The Cold war between the United States and the communists emerged after World War II. It was associated with ideological, economic, military, and political confrontations (Wang, Xiaojue 1154). Massive cultural changes marked the post-Cold war period. The fall of the Soviet Union led to new social relations that facilitated the changes. Cross-cultural interactions bridged the cultural gaps between the Soviet Union member countries and the Europeans. All societies developed social values and attributes such as liberty, tolerance, and individualism. During the post-cold war period, there were increased cooperation and interaction in different spheres of life. The academics, business, civil, and public administration were promoted.
Cultural exchange affected all societies’ social, political, and economic life. In the United States, the main cultural aspects affected by the cold war included education, entertainment, and religion. Before the Cold war, America had an artistic education system in which the children were given general education on various aspects. America changed its learning culture to a scientific education system (Hammond 7). More complex and scientific subjects were introduced to sharpen the children’s critical thinking capabilities.
The government allocated more resources to education. Institutions of higher learning, such as universities and colleges, were constructed. The federal and state governments subsided on learning and funded scientific research. This change happened as a preparation and a response to nuclear attacks. America saw the need to advance in scientific technology and military capacity amidst the tension of war. The art of entertainment was also affected by the cold war. During the pre-Cold war period entertainment sector was made of traditional art and music (Wang, Xiaojue 1159). Following the Cold war, entertainment was altered as concepts of socialism and realism emerged. New York, for instance, was initially a center of artistic and architectural creativity.
Traditionally, Hollywood films only covered social and economic aspects. The Cold war era avoided such issues and produced politically oriented movies (Jenkins 159). This happening is related to the governments of both nations influencing and directing public opinion. The change led to the fall of the other forms of entertainment. The religious sectors also faced a renaissance during the Cold War era. This is because of the diversion of the focus to address the existing environment of tension. Preachers used the chance they had with their congregations to denounce and warn the Americans against communism.
The cultural change experienced during the post-Cold war era was associated with fear, anxiety, and tension. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were scared of another war. The rise of the United States of America as the new superpower nation had caused a shift in power balance. They, however, feared that the communist might seek to restore their glory by starting another war. The cultural changes resulted from the nations’ preparations for any war threat. The education sector was oriented toward improving scientific studies, especially in nuclear physics. These changes meant that each nation was preparing for a substantial challenge.
In conclusion, the Cold war between the Soviet Union and the United States of America rose after World War II. Its main cause was the tension of another war. The era did not involve any battlefield fights. The war was in the form of ideological, political, and economic confrontations. The war led to cultural interactions and changes. In the United States, the main cultural aspects affected were education, religion, and entertainment. Education was reformed from traditional learning to scientific learning. The movie sector was reformed and used to control the public opinion against one another. The church redirected its focus to preaching against communism.
Works Cited
Hammond, Michael D. “Christian higher education in the United States: The crisis of evangelical identity.” Christian Higher Education, von. 18, no. 1-2, 2019, pp. 3-15.
Jenkins, Philip. “Cold War Cultures.” A Global History of the Cold War, 1945-1991. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2021. 151-169.
Wang, Xiaojue. “Radio Culture in Cold War Hong Kong.” Interventions, vol. 20, no. 8, 2018, pp. 1153-1170.