POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS

CHAPTER-1
THE COLD WAR

Cold war referred to the series of competitions, tensions and confrontations between US and
USSR backed by their respective allies. The Cold war was not simply a matter of power
rivalries, of military alliances, and of the balance of power. These were accompanied by real
ideological conflict as well, a difference over the most best and appropriate way of
organising political, economic and social life all over the world.
The Western Alliance headed by the US represented the ideology of liberal democracy and
capitalism. The Eastern Alliance headed by Soviet Union was committed to the ideology
of socialism and communism. It was the war in which the rival states through all means try
to control or gain supremacy at the cost of other.
LOGIC OF DETERRENCE-The logic of deterrence means when both sides have the
capacity to respond against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford
to initiate war. Thus the cold war in spite of being an intense form of rivalry remain cold and
not hot or shooting war. The two superpowers and their allies were expected to behave as
rational and responsible actors in the sense that they understood the risk in fighting wars.
The deterrence relationship prevents war but not rivalry between the powers.
The First World War had shaken the world in 1914-1918.
The Second World War (1939-45) ended when Allied Forces- US, Soviet Union, Britain
and France defeated Axis Powers led by Germany, Italy and Japan.

The Second World War ended when the United States dropped atomic bombs on the
Japanese cities of Hiroshima(the bomb was code named ‘Little Boy’) and Nagasaki(code
named ‘Fat Man’) in August 1945 causing Japan to surrender.
CRITICS of the US decision have argued that-
 the US knew that Japan was about to surrender and that it was a necessary to drop the
bombs.
 they suggested that the US action was intended to stop the Soviet Union from making
military and political gains in Asia and elsewhere and to show Moscow that United
States was supreme.
US SUPPORTERS have argued that the dropping of the atomic bombs was necessary to end
the war quickly and to stop further loss of American and Allied lives. The end of Second
World War resulted in the rise of two new powers on the global stage United States and
Soviet Union who became the greatest powers in the world with the ability to influence
events anywhere on earth.

THE EMERGENCE OF TWO POWER BLOCS-

During cold war the world was sharply divided between two alliance systems. Most countries
of Eastern Europe sided with the US and those of Western Europe join the Soviet camp
that is why these were also called the Western and Eastern alliances.
THE COLD WAR 1
POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

The Western Alliance was formalized into an organisation the North Atlantic Treaty
organisation (NATO)which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of 12
States which declared that armed attack on any one of them in Europe or North America
would be regarded as an attack on all of them.
In East and in Southeast Asia and in West Asia (Middle East), the United States built an
alliance system called the South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and the
Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).

The Eastern Alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, was led by the Soviet Union. It was
created in 1955 and its principle function was to counter NATO forces in Europe.

Why superpowers needed smaller states to be their allies-The smaller states were helpful
for the superpowers-
 in gaining access to vital resources such as oil and minerals.
 territory from where superpowers could launch their weapons and troop.
 locations from where they could spy on each other and
 economic support, in that many small allies together could help pay for military
expenses.
 they were also important for ideological reasons in the sense that winning the loyalty
of allies means winning the war of ideas, that liberal democracy and capitalism were
better than socialism and communism and vice versa.

Why smaller states in alliances use linked to the superpowers- the smaller states used the
link for their own purposes. They got the promise of protection, weapons and economic aid
against their local rivals, mainly regional neighbours with whom they had rivalries.

ARENAS OF THE COLD WAR-Arenas of the cold war means areas where crisis or war
occurred or threatened to occur between the alliance systems but did not cross certain limits.
Crisis deepened as neither of the parties involved was willing to back down. Sometimes
countries outside the two blocs for eg. the non- ligned countries played a role in reducing
cold war conflicts and averting some grave crisis. Lot of people were killed in these wars but
the world was spared of a nuclear war and global hostilities. Jawaharlal Nehru played a
crucial role in mediating between the two Koreas.
Examples of arenas of cold war- Korean crisis (1950-53), Berlin crisis (1958-62), Congo
crisis (early 1960s), Cuban missile crisis (1962), Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Cold War led to arms race-

 The two sides understood that war might occur in spite of restraint.
 Since the Cold War did not eliminate rivalries between the two alliances, there was
always a suspicion and fear in the minds of superpowers regarding sudden attack by
the other.
 Thus the cold war led the superpowers to arm them to the teeth and to constantly
prepare for war.

