THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

The world map changed radically after the Second World War. The colonial

empires of the European nations dissolved and many countries of Asia and Africa

became independent. The UNO had 51 members in 1945, and now in 2002 there

are 191 members.

THE COLD WAR

After the Second World War Soviet Russia encouraged Communist movements

all over the world. Thus Eastern Europe saw the emergence of Communist regimes

in many countries. The western part of Germany which was under the supervision

of UK, USA and France, became a democratic country (1949). Similarly Communist

government came into existences in East Germany, Poland, Hungary,

Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Yugoslavia. In China too Communist regime headed by

Mao Tse Tung came into existence (1949). The world came to be divided into two

blocs. ‘Free’ or those permitting private capital and the Communists permitting only

state capital. The leaders of these two blocs were the USA and Soviet Russia

(USSR-Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) respectively.

Both Soviet Russia and China encouraged Communist Revolutions in other

countries. In 1949, Soviet Russia tested nuclear bomb. This led to ‘cold war’

between the two blocs. The clouds of the Third World War appeared. Many East

European countries allied themselves with Russia and also became subjected to

the rule of the Communist party; Russia and China signed a defense treaty in 1950.

Soviet Russia took aggressive position with regard to Greece and Turkey. US

President Truman declared that in case Turkey or any other country faced Communist

threat, USA would provide protection to that country. The cold war intensified in

1950-53 when there was a civil war in Korea and USA helped South Korea and

China extended help to North Korea. The civil war ended with the division of Korea

into North and South Korea.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) signed between USA, UK

(Britain) and other west European countries took shape in 1949. The South-East

Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) formed in 1954 was another The USA-led defence

pact. Turkey, Iran and Pakistan formed Central Asia Treaty Organization (CENTO).

In reply to this, Soviet Russia formed the Warsaw Pact with communist countries.

Testing of atomic and hydrogen bombs and launching of Inter-Continental Ballistic

Missiles by both the blocks further sharpened the edge of the cold war. Even in

space research, competition between the two countries intensified and Soviet

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Russia launched a spacecraft. It was a great achievement for the USA when it

landed man on the moon.

In 1958, there was a Communist Revolution in the American continent and

Cuba became a Communist country. This led to the two blocs coming to the edge

of a war. The Vietnam War (1955-75) which was fought on ideological grounds made

the Communists victorious, and America’s direct involvement in it caused immense

loss to it. Though both the blocs owned the most dangerous nuclear weapons, out

of fear of being destroyed, they were never used and world war did not take place.

BREACHES IN RED BLOC : After the death of Stalin (1953), despite the launching

of satellite and achieving substantial success in the field of space research,

dissatisfaction among the common people went on increasing. When the East

European countries like Poland, Hungary and East Germany tried to free themselves

from the Soviet Russian hold, the Russian army suppressed the efforts. But when

Tito of Yugoslavia revolted, Soviet Russia could not do anything. In 1978 Soviet

Russia invaded Afghanistan. In the meanwhile, there were differences between

Soviet Russia and China and there was a breach in the Communist bloc.

After Gorbachev became the president in 1985, things changed substantially.

Later the Communist system slowly declined and democracy was established. The

US president, Reagan met Gorbachev in 1987, the intensity of ‘cold war' was very

much reduced. In 1988 the Russian army returned from Afghanistan. In 1989, the

Great Wall of Berlin which had politically separated the East and West Berlin was

demolished by people from both the sides. Subsequently, the two parts of Germany

were united (1990). In 1992, US president George Bush (Sr) and Russian President

Yeltstin met each other and ended the cold war. Thus the chances of the breaking

out of a World War III was prevented in the 20th century. Now Vladimir Putin is

the President.

CHANGES IN THE USSR : The eight countries which had been a part of USSR

declared independence in 1991. Later, a group 21 of countries which were in the

former USSR formed under the leadership of Russia ‘Commonwealth of Independent

States(CIS). But nations like Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia left the former Union

permanently. In 1994, Russia signed a treaty with NATO (Nor th Atlantic Treaty

Organization) and opened the path for mutual co-operation with the NATO nations.

The new government has started privatization of industries by freeing them from

government control. It has also welcomed foreign capital.