After World War II, the world changed, especially for some of the biggest nations like the United States and the USSR. With them being some of the biggest powers, their differences in ideologies started to really show and lead them to compete with each other. The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union had a profound and far-reaching impact on numerous nations and regions across the globe from 1945 to 1989, such as Proxy Wars, Economic Aid and Influence, and Ideological Divisions. Proxy wars were a key way in which the Cold War between the US and the USSR affected other countries and areas. The Korean War, which began in 1950 when North Korean and Communist forces invaded South Korea and swiftly drew in Chinese Communist troops …show more content…
For example, Document 5 emphasizes President John F. Kennedy's 1962 declaration of a complete trade embargo with Cuba, which was justified by national and regional security concerns. In response to Cuba's alignment with communist powers, an embargo was imposed. This embargo not only isolated the Cuban government but also had repercussions for the country's economy and populace, illustrating the use of economic sanctions to limit communist influence in the Western Hemisphere. Document 6 also shows that during the 1968 "Prague Spring," the Soviet Union denounced liberalization efforts in Czechoslovakia. The Pravda article, which reflects the Soviet Union's use of economic and political influence over its satellite states to maintain control and thwart the spread of liberal reforms, emphasizes the socialist community's duty to defend socialism and put down counter-revolutionary movements. These instances show how both superpowers used economic influence and aid to sway the internal policies and allegiances of other countries, frequently resulting in political repression, economic dependency, and internal conflict. Economic resources were thus used as a weapon of geopolitical rivalry during the Cold War era, with grave ramifications for national sovereignty and development all over the