THE COLD WAR 2

POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

 The two blocs feared an impending war in spite of restraint.

 Either side might miscalculate the number of weapons in the possession of the other
side.
 Thus huge stocks of arms were considered necessary to prevent wars from taking
place.

Cold War led to arms control-

 Both the powers the US and USSR decided to collaborate in limiting or eliminating
certain kinds of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons.
 They decide that a stable balance of weapons could be maintained through arms
control.
 The two blocs signed crucial agreements since 1962 to practice arms control.
 Some treaties signed during the period between 1963 and 1993 were-
S.NO. NAME OF THE TREATY TIME OF SIGNATORIES PURPOSE
SIGNING
1. Limited Test Ban Treaty 5 August US, UK, USSR, Banned nuclear weapon
(LTBT) 1963 Moscow tests in the
atmosphere, in outer
space & under water.
2. Nuclear Non-Proliferation 1July 1968 5 nuclear weapon Only nuclear weapon
Treaty (NPT) and states-- US, states can have
extended USSR(later nuclear weapons and
indefinitely Russia), Britain, stop
till 1995 France & China others from acquiring
them.
3. Strategic Arms Limitation 26 May Soviet leader a)Treaty on the
Talks I (SALT-I) 1972 Leonid Brezhnev limitation of Anti-
& US President Ballistic Missile
Richard Nixon Systems (ABM
Treaty);
b) Interim agreement
on the limitation of
strategic arms.
4. Strategic Arms Limitation 18 June Soviet leader Limitation
Talks II (SALT-II) 1979 Leonid Brezhnev of strategic offensive
& US President arms.
Jimmy Carter
5. Strategic Arms Reduction 31 July USSR President Reduction and
Treaty I (START-I) 1991 Mikhail limitation
Gorbachev & the of strategic offensive
US President arms.
George Bush
(Senior)
6. Strategic Arms Reduction 3 January Russian President Reduction and
Treaty II (START-II) 1993 Boris Yeltsin& the limitation
US President of strategic offensive
George Bush arms.
(Senior)

THE COLD WAR 3

POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS-

1) Cuba was an ally of Soviet Union and received both diplomatic and financial aid
from it.
2) The leaders of the USSR were worried that USA would invade communist rule Cuba
and overthrow Fidel Castro the President of the small island nation.
3) Nikita Khrushchev the leader of the Soviet Union decided to convert Cuba into
Russian based in 1962, he placed nuclear missiles in Cuba.
4) Installation of these weapons put the US for the first time under fire from close range
and nearly doubled the number of American cities which could be threatened by the
USSR.
5) The US became aware of it after 3 weeks. The US President John F Kennedy and his
advisors were reluctant do anything that might lead to full-scale nuclear war between
the two countries, but they were determined to get Khrushchev to remove the missiles
and nuclear weapons from Cuba.
6) Kennedy wanted American warships to intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba
as a way of warning the USSR of his seriousness.
7) A clash seemed imminent in what came to be known as Cuban missile crisis.
8) Eventually both sides decided to avert war and Soviet ships slowed down.
9) The Cuban missile crisis is considered as a high point of the Cold War.
CHALLENGE TO BIPOLARITY-
 Challenge to bipolarity means the world was divided into two power blocs and newly
decolonized countries were scared and averse in joining either of the two blocs.
 The bipolar world was engulfed by suspicion, hatred and hostility. So these countries
decided to pursue the path of Non-Alignment (NAM) for a New International
Economic Order.
 The cold war divided the world is two rival alliances. So in this context non-alignment
offered the newly decolonized countries of Asia and Africa and Latin America a third
option not to join either alliance.
 The roots of NAM went back to the friendship between the leaders- Josip Broz Tito of
Yugoslavia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt who held a
meeting in 1956.
 Indonesia‟s Sukarno and Nkrumah of Ghana supported them.
 The first non-aligned summit was held in Belgrade in 1961 which was attended by the
leaders of 25 non-aligned countries.
The non-aligned summit was the culmination of three factors-
1) cooperation among these five countries.
2) growing cold war tensions and its widening arenas.
3) The dramatic entry of many newly decolonized African countries into the international
arena. By 1960 there were 16 new African members in the UN.
4) The latest meeting (14th Summit) was held in Havana in 2006 and included 116
member states and 15 observer states.
THE COLD WAR 4
POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

