The Cold War and International Relations in the Post-Cold War Period - Research Paper Example

hе Соld Wаr Аnd Intеrnаtiоnаl Rеlаtiоns In Thе Роst-Соld Wаr Реriоd Name of the Student: Name of the Instructor: Name of the course: Code of the course: Submission date: Introduction Cold war is an era in history of the world that started immediately after the conclusion of WWII and ended in the early 1990s (Griffiths, O'Callaghan & Roach 2007, p. 42). Various quarters have different views concerning the cold war. These views gives a number of distinct claims regarding the main causes of the cold war, the end of the cold war, the nature of cold war and its influence on the current international relations. Actually, the highly touted view tends to indicate that cold war was sparked by heated tussle of power among the super power countries. The term war implies lack of relationship, armed conflict and tension between superpower nations. The term cold implies the existence of aspects that purportedly prevented the hostility and avoided a hot war. Majority of historians have founded the definition of cold war on the escalated tension that existed between West and East that threaten the full-scale nuclear war. The international relations during and after the cold war have attracted immense attention to many scholars. This research paper is going to seek the differences and similarities in international relations during cold war and during post-cold war era. Differences of International relations in post-cold war era and during cold war period The international relations during cold war were mainly dominated by realism. In this theory, international relations are viewed as a tussle for supremacy between egocentric nations and it is mainly not opportunistic in regards to eliminating war and conflict (Booth 1991, p. 529). This theory was more famous in the entire era of cold war due to the fact that it offered a simple and strong explanations to imperialism, alliances, war, hindrances to cooperation and other international relations aspects. Additionally, it stresses that competition was constant with main centers of conflict being Soviet and America. The international relations on global stage were mainly dominated by the US and Soviets and they were two main competing powers. The imperialism was evident during cold war and it was mainly between the Soviet and the US. The Soviet was more concern in expanding its influence in the regions. Although Soviets had genuine reason to push for its agenda of increasing its influence in eastern part of Europe after the WWII, it had other agendas of seeking to expand its hegemonic control even farther. As a result, Americans felt sense of threat on their legitimate interests and its degree of influence in west part of Europe. This is what led American to counter the soviet move with an aim of containing their expansion ambitions. There were also conflict of ideologies where US pushed for capitalism will Soviet was inclined towards communism. According to realism theory, international relations are mainly conflictual due to anarchy. In this regard, anarchy does not imply war or chaos but it implies the lack of a supreme power to avert war or arbitrate disagreements (Bell 2002, p. 227). Due to this state of anarchy, nations arm themselves so that they could have a sense of security. As a result of arming endeavors among nations, balanced military power between the two was achieved. In this scenario, there was increased tension but situation remain more stable. Both sides, although tense, have the reason to remain peaceful since they are aware that war would lead to mutual destruction or stalemate. The international relations depicted between US and Soviets exhibited this assumption of realism where every side was ambitious to gain control but both retreated when war was eminent since none of the side was confident in win. In contrast to cold war era, post-cold war period was mainly marked by collapse of Soviet Union. It is paramount to note that the fall of Soviet seemed to assert the free market and western democracy model. It also increased the ideology of a more peaceful new era under the authority of US hegemony. The changes that were experience after cold war era appeared to some scholars to provide a form of new world order where great power cooperation, international law, democratic political systems and international systems would all play a major role than what they had managed to achieve in the past years (Roberts 2008, p. 347). The twenty years after the end of cold war were very shaky and US could not maintain its influence in the globe. The strategists from US seemed to have under estimated the future global developments. By the year 2011, external forces and globalization had changed the landscape of global politics by changing normative, economic, security and institutional contexts in which independent nations operated, and complicated the issue of developing a common world order (Lundestad 2012, p. 17). The main structural development included; the reduced US hegemony, shift of world economic power to upcoming economies, evolving norms of non-intervention and sovereignty, the development of regional organizations and regionalism, the increased rule of authoritarian, the increase in new international security agenda and reduced war incidences. To keep up with this multifaceted world agenda, US resulted not only to formal treaty-based on international bodies but also resulted to more flexible engagements of collective arrangements. Another noticeable contrast is that scenario of Post-cold war has been characterized by the reappearance of multipolarity where there was existence of small and big powers. Other scholars are of the view that the globe has converted into unipolar with the existence of the only remaining superpower, the US. However, other scholars prospect multipolarity and foreseen the emergence of a five-way equilibrium of authority system being around the US, present Russia, China, Japan and Europe (Ghosh 2009, p. 147). This fact is continuing to be revealed in the UN where this institution has been taken over by these powerful nations. The West and the US have been using UN to serve their interest and exert their dominance over the weak and small nations. Similarities of International relations in post-cold war era and during cold war period The US is seen to continue with its efforts of trying to position itself as the main super power even after the end of Cold war. After the end of cold war, the world witnessed significant rearrangement of international relations. In the era