In the middle of the 20th century, Western Europe survived several critical transformations determined by the outcomes of the Second World War. Compared to African and Asian decolonization and the European Union’s creation, antagonism between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies was a serious issue during the post-war period, also known as the “Cold War,” with the possibility of a nuclear conflict on multiple occasions (Merriman 1160). In a short period, the Cold War became an evident and influential factor in the narrative of European history. The significance of that conflict could hardly be neglected, and the changes in the relationships between Western and European countries provoked new political and economic decisions. It was hard for several political figures to share powers and give in at some points, which created additional debates and conflicts at the national level. At that moment, Europe was in its transition to formulate post-war leadership and alliances. The aim of this paper is to examine the Cold War’s impact on European through increased east-led and west-led tensions, the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the establishment of the Iron Curtain.
One of the major arguments to explain the Cold War as the major development in the narrative of European history is the inability to avoid heightened hardships and tensions between World War II participants. Several steps were taken by the Soviet Union, Germany, and other allies that had to deal with the military devastation and a lack of resources that defined the quality of human life. The pact between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and Germany led to incursions, delays in a haphazard invasion of German-settled Europe, and the allied Forces’ backing of the Atlantic Charter. The dispute during the wartime meetings over the Eastern European fate covered the challenges of establishing the USSR satellite in the Eastern Bloc states and the possibility for the western allies to neglect the conditions of the Morgenthau Plan. It was evident that most Western nations protested Communist control and domination over the buffered zones, raising fears that the USSR could construct an entity that would endanger them and their interests. Therefore, it is important to understand the role of Germany in defining new alliances during the post-war period.
Debates between Eastern Europe and Western Europe about the future of Germany were critical in the development of European foreign affairs. According to Merriman, “divided Germany became the first focal point for Cold War tensions” (1162). Subsequently, the Berlin wall became a separation symbol in 1961, and Europe was split between the USSR-led camp and the Western-led camp (Merriman 1168). Germany had accepted defeat, and the Nazis were out of reign and without any beneficial peace deal. Such a state of affairs allowed Stalin to declare the end of the Comintern and loosen the power of communism in Europe. The Democratic Republic of Germany was established in 1949 in the USSR-occupied eastern Germany zone, while the German Federal Republic was defined within the French, American, and British zones of occupation (Merriman 1163). The minefields and barbed wires that separated these zones mirrored their ideological split. Meanwhile, both the USSR and the Western countries rushed to establish massive espionage services to eavesdrop on each other. Hence, Germany represents the epicenter of Europe’s post-Cold War hostilities marked by rising tensions and difficulties.
The connection between Merriman’s findings and the explanation of the Eastern-Western conflict is evident. The citizens of Soviet-supported countries experienced serious economic problems and the inability to fulfill the responsibilities that Stalin planned to promote. Western countries, on the contrary, had to deal with various political and social transformations to protect their rights and establish power on the European continent. The representatives of both camps could unite and agree that Second World War caused considerable damage to their people and resources, but the danger of possessing nuclear weapons could not be ignored. Therefore, the relationships between Soviet, American, and European leaders underwent certain changes and resulted in the inability to maintain peace and clarity, creating new conditions for the beginning of the Cold War.
Another argument to demonstrate the impact of the Cold War on European development was the inevitable creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a means to define the existing superpowers. The Cold War was noteworthy because it signaled a conflict between superpowers that divided Europe in favor of the Soviet Union and the United States. After serving as allies during WWII, the United States and the USSR became adversaries on the international scene, characterized by espionage, political subversion, and proxy warfare. The Cold War peaked between 1948 and 1953 when multiple unsuccessful attempts to blockade the Western-held Berlin sectors were made. As a result, the post-World War II period was marked by the decline of old powers and the establishment of new military alliances to defend their interests and demonstrate their actual powers through the prism of NATO’s importance.
