The U.S. Cold War economic policies were in contrast to those the United States pursued to win World War II. ... To win the Cold War, the United States became a low-savings, high-consumption economy. It basically supported its allies in a recovery, development and growth process that out-consumed the USSR and China. The United States essentially out-produced its enemies. To win the Cold War, the United States became a low-savings, high-consumption economy. It basically supported its allies in a recovery, development and growth process that out-consumed the USSR and China. The United States exhausted the USSR and forced China to change its policies on domestic investment.

The Truman Doctrine

In this tense international atmosphere, US President Harry S. Truman broke with the policy of his predecessor Franklin D. Roosevelt and redefined the country’s foreign policy guidelines. On 12 March 1947, in a speech to the US Congress, the President presented his doctrine of containment, which aimed to provide financial and military aid to the countries threatened by Soviet expansion. Clearly aimed at stopping the spread of Communism, the Truman Doctrine positioned the United States as the defender of a free world in the face of Soviet aggression. An aid package of around 400 million dollars was granted to Greece and Turkey. This new doctrine provided a legitimate basis for the United States’ activism during the Cold War.

Applying the doctrine of containment, the Americans encouraged Turkey to resist Soviet claims to rights over naval bases in the Bosphorus. They also secured the withdrawal of Russian troops from Iran. In the meantime, since March 1947, efforts to crack down on Soviet espionage had been coordinated and the United States set up its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These changes to external policy marked a real turnaround in the history of the United States, which had previously remained on the sidelines of European disputes. For the US, isolationism was no longer an option.

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India's role in Non-Aligned Movement was significant for reasons mentioned below :
(i) First Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the five founders of NAM.
(ii) As a leader of NAM, India stayed away from the two camps. Not only this, India asked the newly decolonised countries not to become part Of those alliances.
(iii) It was a policy not of ‘being neutral’ but of active intervention too. India intervened in the Korea war. India tried to involve other members of the non-aligned group with her. India repeatedly tried to activate those regional and international organisations which were not part of the alliances led by the US and USSR.
India was criticised for signing the Treaty of Friendship in August 1971 with the USSR as virtually joining the Soviet alliance system. But in fact India needed diplomatic and possibly military support during the Bangladesh crisis. Moreover, it did not stop India from having good relations with USA and other countries.

In the above given passage Nehru had expressed his feeling about the accommodation of minority. In his letter he is referring the challenge related to Muslim minority that if not accommodated properly can lead to destruction of democratic ideals.

1. Because Muslim minority in India were large in numbers, it is their right to go anywhere and settle. In a democratic set up everyone is given equal opportunity.
2. J.L. Nehru argued that we must give the Muslim minority security and the rights of citizens in a democratic state. Apart from ethical and sentimental reasons, there are some prudential reasons which helped India to realise its- long charised goals and principles such as socialism, equality, liberty and fraternity.
3. If we fail to provide security and rights to minorities, it affect the basic nature of democratic system and is also against the secular principle of India. It may eventually affect not only India’s foreign policy and also threaten other minorities in India. It may lead to disintegration of Indian states.

The group of countries presently referred to by the shorthand Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, exclaved from the remainder of Russia.

The Pentagon and the CIA Were Responsible for the Cuban Missile Crisis. One of the enduring U.S. myths from the Cold War is that communist Cuba, headed by Fidel Castro, and the Soviet Union were responsible for bringing the world to the brink of all-out nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. In response to the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961 and the presence of American Jupiter ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to Cuba's request to place nuclear missiles on the island to deter a future invasion. The Cuban Missile Crisis comes to an end. The Cuban Missile crisis comes to a close as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agrees to remove Russian missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise from the United States to respect Cuba's territorial sovereignty. “The Cuban Missile Crisis was a thirteen-day confrontation from October 15 to October 28, 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the positioning of nuclear missiles in Cuba. In 1962, the Soviet Union secretly placed nuclear-tipped missiles on the Communist-led island of Cuba.