of cold war, the Soviet was the major rival of United States in terms of political and economic interests. After the end of cold war, the US interest has shifted from Soviets to Asia and more specifically in East Asia due to its expanding economic importance. The US has been viewing China as a threat to its super power position due to emergence of china as global military and economic power. The US is suspicious and concern about china because its secrecy on military affairs, political system of authoritarianism and ambiguity regarding intentions and capabilities (Khairul 2006, p. 45). Additionally, China is viewed to pursue communism political system while the US seems to incline on democratic systems. Similarly, suspicion reigned during the cold war era and it was mainly based between the US and the Soviets. There is similarity in terms of using military interventions in both cold war and post-cold war eras. Between 1945 and 1990s, both US and Soviet superpowers employed military interventions in their respective areas of influence or disputed regions, on both ideological and imperialistic basis. This resulted to widespread of decolonization progression, in a methodical bipolar environment that rare new intervention pattern could be established. Famous instances of military interventions during cold were intervention initiated by Soviet in Afghanistan in 1979 and Hungary in the year 1956. Another one is the US intervention in civil war in Vietnam from the year 1964 (Ortega 2001, p. 3). Another famous intervention is when North Korean invaded south Korean in mid 1950s and succeeded in defeating both South Korea and it ally US. However, UN soldiers that were mainly composed of US troops where 90% of soldiers were Americans managed to defeat North Korea. This intervention managed to end this conflict in the year 1953. Even after the end of era cold war, super powers have continued to exert their influence through military interventions. This is evidenced in the case of Somalia intervention in 1992. Somalia retained interest even after the end of cold war. Numerous interagency meetings were carried out with an aim of developing intervention options to handle Somalia. The US and United nations agreed on sending military to Somalia but under control and command of US. In late 1919, the US administration embarked on the process of sending 28000 soldiers under umbrella of UN to lead the military intervention in Somalia. According to Godfrey (2011p. 37), US troops were later to be joined by soldiers from its allies to form UNITAF (United Task Force) that was mandated to restore peace and order in the area so as to facilitate aid distribution. However, this intervention ended with infamous withdrawal of soldiers from Somalia. Powerful nations have employed military interventions in the past in an attempt of stamping their influences and interests. The most significant and recent military interventions have been witnessed in Middle East in case of Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq invasion case, US viewed the government of Saddam Hussein as a looming threat to its authority in the new world order. This led US initiate military intervention against Iraq on March 20, 2003. This saw the fall of Saddam Hussein rule in Iraq and also depicted US as a nation that is still pursuing supremacy even after the end of cold war. Conclusion There are significant differences in international relations after the cold war and during era of cold war. The international relations during cold war were mainly dominated by theory of realism. This is because of conflicts for supremacy between self-centered nations, mainly between the Soviet and the US. The soviet was mainly focused on expanding its supremacy the huge regions. As a result, the US felt that its interests on western part of Europe were being threatened. This led US to counter the Soviet moves in order to contain the expansion ambitions. The international relations depicted between US and Soviets reveals aspect of realism where every side was ambitious to gain control but both retreated when war was eminent since none of the side was confident in win. In contrast, international relations after cold war were highly influenced by factor of Soviet decline. This is because the fall of soviet vindicated the free market and western democracy model. This era seemed to usher in new world order where power cooperation, international law, democratic political systems and international systems were meant play major role in international relations spheres. Additionally, globalization has taken toll on the international relations during post-cold war era and this forced the major players to engage in collective arrangements. The post-cold war has witnessed the reemergence of multipolarity where there was existence of small and big powers. These players have continued to use UN to extend their interests by dominating weak and small nations. The main similarity of International relations in both post-cold war and cold war era is that the US has continued to position itself as the sole super power. The US was very keen in countering it rivals during cold war. In post-cold war era, it has continued to establish ways of encountering potential rivals such as East Asia and more specifically china. Another similarity in both eras is that military interventions have been employed. References Bell, D.S.A. 2002, "Anarchy, power and death: Contemporary political realism as idealogy", Journal of Political Ideologies, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 221-239. Booth, K. 1991, "Security in Anarchy: Utopian Realism in Theory and Practice", International Affairs, vol. 67, no. 3, pp. 527-527. Ghosh, P 2009, International Relations, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi Godfrey R 2011, Post-Cold War Military Intervention in Africa, Journal of Military Studies, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 33-55. Griffiths, M., O'Callaghan, T. & Roach, S 2007, International Relations: The Key Concepts, Routledge, New York. Khairul A 2006, ‘The Post-Cold War U.S.-China relations: win-win or zero-sum game’, Asian Affairs, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 24-45 Lundestad, G 2012, International Relations Since the End of the Cold War: New and Old Dimensions, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Ortega, M 2001, Military intervention and the European Union: Institute for Security Studies Western European Union, pp. 1-141. Roberts, A. 2008, ‘International Relations after the Cold War’, International Affairs, vol. 84, no. 2, pp. 335-350. Read More