OBJECTIVES OF NAM-
 To uproot imperialism and colonialism.
 To promote international peace and security.
 To end racial discrimination.
 Complete disarmament especially nuclear arms.
 Effective cooperation with United Nations.
NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER (NIEO)-
 The challenge for most of the non aligned countries a majority of which were
categorised as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was to be more developed
economically and to lift its people out of poverty.
 The third world countries regard the restructuring of the existing international
economic order as the only way to get out of the present problems of poverty, scarcity
and unemployment.
 The idea of New International Economic Order originated with this realization.
 It stands for making the international system fairer and equitable by adopting a code of
conduct for the developed countries and by accepting the due rights of the
underdeveloped countries.
 The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)brought
about a report in 1972 and titled Towards a New Trade Policy for Development.
The report proposed a reform for of the global trading system so as to-
 Give LDCs control over their natural resources which were exploited by the developed
countries.
 The LDCs should be given access to Western market so that they can sell their
products and therefore make trade more useful for the poor countries.
 Reduce the cost of technology from the western countries.
 LDCs should be provided greater role in international economic institutions.
 By late 1980s and NIEO had faded mainly because of stiff opposition from the
developed countries who acted as a united group while the non-aligned countries
struggled to maintain the unity in face of this opposition.
INDIA AND THE COLD WAR-
 As a leader of NAM India's response to the ongoing cold war was to fold-
 At one level it took particular care in staying away from two alliances.
 Second, it raised its voice against the newly decolonized countries becoming part of
these alliances.
 India's Policy was neither negative not passive.
 As Nehru reminded to the world that non-alignment was not a policy of fleeing away
but on the contrary India was in favour of actively intervening in world affairs to
soften cold war rivalries.
 India tried to reduce differences between the alliances and thereby prevent differences
from escalating into a full-scale war.
 During the cold war India repeatedly tried to activate those regional and international
organisations which were not part of the alliances led by the US and USSR.
THE COLD WAR 5
POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

 Nehru reposed great faith in a genuine Commonwealth of free and cooperating nations
that will play a positive role in softening if not ending the cold war.
A non-aligned posture also served India's interest intwo ways-
1) Non-alignment allowed India to take decisions and stances that serve its interest rather
than the interest of super powers and their allies.
2) India was often able to balance one superpower against other.
India's policy of non-alignment was criticized on number of accounts-
 It was said that India's non-alignment was unprincipled means in the name of pursuing
its national interest it often refused to take a firm stand on crucial international issues.
 It was suggested that India was inconsistent and took contradictory postures. Having
criticized others for joining alliances India signed the Treaty of friendship in
August 1971 with USSR for 20 years.
 However, with the disintegration of USSR and the end of cold war in 1991, non-
alignment both as an international movement and as the core of India's foreign policy
lost some of its earliest relevance and effectiveness.
Why NAM means neither isolationism nor neutrality?
 The policy of staying away from alliances should not be considered isolationism or
neutrality.
 Isolationism means remaining aloof from the world affairs by declining to enter into
alliances, international agreements etc. and seeking to devote the entire efforts for
one's own development.
 The non-aligned countries including India played an active role in mediating between
the two rival alliances for the cause of peace and stability.
 Their strength was based on their unity and their resolve to remain non-aligned despite
the attempt of the two superpowers to bring them into alliances.
 Non-alignment is also not neutrality since neutrality refers to a policy of staying out of
war. It is a concept opposed to state of war. States practicing neutrality are not
required to help end a war but non-aligned states including India were actually
involved in wars for various reasons.
 They also worked to prevent war between others and tried to end war that had broken
out.
 They were newly independent free nations who wanted to assert themselves and to
charter their own cause of action.
 Non-aligned movement give the recognition to the smaller countries to have their own
foreign policy instead of following big powers.

