During the Cold War, the main concern of the United States was centered around national security and the threat posed by the Soviet Union and its allies. The tension between the two superpowers, the US and the USSR, shaped the geopolitical landscape of the time and led to a series of proxy wars, arms races, and political maneuvering on a global scale.
What seemed at first to be the start of a Third World War has turned out to be more akin to a Second Yugoslav War: a horrible conflict on a smaller scale, but with the potential for devastating consequences. The fear of nuclear annihilation loomed large, and both sides engaged in a dangerous game of brinkmanship, pushing the world to the edge of catastrophe.
This article is part of the series, The American Home Front and World War II. It explores life on the home front by looking at the things that mattered most to Americans during times of crisis. In the case of the Cold War, the American people were deeply concerned about the possibility of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union, leading to widespread fear and anxiety.
A plurality of Americans—and a majority of Republicans—also say that US leaders are not paying enough attention to US-China competition. While the focus during the Cold War was primarily on the Soviet threat, the rise of China as a global superpower has shifted the dynamics of international relations, prompting the US to reassess its strategic priorities.
November's presidential election may be nine months away, but Europe is already trying to Trump-proof itself, officials on the continent. The US' role as a leader in the Western world was crucial during the Cold War, as it sought to contain Soviet influence and promote democracy and capitalism as alternatives to communism.
In an article for the Meer Magazine, Michael von der Schulenburg explores the opportunities the EU has missed in the context of the ongoing Cold War. The European Union emerged as a key player in the post-World War II era, working closely with the US to rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism.
Although U.S. President Joe Biden and his senior advisers have cast their foreign policy in terms of a global struggle between democracies, the legacy of the Cold War continues to shape US foreign policy to this day. The US remains committed to promoting democracy and human rights around the world, while also confronting authoritarian regimes and rogue states.
Alexander Stubb could become Finland's next president after gathering the most votes in the first round of polls as the country faces the. Finland, like many other European countries, was caught in the middle of the Cold War, balancing between East and West and navigating the complex web of alliances and rivalries that defined the era.
In 1948 the Korea Peninsula was divided between a Soviet-backed government in the north and an American-backed government in the south. War. The Korean War, often seen as a proxy conflict between the US and the USSR, was a pivotal moment in the Cold War, highlighting the dangers of ideological conflicts and the devastating impact of war on human lives.
On May 8, 1947, Under Secretary of State Dean Acheson stood before a board of farmers and businessmen gathered in a small town in the middle. Dean Acheson's speech marked the beginning of a new era in US foreign policy, as the country sought to contain Soviet expansionism and promote its own interests and values on the world stage.