Amritsar and Kolkata became communal zones because Muslims did not wish to move into area of Hindus and Sikhs majority and on the other hand Hindus and Sikhs also wanted to stay away from the areas of Muslim predominance

In the name of religion, people of one community killed and mained people of the other community. Cities like Lahore, Kolkata and Amritsar were titled as communal zones. ... People went through social sufferings also be forced to abandon their homes especially minorities, who took shelter in refugee camp.

Cold war remain cold and did not turn hot due to "LOGIC OF DETERRENCE". It prevents countries from mutual destruction that causes war. As a result of logic of deterrence, countries became rational and responsible actors.

The factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms in the USSR were as given below:

(i) The Soviet system had become very bureaucratic and authoritarian, making life Very difficult for the citizens.

(ii) There was lack of democracy. There was no freedom of speech. As a result of it, people often expressed their dissent in jokes and cartoons.

(iii) There was control of one party i.e., Communist Party of the Soviet Union over all institutions. It was not accountable to the people.

(iv) People in the fifteen republics had no right to manage their own affairs including their cultural affairs.

(v) Russia was one of the fifteen republics but in practice it dominated everything, and people from other regions felt neglected and often suppressed.

(vi) The Soviet Union lagged behind the West in technology, infrastructure and in fulfilling the political or economic aspirations of citizens.

(vii) Low productivity and technology resulted in shortages of all consumer goods. Thus, the Soviet economy had become stagnant.

Who was Gorbachev? What had he tried to do in USSR?

Gorbachev was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985. He initated the policies of economic and political reforms and democratisation within the country.

The Soviet system gave primacy to the state and the institution of the party. This system centred around the Communist Party and no other political party was allowed. The economy was planned and controlled by the state.

 Features of the Soviet system:

 (i) The Soviet System was very bureaucratic and authoritarian.

 (ii) Lack of democracy and the absence of freedom of speech.

 (iii) Tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to the people.

 (iv) Russia dominated everything and people from other regions felt neglected and often suppressed. 

The Soviet system gave primacy to the state and the institution of the party. This system centred around the Communist Party and no other political party was allowed. The economy was planned and controlled by the state.
 Features of the Soviet system:
 (i) The Soviet System was very bureaucratic and authoritarian.
 (ii) Lack of democracy and the absence of freedom of speech.
;(iii) Tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to the people.

Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues: All of the permanent members of the UNSC (which have veto rights) must also With the enlargement of the United Nations membership and increasing We will work with all our partners to define the parameters of such a reform.

Collective farming and communal farming are various types of "agricultural production in which multiple farmers run their holdings as a joint enterprise".

The causes of Soviet disintegration can be summed up as follows:
1. Economic Stagnancy:
(a) Economic institutions experienced internal weaknesses to meet the aspirations of people.
(b) Economic stagnation for many years to severe consumer shortages.
2. Political and Administrative Causes:
(a) The only ruling Communist Party was not accountable despite its rule of 70 years.
(b) Theordinaiypeoplewereabstained from taking participation in political riots, hence the system became incapable of correcting its mistakes.
(c) The ordinary citizens were exempted from gaining the privileges.
(d) Due to non-participation of people, the government lost popular support from all sides.
3. Gorbachev’s Reform Policies:
(а) Gorbachev’s reforms aimed at keeping the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions taking place in the west.
(b) Gorbachev focused to normalise relations with the west.
(c) Gorbachev worked to democratise the Soviet System.
(d) But Society was divided into two sections towards Gorbacheve’s reforms and both of them had contradictory views towards him.
4. Rise of Nationalism and Desire for Sovereignty:
(a) The rise of nationalism in various republics of Soviet Union proved to be immediate cause of revolutions in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Georgia.
(b) The nationalist dissatisfaction with the Soviet Union was strongest in European and prosperous part in Russia and the Baltic areas as well as Ukraine and Georgia.
(c) Ordinary people felt alienated from Central Asia.