Impact of the end of cold war- 1) The hostility between US & USSR came to an end.
2) Soviet Union was disintegrated.
3) The end of cold war meant the end of bipolarity in the world.

THE COLD WAR 6

POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

Q) Evaluate the relevance of Non-Aligned Movement after the end of the Cold War.
OR
“Non-Aligned Movement has become irrelevant today.” Give any three suitable
arguments to support your answer.
OR
What do you think about the statement that NAM has become irrelevant today? Give
reasons to support your answer.
A) With the disintegration of Soviet Union, the end of Cold War and the dismantling of
the power blocs the world moved from bipolar world to a unipolar world. Hence Non-
Alignment both as a movement and as a core of India‟s foreign policy lost its earlier
relevance and effectiveness. However certain core ideas remain relevant even after the
cold war has ended.
1) NAM contains some core values and enduring ideas. It is based on the
recognition that decolonized states or newly independent states of Asia, Africa and
Latin America share a historical affiliation and can become a powerful force if they
come together. They can speak with one voice and take decisions on world issues in
the light of their own national interests.
2) Common to all NAM countries are the problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy,
rising foreign debts, inflation and unemployment. Hence the most important task that
confronts the NAM today is to overcome these problems.
3) Issues like democracy, violation of human rights, neo-colonialism,
fundamentalism, terrorism etc. are tackled by NAM today.
4) With the establishment of New International Economic Order developing countries
have the alternative to strive for a just world order through the forum of NAM.

Q) In spite of following a policy of Non-Alignment why did India sign 20 years treaty of
Peace and friendship with Soviet Union in 1971?
A) Non-Alignment means not joining any superpower but it does not ban a country from
being prepared for its own defence. Therefore, India signed the treaty with the Soviet Union
in order to counter US-Pakistan-China Axis. This treaty assured India of Soviet support, if
the country faced attack.

Q) How did NPT not seek to abolish nuclear weapons and was discriminatory?
A) NPT allowed only the nuclear weapon states to have nuclear weapons and stop others
from acquiring them. For the purposes of NPT, a nuclear weapon state is one which has
manufactured or exploded a nuclear weapon or device prior to 1 January, 1997. Its main
concern was to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons and not its abolition. Hence it was
discriminatory between nuclear weapon states and other countries of the world.

Q) Why has India refused to sign the CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty)?
A) India has opposed the international treaties aimed at non-proliferation since they were
selectively applicable to the non-nuclear powers and legitimised the monopoly of five super
powers. Thus, India opposed NPT in 1995 and also refused to sign Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty.

THE COLD WAR 7

POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASS-XII

Q) Suppose there would have been no cold war, how would that situation have affected
India‟s foreign policy?
A) India‟s foreign policy is based on four principles i.e. policy of Non-alignment,
Panchsheel, opposition to imperialism and colonialism and full faith in the principles of
United Nations. If the cold war would not have taken place there would have emerged
several major powers at the end of the Second World War. India‟s foreign policy would have
been affected in the following ways-
1) India would have adopted an independent foreign policy instead of remaining non-aligned.
India would have joined many likeminded major powers for mutual benefits in various fields.
2) If there had been no bloc and no cold war then India would have adopted more friendly
relations with all the countries of the world.
3) Kashmir problem remained a pending issue due to the cold war. If there would have been
no cold war, this problem could have been solved by the UN.
4) If there would have been no indifference in the attitude of Pakistan due to Cold war, India
would have more actively participated in international politics.

