly suspicious of the West, nationalized foreign-owned enterprises and sought economic aid from China and the Soviet Union while relying for domestic support on the Indonesian Communist Party (Spielvogel 890).

In conclusion, decolonization of the world affected the global power of European nations and the course of the Cold War because the battle for power between Soviet Union and the United States.  Ultimately causing more friction and allies throughout the world.  Though the cause of the Cold War has been an ongoing debate for several decades.  Some may argue that the cause of the Cold War was based upon power.  Yet some may dispute and believe the cause was strictly economical.  Though, scholars haven’t concluded a tangible cause for the start of the Cold War, it is evident that Europe was scattered all throughout the confusion by decolonization after World War II.

Works Cited

Chung, TK. “Cold War 1945-1960.” The Corner of the World. 8 Feb. 2011. TheCorner. 2007 <http://www.funfront.net/hist/europe/coldwar.htm >.

Duignan, Peter, and Lewis H. Gann. World War II in Europe: Causes, Course and Consequences. California: Hoover Institution , 1995.

Maier, Charles S. The Cold War in Europe. New York: First Markus Wiener Publishing, Inc., 1991.

Perry, Marvin, et al. Western Civilizations – Ideas, Politics, and Society: Volume 2. New York: Houghton Migglin Harcourt, 2009.

Spielvogel, Jackson. World Civilization Volume II: Since 1500. Canada: Thomson Wadsworth, 2009.