How the Cold War Was Waged

The tactics of the Cold War were, for the most part, the traditional ones used by rival powers in trying to gain an advantage over their opponents during peacetime These tactics involved, in addition to diplomatic maneuvering, the following:

The United States gave aid to its allies on the theory that military power and economic prosperity build stability and keep nations safe from external aggression and internal subversion. The Soviet Union gave military aid and some economic assistance to its satellite nations, but at the same time tried to keep those countries dependent on it Both countries also tried to win the support of non-aligned nations by providing them with economic and military aid.

Each side attempted to persuade uncommitted countries that its way of life was superior and that the opposing system was deeply flawed The Soviet Union portrayed itself as a peace-loving nation and the United States and its allies as warmongering imperialist powers. Communist China called itself the champion of Asian, African, and Latin American peoples in the struggle against the political and economic imperialism of the West.

Western statesmen pointed to the freedom that existed in democracies as compared to the oppression in Communist countries. They also argued that the Soviet Union and China traditionally tried to dominate their smaller neighbors, whereas the colonial empires of the West had been broken up and the colonies given independence.

Military might and space achievements were also used for propaganda purposes. Both were presented as indications of an advanced level of technological development in an attempt to increase international prestige.

Spies were employed to obtain facts about military, political, and economic developments in rival countries. In addition, monitoring activities were conducted by high-altitude reconnaissance planes, offshore intelligence ships, and space satellites. Diplomatic personnel were also used to gather intelligence.

Attempts to weaken or displace unfriendly governments were common during the Cold War. In some countries, Communists directly attempted to overthrow governments; in others, they attempted to get control of political parties or labor unions and use them to secure support and power. In some underdeveloped nations, guerrilla wars called "wars of national liberation" were launched by local nationalists with outside Communist support.

The Western powers used subversion far less frequently than the Communists. On occasion, however, they intervened in non-Communist states when they considered them threatened by Communism. The difficulty in penetrating Communist nations hampered anti-Communist efforts to organize opposition to the ruling regimes.

All the major nations involved in the Cold War used military force at one time or another to maintain or advance their interests. Some actions, such as that of the Soviet army in Hungary in 1956, were attempts to squelch a revolt by forces perceived as being hostile to the intervening power; others, such as the United States' action in Korea, 195053, were efforts to defend an ally against attack.

Military potential also played an important role in the Cold War A nation prepared to fight and capable of fighting effectively was considered less likely to be attacked than one that was weak. Following the end of World War II, the major Communist and anti-Communist nations began a vast buildup of armamentsthe arms race Nuclear weapons of devastating power had been developed and stockpiled. These weapons came to form the so-called nuclear deterrent, or "balance of terror." Neither side dared to attack the other for fear of a devastating reprisal.