KNOW THE DATES

1. 1939-1945 World War II

2. 1947 Harry Truman, President of USA presented Doctrine of
containment of Communism
3. 1947-1952 Marshall Plan- USA aid for reconstruction of Western Europe
4. 1948-49 Berlin Blockade by USSR
5. 1949 NATO was formed
6. 1950-1953 Korean War
7. 1954 Vietnam defeated France, Geneva Accord signed, Division of
Vietnam
8. 1954-1975 American intervention in Vietnam
9. 1955 Baghdad Pact signed
10. 1956 Soviet intervention in Hungary
11. 1961 Berlin wall constructed
12. 1985 Gorbachev became President of USSR and started reforms
13. 1989 Berlin wall demolished
14. 1990 Unification of Germany
15. 1991 Disintegration of the Soviet Union, End of the Cold War

THE COLD WAR 8

 ASSIGNMENT
CHAPTER-1
THE COLD WAR

1 Markers
Q1) What is meant by Cold War?
Q2) ____________ was the first country to be divided during the cold war by the two
superpowers.
Q3) Why was the NATO and the Warsaw Pact also called Western and Eastern alliance
respectively?
Q4) What constrained the superpowers to go for a full-fledged war in spite of having nuclear
weapons? OR
In spite of possessing nuclear power, why didn‟t both the superpowers go for a full-
fledged
war?
Q5) Mention the military alliances formed by the Western Bloc.
Q6) Mention two military features of the Cold War.
Q7) Which two ideologies were involved in a conflict during the Cold War era and why?
Q8) Why were the smaller states interested in joining the super alliances?
Q9) Name any four founders of NAM and countries they belonged to respectively.
Q10) Is NAM neutral?
Q 11) What was the New International Economic Order?
Q12) List 2 characteristics of NAM.
Q13) Who called Cold War „a long twilight struggle‟?
Q14) Name the Pact signed in 1955 and renamed as CENTO.
Q15) Name the leader who forged unity in Yugoslavia?
Q16) Name the leader who nationalized the Suez Canal?
Q17) Name the leader who made efforts for Asian unity, decolonization and nuclear
disarmament.
Q18) Name the leader who opposed neo-colonialism and advocated the causes of socialism
and
African unity.
Q19) In which year Soviet Union intervened in Hungary?
Q20) Name the two important events of 1961.
Q21) The idea of NIEO originated from UNCTAD brought out a report in 1972
entitled________.
Q22) When did China USSR war happened?
Q23) 1st NAM summit was attended by ___________member states.
Q24) 14th NAM summit held in ___________ in the year ___________.
Q25) Mention any one impact of cold war.

2 Markers
Q1) Which two objectives Jawaharlal Nehru wished to achieve through NAM?
Q2) Name four countries that were part of the Warsaw Pact and now belong to EU?
Q3) Name three countries that came up in the Post-cold war period.
Q4) What is meant by Unipolarity and Bipolarity?
Q5) How did NAM become a pressure group?
Q6) Why was India‟s policy of Non-alignment criticised? Explain any two reasons.
Q7) Name any two founders of Non-Aligned Movement. The first NAM summit was the
culmination of which three factors?
Q8) Give an account of Cuban Missile Crisis.
6 Markers
Q1) How far is it correct to say that international alliances during the cold war were
determined
by the requirements of the super powers and the calculations of smaller states?
Q2) Why was the end of Second World War considered to be the beginning of Cold War?
Q3) Analyse three criticisms and three core values and enduring ideas related to Non-
Aligned Movement.
MAP WORK
1. Communist ruled country which is a small island nation off the CUBA
coast of the United States of America.
2. This country placed nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962. USSR
3. Cuba was an ally of this nation USSR
4. Allied forces were led by this country BRITAIN
5. Axis power was led by this country GERMANY
6. US dropped atomic bombs at the end of World War II on this JAPAN
country
7. Soviet Union has close ties with these regional countries CHINA, IRAQ, NORTH
VIETNAM, NORTH KOREA
8. The two super powers confronted in this country in the early 1950‟s KOREA
(1950-1953)
9. Two super powers confronted directly in this country in 1958-1962 BERLIN
10. Arenas of Cold War CONGO, VIETNAM
AFGHANISTAN, KOREA,
BERLIN
11. US President Johnson had to withdraw his army from this small VIETNAM
south east Asian country after it was defeated
12. NATO members WEST GERMANY,
FRANCE, BRITAIN, SPAIN,
ITALY, USA
13. WARSAW PACT Members POLAND, HUNGARY,
ROMANIA, BULGARIA,
EAST GERMANY, USSR
14. US President Richard Nixon visited this country in1972 CHINA

