Discussion
For this discussion post, go back to Chapter 28 and refresh your memory about the definition of formal and informal imperialism. Based on the information in that chapter and in Chapter 33, would you argue that the policies and actions initiated by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War represented a new kind of imperialism? Using specific examples, explain why or why not. Then respond to two of your classmates.
Unit Overview
This unit explores two of the key processes that dramatically shaped the last half of the twentieth century: the Cold War and decolonization. Although they were separate phenomena, nations that were in the process of decolonization sometimes became entangled in the intense U.S.-Soviet antagonism that marked the post-WWII era.
Chapter 33 begins by explaining this climate of antagonism and the ways it shaped postwar arrangements in Europe, the internal politics of the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and hostilities that erupted over developments in Korea and Cuba. As you read, think about the differences in ideology between the two superpowers. Did both sides have reason to fear the other? Why or why not?
Chapter 33 then moves on to describe the ways that the concurrent phenomena of the Cold War and decolonization affected a diverse array of emerging states, including India, the People’s Republic of China, and newly independent states in the Middle East and Africa. Think carefully here about the different experiences of these states in this period. Why were some states able to decolonize and create new states without prolonged violence, but others were not? What caused either the U.S. or the Soviet Union to interfere with the decolonization process in some states, but not in others?
The final section of this chapter deals with the abrupt end of the Cold War between 1989 and 1991. What factors led to the collapse of the Soviet system? Do you believe that the collapse was due mostly to economic, military, or ideological factors? Why?
You will complete a quiz on Chapter 33. You will also submit a discussion post about the relationship between the Cold War and imperialism. Finally, you will have the opportunity to complete your current news event option by exploring the fates of one of two countries that sought to decolonize in the midst of the Cold War; Angola or Vietnam.