In the book “The Global Cold War” by Westad, the author seeks to understand why the cold war took longer and also the reason it became global. The book provides and deeper interrogation into the topic by presenting how the cold war became a global issue. The author holds that the cold war took longer because it involved many countries and that it entailed ideological differences and the desire to control markets and natural resources. Westad’s theoretical framework states that the cold war did not only happen in Europe but worldwide and resulted in severe consequences that are still experienced today. Westad focuses on the causes and consequences of the cold war and its reasons for spreading globally.
The key question the author asks is why the Cold War lasted longer, and what the author seeks to understand is how the Cold War became global. The Cold War was a decades-long struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union for supremacy in world affairs. It began immediately after World War II and lasted until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The main reason it lasted so long is that each side had a lot to lose1. The United States was afraid that if the Soviet Union became too strong, it would eventually become a threat to their security. On the contrary, the Soviet Union was afraid that if they were not able to keep up with the United States militarily, they would eventually be overthrown by their own people.
Westad provides a nuanced and detailed interrogation of how the Cold War became a global conflict. He offers readers a unique perspective on the many different ways the Cold War played out worldwide. By situating the Cold War within the larger context of global history, Westad assists readers in better understanding its causes and consequences. One of the most interesting aspects of Westad’s book is his discussion of how different countries experienced the Cold War. For example, he discusses how Third World countries were often caught in between the two superpowers and how they sometimes used the Cold War to further their own agendas.
The author’s key argument is that the Cold War lasted for so long and grew global because it was a struggle between two ideologies, capitalism and communism. These two ideologies were very different, and neither side was willing to compromise. The United States was for capitalism, and the Soviet Union was for communism. Each side wanted to prove that their way of life and ideologies were superior, and they were willing to go to great lengths to win against their opponents. The Cold War turned into a race to build up military power and gain allies, and it became a conflict that affected the whole world.
Westad argues that the Cold War was primarily a struggle between two global political and economic systems. He bases this argument on the following pieces of evidence. Firstly, he cites the increasing number of countries that aligned with either the United States or the Soviet Union during the Cold War period. This suggests that the conflict was between two individual powers and two global ideologies2. On one side was the Soviet Union, which espoused communism and believed in a centrally planned economy. On the other side was the United States, which championed capitalism and democracy. Secondly, Westad argues that the Cold War was also a struggle for control of natural resources and markets. The superpower competition for influence in developing nations led to an intensification of proxy wars and military aid programs.
According to “The Global Cold War,” the author’s theoretical framework is that the Cold War was a global phenomenon, not just limited to Europe. He takes for granted that the Cold War affected countries all over the world and that its impact is still felt today. However, some critics have accused Westad of oversimplifying the complex geopolitical realities of the time. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the origins, development, and conclusion of the Cold War and its various legacies.
The book has an important addition to the field of international relations because it provides a comprehensive view of the Cold War that goes beyond the binary East-West perspective. By looking at the conflict from a global perspective, Westad shows how different regions were affected by the Cold War in unique ways. Westad’s book is significant because it helps historians to understand the Cold War in a new way. He argues that the Cold War was not just a rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union but a global conflict involving many different countries and regions3. This argument changes our thinking about the Cold War and provides us with a complete picture of this complex period in history.
The key arguments in the book excerpt fit into the larger themes of the course by providing a historical perspective on the development of the Cold War. In particular, the excerpt discusses how the Cold War developed as a result of ideological differences between the Soviet Union and the United States. By understanding how these ideological differences played out in history, students can better understand how current events might be related to the Cold War. In conclusion, the Cold War lasted for nearly half a century and became a global conflict, the US and its allies against the Soviet Union and its allies. The main reason for the start of the Cold War was the differing ideologies of capitalism and communism.
Bibliography
Kadir, Jawad, and Majida Jawad. “Politics and the Family: Rethinking the India–Pakistan Two-Nations Theory Through the Familial Construction of Political Ideas.” India Review 19, no. 3 (2020): 223-253.
Westad, Odd Arne. The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times. Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Zamindar, Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali. The Long Partition and the Making of Modern South Asia: Refugees, Boundaries, Histories. Columbia University Press, 2007.
Footnotes
- Westad, Odd Arne. The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times. Cambridge University Press, 2005, 245.
- Ibid, 152.
- Ibid, 158.