Introduction
Many historians believe that the Cold War was a major conflict between the two nations. The Cold War emerged after the end of the Second World War. The Post-War Tension between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for several decades. This tension resulted in numerous rivalries and incidents.
A new wave of space-race emerged during the period. Several “international shocks and incidents were evident during the Cold War” (Farber, 2008, p. 11). During the period, these two nations produced harmful weapons. The facts surrounding the Cold War have forced many people to define it differently. This essay describes the responses provided my three interviewees.
Responses from Different Interviewees
I interviewed two friends to get the best information about the Cold War. The third interviewee was my parent. The first interviewee believed strongly that the Cold War was a major upheaval emerging after World War II. The respondent stated clearly that the tension was between the USSR and the USA (Farber, 2008).
According to my friend, the purpose of the Cold War was to find a global superpower. These two nations also wanted to emerge victorious and successful. My friend had not studied the Cold War in class. He also identified the major events associated with the Cold War. For example, my friend identified various events such as “the Vietnam War, the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban Missile Crisis” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 6).
My second interviewee did not have a clear understanding of the Cold War. According to him, the war was fought between the West and the East. My respondent also believed strongly that the two sides engaged in numerous scientific battles (Farber, 2008). These two nations wanted to explore different stars, moons, and planets.
The respondent believed strongly that the Cold War was something positive. He identified some unique aspects that defined the war. For instance, the respondent identified the success of the Apollo 11 Mission. He also identified new scientific inventions that emerged during the period. According to the respondent, the Cold War presented numerous ideas that reshaped the universe. My friend had not studied the Cold War in class.
The third respondent was my father. My father stated that “the Cold War was a clash of two opposing ideologies” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 8). He believed that communism and capitalism could not work together in the same world. That being the case, every side was looking for global dominance. The pioneers of these two ideologies included the USSR and the USA. Each of the two nations was vying for superiority and dominance.
They were ready to exploit every opportunity. The Cold War was characterized by new beliefs, ideologies, and ideas. The United States supported many countries during the period. My father identified the events that dominated the Cold War. Such events included “the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Space-Race” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 8). According to my father, these two nations were ready for war. However, such a war did not take place.
How the Above Responses Differ from the Definition of the Cold War
The above responses present unique facts about the Cold War. The first respondent identified some of the issues and developments associated with the Cold War. He identified the USA and the USSR as the major opponents during the Cold War. The second respondent did not understand the negative aspects associated with the Cold War.
The respondent believed that the Cold War was an event aimed at promoting different ideologies (DeDominics, 2014). He believed strongly that such ideologies made the world a better place. However, the agreeable fact was that these two sides were in constant conflict. This rivalry was characterized by mass production of dangerous weapons (Farber, 2008).
My father presented a befitting description of the Cold War. The ideologies of “capitalism and communism characterized the Cold War” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 13). The USA supported the idea of capitalism. The country used the Cold War to glorify the benefits of capitalism. On the other hand, the USSR used the war to promote the idea of communism.
New tensions emerged during the period. The Cuban Missile Crisis “almost gave rise to major global war” (Farber, 2008, p. 95). The Cold War was, therefore, “a timed-bomb that could explode any minute” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 8). Some scientific and technological developments emerged during the period.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the first respondent indicated that the Cold War was a major upheaval between the USSR and the USA. According to the respondent, the main purpose of the Cold War was to find a global superpower.
The second interviewee believed that the war was fought between the West and the East. These two sides wanted to compete scientifically. The third interviewee stated that “the Cold War was a clash of two opposing ideologies” (DeDominics, 2014, p. 8). This fact explains why the Cold War produced new beliefs, ideologies, and ideas.
Reference List
DeDominics, B. (2014). US Post Cold War Grand Strategy and Multilateral National Integration in Europe and East Asia. Review of Business and Finance Studies, 6(1), 1-24.
Farber, D. (2008). The Age of Great Dreams. New York, NY: Hill and Wang.