Question

define eastern alliance
chapter the cold war era
grade 12th

Answer 1

The Cold War was referred to the tensions and series of conflicts between the United States and USSR, backed by their respective allies. The Cold War, however never escalated into a 'hot war',that is ,a full scaled war.The Cold War was not simply a matter of power rivalries, of military alliances, and of the balance of power.The western alliance, headed by the US, represented the ideology of liberal democracy and capitalism while the eastern alliance, headed by the Soviet Union, was committed to the ideology of socialism and communism.It was not merely the conflict for power but it was based on an ideological conflict.

While the Cold War was an outcome of the emergence of the US and the USSR as two superpowers rival to each other, it was also rooted in the understanding that the destruction caused by the use of atom bombs is too costly for any country to bear. The logic is simple yet powerful. When two rival powers are in possession of nuclear weapons capable of inflicting death and destruction unacceptable to each other, a full-fledged war is unlikely. 

The Western Alliance

The western alliance was formalised into an organisation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve 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. Each of these states would be obliged to help the other. 

In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia (Middle East), the United States built an alliance system called — the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO). 

The Eastern Alliance

The eastern alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, was led by the Soviet Union. It was created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe.The Soviet Union and communist China responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

Why did the smaller states formed alliances with the super powers ?

The smaller states in the alliances used the link to the superpowers for their own purposes. They got the promise of protection, weapons, and economic aid against their local rivals, mostly regional neighbours with whom they had rivalries. The alliance systems led by the two superpowers, therefore, threatened to divide the entire world into two camps. 

 

How were the smaller states helpful for the superpowers ?

vital resources, such as oil and minerals

territory, from where the superpowers could launch their weapons and troops

locations from where they could spy on each other

economic support; in that many small allies together could help pay for military expenses.