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Nobel Peace Prize winner Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.” In the midst of a war between the people of India and the English government, Gandhi realized that to be victorious, he could not use violence. Although many wars involve brutal fighting, violence is not inherent to war. Many wars have been contested both internationally and domestically through political tactics and civil disobedience, bringing monumental change to the lives of the victors. These nonviolent wars showcase how hostility and aggression can often lead to defeat. The Cold War was a nearly forty-year struggle between the United States and its allies against the USSR and its allies. The focal point of the war were the political beliefs and systems of the two opposing sides- capitalism for the United States and communism for the Soviets. Sparked by mistrust, the Cold War almost began before World War II was completed. While the United States was wary of the USSR spreading communism across Europe, the USSR was convinced that America was trying to end their revolution. The tension lasted throughout the 1940’s and migrated from Europe into other arenas of the world for nearly half a century. One of the first products of the Cold War was the Korean War. With Stalin pledging to help communist North Korea attack capitalist South Korea, the United States had no choice but to intervene. With an American-laden United Nations force in South Korea, the communist North Koreans and Chinese could not amass a victory. This indirect war caused America increase defense and military spending. The stockpiles of A and H-bombs became a bargaining tool of America. Though they were never used on the USSR, the threat of them was a heavy burden on the Soviets, as they were always a few years behind in the development of weapons such as these. Perhaps the most serious confrontation of the Cold War occurred in 1962 through the third party of Cuba.
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