INSTRUCTIONS:
Students to do the assignment in a register or on the available loose sheets.
Map Work has to be done on the World Political Map (if available).
DEFINITION OF COLD WAR:
The Cold War referred to the competition, the tensions and a series of
confrontations between the United States and Soviet Union, backed by
their respective allies.
 COLD WAR ERA

II WORLD WAR
1939-45

AXIS POWERS ALLIED POWERS

GERMANY US
ITALY SOVIET UNION
JAPAN FRANCE

US USSR
COLD WAR (1945-1991)
END OF II WORLD WAR= BEGINNING OF COLD WAR
American
soldiers at
IWO JIMA
ISLAND IN
JAPAN on
23 Feb.
1945.
THESE TWO PICTURES
SYMBOLISE THE VICTORY
OF US & USSR IN THE II
Soviet WORLD WAR.
soldiers at
REICHSTAG
building in
Germany
in May
1945.
HOW DOES II WORLD WAR ENDED?
US DROPPED TWO ATOMIC BOMBS ON THE CITIES OF
JAPAN TO STOP THE WAR CAUSING JAPAN TO
SURRENDER.

HIROSHIMA NAGASAKI
6 AUGUST 9 AUGUST
LITTLE BOY FAT MAN

Critics of the US decision to drop the bombs have

argued that the US knew that Japan was about to
surrender and that it was unnecessary to drop the
bombs. They suggest that the US action was intended
to stop the Soviet Union from making military and
political gains in Asia and elsewhere and to show
Moscow that the United States was supreme.
 US USSR
DEMOCRACY SOCIALISM
CAPITALISM COMMUNISM

WESTERN ALLIANCE EASTERN ALLIANCE

NATO WARSAW PACT

APRIL 1949 (signed by12 states) Signed in1955 to
SEATO counter NATO forces.
CENTO

LOGIC OF DETERRENCE:
This means both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and
to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war.
WHY DID SUPER POWERS NEED TO MAKE ALLIANCES
WITH SMALLER COUNTRIES?

The smaller states were helpful for the

superpowers in gaining access to
(i) vital resources, such as oil and minerals.
(ii) territory, from where the superpowers could
launch their weapons and troops.
(iii) locations from where they could spy on
each other and
(iv) economic support, in that many small
allies together could help pay for military
expenses.
(v) ideological reasons.
WHY DID THE SMALLER STATES
SUPPORT THE SUPER POWERS?
They got the promise of
protection,
weapons and
economic aid against their
local rivals, mostly regional
neighbours with whom they had
rivalries.
 CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS,
US 1962 USSR
JOHN F. KENNEDY NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV

CUBA
FIDEL CASTRO
CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS
• Cuba was an ally of the Soviet Union and received
both diplomatic and financial aid from it. Nikita
Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union, decided
to convert Cuba into a Russian base.
• In 1962, he placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The
installation of these weapons put the US, under
threat. Three weeks after the Soviet Union had
placed the nuclear weapons in Cuba, the
Americans became aware of it. In October 1962, US
U-2 spy plane flights over Cuban territory revealed
the missile installation sites.
• John F. Kennedy ordered American warships to
intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a
way of warning the USSR of its seriousness.
• A clash seemed imminent in what came to be
known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro(left) shakes hands with Soviet
Premier Nikita Khrushchev in 1961.
 ARENAS OF COLD WAR

KOREA 1950-53
BERLIN 1958-62
CONGO EARLY 1960s

DIVISION OF KOREA OCCURRED AT THE END OF WORLD

WAR II.
NORTH KOREA= USSR
SOUTH KOREA= US
North and South Korea continued a military standoff,
with periodic clashes. The conflict survived the end of the
Cold War and continues to this day.
IS NAM RELEVANT TODAY? YES

recognition