Example DBQ-
The Cold War was a time of political and ideological tensions where the two major global
superpowers of the time the United States and the Soviet Union disagreed over their political
and ideological standpoints (capitalism vs communism). This conflict arose after the tragedies
that occurred after the World Wars. During this time it was very privileged to call the Cold War
"cold" as around the world the interventions of the superpowers on minor problems created
proxy wars that caused more damage than they should have. Due to these conflicts there was the
creation of the non-aligned movement in which countries searched for neutrality in the
situation apart from the two superpowers but it was not always successful. The recently
independent African countries of the time were not fully able to conduct their independent
policies due to the pressures of the superpowers to choose economic ideologies and the
remaining effects of past imperialism and the continued dependency of these countries.
New African states were not free to implement their policies due to the pressures of the USA
and USSR to choose whether they would implement a capitalist or not society. As countries
wished to disassociate themselves from the problematic creating movements such as the
Non-alignment movement they were not always capable of reaching their full potential. Just as
Frantz Fanon in Document 4 suggests they were part of these separate ideas "In order to devote
themselves to the urgent economic tasks, to staving off hunger, to the improvement of man’s
lot." This way countries could focus on themselves before going into an unnecessary conflict.
The superpowers still continued with their pressures, this can be seen in Document 3 from (CIA)
Director Allen Dulles " you expressed the opinion that the Congo is experiencing a classic
communist takeover* whether or not Lumumba himself is a Communist or just playing the
Communist game to help him solidify his power." The USA had an idea of the domino effect of
communism and as one country began others would soon fall and it placed all its will on not
letting that occur. The point of view of the same author plays key importance to understanding
the reach of this domino idea as the CIA Director saw the nationalist ideas of the elected leader
of the time as a communist game of its part working in secret and viewing communism as the
sole enemy for its country. This is important as it comes into effect in the interventions done by
the USA all for their own gain in the global market as it was not beneficial to have another
country to communism. Still, countries had enough of the unnecessary conflicts these
ideological differences brought to their people after such a long time fighting for independence.
The Cold War was a time of political and ideological tensions where the two major global
superpowers of the time the United States and the Soviet Union disagreed over their political
and ideological standpoints (capitalism vs communism). This conflict arose after the tragedies
that occurred after the World Wars. During this time it was very privileged to call the Cold War
"cold" as around the world the interventions of the superpowers on minor problems created
proxy wars that caused more damage than they should have. Due to these conflicts there was the
creation of the non-aligned movement in which countries searched for neutrality in the
situation apart from the two superpowers but it was not always successful. The recently
independent African countries of the time were not fully able to conduct their independent
policies due to the pressures of the superpowers to choose economic ideologies and the
remaining effects of past imperialism and the continued dependency of these countries.
New African states were not free to implement their policies due to the pressures of the USA
and USSR to choose whether they would implement a capitalist or not society. As countries
wished to disassociate themselves from the problematic creating movements such as the
Non-alignment movement they were not always capable of reaching their full potential. Just as
Frantz Fanon in Document 4 suggests they were part of these separate ideas "In order to devote
themselves to the urgent economic tasks, to staving off hunger, to the improvement of man’s
lot." This way countries could focus on themselves before going into an unnecessary conflict.
The superpowers still continued with their pressures, this can be seen in Document 3 from (CIA)
Director Allen Dulles " you expressed the opinion that the Congo is experiencing a classic
communist takeover* whether or not Lumumba himself is a Communist or just playing the
Communist game to help him solidify his power." The USA had an idea of the domino effect of
communism and as one country began others would soon fall and it placed all its will on not
letting that occur. The point of view of the same author plays key importance to understanding
the reach of this domino idea as the CIA Director saw the nationalist ideas of the elected leader
of the time as a communist game of its part working in secret and viewing communism as the
sole enemy for its country. This is important as it comes into effect in the interventions done by
the USA all for their own gain in the global market as it was not beneficial to have another
country to communism. Still, countries had enough of the unnecessary conflicts these
ideological differences brought to their people after such a long time fighting for independence.