Created in 1949, NATO brought together signatories of the Brussels Accord, the armed wing of the future European Council, to which most of Western Europe’s states belonged. The number of countries willing to join the organization grew, and today, it includes 27 European countries, one Asian country, Canada, and the United States. Merriman admits, “the treaty bound all of the member countries to defend jointly any of the signatories who were attacked, creating a unified command for a common army and placing NATO’s headquarters in Paris” (1128). Thus, NATO turned into the foundation of the US cooperation with the Western European nations and unified military command to counter the USSR’s European presence. The Soviet Union showed its interest in developing new atomic bomb opportunities in 1946, effectively breaking American nuclear dominance and inviting Chinese communists (Merriman 1162-1163). By forming the Warsaw Pact that provided its membership with similar anti-assault assurances as NATO in 1955, the USSR and its allies of Eastern Europe fought NATO (Merriman 1165). These developments underscore the importance of alliances during the Cold War in Europe and the possibility of resisting NATO and its constantly growing powers.
The relationships between neighboring countries underwent multiple changes and were characterized by the inability to achieve the desired compromise in European leadership. This situation established and globalized the Soviet mutual defense accords with its client republics of Eastern and Central Europe during the post-war period. The Warsaw Pact provided the Soviet Union with some forces and support from Poland, East Germany, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. Hence, the Cold War was no longer a threat or an undesirable outcome but a problem that divided Europe into two strong blocs: the West, headed by America and NATO, and the East, governed by the Soviet Union and other communist nations.
Finally, the Cold War was an important element in the growth and development of Europe due to the creation of the Iron Curtain and the inability to stop the division of countries. It was not enough to identify and separate the countries as per their political, ideological, and military interests and possibilities. The curtain evidenced that the West and the East would no longer co-exist in peace, and communism was the condition that was appropriate for one group of nations and unacceptable for another group. On the one hand, World War Second was over, and it was not necessary to strive for independence, freedom, and order against a particular enemy. On the other hand, the post-war period was a unique opportunity for countries to gain new powers, and the creation of factual boundaries in the form of the “Iron Curtain” was a good solution.
Despite the intention to identify allies in a short period, not all nations were ready to accept the “Iron Curtain” as the only option for their development. The US President Franklin Roosevelt and the British leader Winston Churchill shared their concerns that an iron curtain was drawn down upon their front… We do not know what is going on behind” (Merriman 1161). The phrase connotes Soviet attempts to detach itself and its puppets from openly communicating with the non-Soviet and West-led regions. On the Iron Curtain’s eastern side were the countries linked to or influenced by the USSR. The Red Military’s assault into Europe’s central in the war’s last moments had left the Soviets in control of much of Europe’s Eastern and Central parts, including the Balkans (Merriman 1162). After the battle, Europe’s separation into two factions – communist-led western and Europe democracies under US control – was solidified by forming equivalent military cooperation. The curtain functioned as a metaphor for the Berlin wall that, according to Merriman, “was erected to prevent East Germans from escaping to West Berlin” (1168). Thus, the focus of Cold War hostilities was once again on Germany.
Together with the creation of the Berlin Wall and the promotion of the Iron Curtain approach, people began to recognize the opportunities and the worth of boundaries, demonstrating the symptoms of communist dissatisfaction. After Stalin’s demise in 1953, most East German laborers screamed against the high work productivity demands, poor salaries, and food insecurity. Windows on the eastern side’s structures in the outskirts that could be utilized to flee to the West were shuttered. The Cold War aimed to prevent America from reverting to the relative isolationism which marked the interwar era. Simultaneously, the USSR swiftly expanded its military capabilities, eventually becoming the second-biggest global fleet. Hence, the Iron Curtain is crucial as an illusory border that separated Europe into two distinct zones during the cold war.
The Cold War was one of the most significant and challenging events in European history because of several factors. First, increased tensions between the existing powers could no longer be ignored, and some countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union, were eager to demonstrate their superiority over other nations. The second argument in this discussion touches upon the creation of NATO as the alliance to resist communism spreading over Europe. It was important to support countries that did not want to follow the offered regime but avoid unpleasant consequences. Finally, the establishment of borders in the form of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain proved the readiness of the nations to start another war and address political, economic, and social aspects without using physical forces and weapons. These three factors introduced the essence of the Cold War that changed European foreign affairs in the 20th century.
Work Cited
Merriman, John M. A History of Modern Europe: From the French Revolution to the Present. 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.