American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN (E): 2832-8019 Volume 14, | July, 2023 P a g e | 80 www.americanjournal.org THE COMMENCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ARMAMENT RACE DURING THE "COLD WAR" ERA (NATO AND THE WARSAW PACT'S MILITARY ACTIVITIES AS EXAMPLES) Akromova Shoistakhon Jaloliddin qizi Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies History Faculty History (by Central Asian Countries) Direction 5-Stage Student A B S T R A C T K E Y W O R D S In the second half of the 20th century, the political situation in the world was characterized by the emergence of rivalry between the two major powers, the United States and the former Soviet Union, known as the "Cold War" policy. After the Second World War, the division of global power into two spheres, with Europe and Asia aligning themselves with either of the two ideological systems, became evident. Under the leadership of the United States, the European economic cooperation organization was formed, followed by the establishment of the Western political organization, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The formation of the Western Atlantic bloc marked a division into two camps in the world. At that time, the issue of integration of Western European states was a significant concern in Washington. NATO, USSR, USA, Afghanistan, North Atlantic Treaty, Europe, North America, "Cold War," "bipolar world," Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Fulton, American University, "Iron Curtain," "Eastern communism," UN, "Berlin Wall," FRG, GDR, Warsaw Pact, UN General Assembly, Potsdam Conference, "Marshall Plan," "Berlin Crisis." Introduction After the Second World War, particularly due to the increasing influence of major powers such as the United States and the Soviet Union, the prominence of the United Kingdom as a military power declined significantly. The United Kingdom transformed from being a central imperial power into a medium-sized nation. Since 1945, the armed forces of the United Kingdom have participated in military conflicts in various territories such as Malaysia, Kenya, and Cyprus (which are now independent states)1. After the war, Great Britain's post-war military policy involved the creation of a small professional army armed with nuclear weapons, deviating from the concept of general conscription. The 1957 State Report emphasized the largest military reform conducted during peacetime. Armed forces were reduced by half, and general conscription was simultaneously abolished. A plan was approved for equipping the army, air force, and navy with nuclear weapons. Despite the efforts to strengthen Great 1 B.A.Vvedensky. "Soviet Encyclopedia", 1,2 t. M. 1964. American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 81 www.americanjournal.org Britain's nuclear capabilities, the presence of such weapons in the country caused significant public concern. Starting from the 1950s, the "Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament" organization emerged as the main anti-nuclear movement. This organization gained widespread public support, enabling the organization of demonstrations and protests2. However, in the following years, this trend took a different turn. In the late 1970s, the emergence of reliable missiles and the development of the "Pershing-2" missiles led to a resurgence of the organization's influence. People witnessed significant changes: their countries and the fate of humanity were increasingly influenced by the active participation of the broader population in political affairs, and the fear of a devastating nuclear war prevented leaders from resorting to reckless military actions. The political victories of the former Soviet Union had a positive impact on the ordinary people's political decisions. In the first parliamentary elections held after the war in 1945, the socialist and communist parties emerged as winners. In the context of the modern war situation and to demonstrate the integration of military and economic development, President Eisenhower introduced the concept of a military-industrial complex. Initially, this concept revolved around the utilization of scientific and technological achievements in the military-industrial sector. Besides the United States and the Soviet Union, other countries also began to develop nuclear weapons. This required financial and technical capabilities. In 1952, Britain, in 1960, France, and in 1964, China tested their atomic bombs. In 1974, India, and in 1999, Pakistan became nuclear powers. The proliferation of nuclear weapons continued. In the 1960s, tactical weapons started to be developed, some of which were smaller in size. In 1953, the Soviet Union successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb. It was much more powerful than atomic and neutron bombs, with its destructive force surpassing them by thousands of times. Alongside the nuclear weapons, delivery vehicles capable of reaching their targets were also developed. For instance, in 1948, the United States possessed the B-52 intercontinental bombers capable of reaching distances of up to 20,000 kilometers, and after seven years, the Soviet Union also developed similar bombers. In 1957, the Soviet Union conducted a successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile with precise targeting capabilities in the peaceful waters of the ocean, at a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers. A year later, the United States also developed a similar missile. Within a short period, both the United States and the Soviet Union created intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching long distances. With this development, significant attention was given to the improvement of missile defense systems. These systems were deployed in the Soviet Union in 1966 and in the United States in 1974. The arms race was intensifying. In the first half of the 1970s, global military expenditures amounted to 350 billion dollars annually, and by the end of the decade, it reached 400 billion dollars. In the 1980s, humanity was spending 600 billion dollars annually on armaments. The arms race inflicted significant damage on global development and posed a threat to human well-being. Hundreds of nuclear tests were conducted each year, and nuclear radiation spread throughout the atmosphere. This situation led to the emergence of hazardous diseases and soil degradation. During the "Cold War" era, military and political alliances were formed. Initially, in 1948, the Western European Union was established, with the inclusion of Great Britain, France, Belgium, the 2 Russia. Russian Economic Journal. No. 8, 1993. American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 82 www.americanjournal.org Netherlands, and Luxembourg. In 1955, it evolved into the Western European Union and became the third pillar of NATO. The Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal also joined the Western European Union, unifying nine countries3. On March 11, 1941, the United States Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, which authorized providing loans or leases of weapons, supplies, and military equipment to countries at war that were considered beneficial to the United States4. In this manner, the alliance between England and America was formalized. From 1945 to 1949, the US imperialists presented themselves to the world as the dominant power in the field of atomic energy. In 1950, they embarked on the production of a new hydrogen bomb. The US government entered into an arms race with the states of the Former Soviet Union as one of the two poles that remained in the world. The US government aimed to develop its relations with the Former Soviet Union government, reduce armaments, restrict atomic and hydrogen weapons, oversee research activities related to such weapons with international supervision, resolve security issues in Germany, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam through peaceful means, establish a general European security treaty under US participation, and reject the interests of European countries regarding these proposals. On March 12, 1947, President Harry Truman emphasized the "Containment of Communism" policy in Europe and requested the allocation of $400 million in financial assistance for Greece and Turkey without delay, as well as sending military advisors to these countries. Based on this policy, the US aimed to secure its strategic position in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea by providing assistance to Greece and Turkey. As a result, Turkey aligned itself with the United States as an allied state. America's engagement in this policy had a negative impact on its reputation on the world stage5. On June 5, 1947, the Secretary of State of the United States, George Marshall, delivered a speech at Harvard University, addressing the need to revive the economy of European countries. The speech laid the foundation for the new "Marshall Plan" based on American assistance. In April 1948, the US Congress officially approved this plan. The aim of the "Marshall Plan" was to allocate $17 billion in financial aid to 16 European countries in order to promote economic recovery in Europe. The Former Soviet Union and some socialist states expressed their opposition to this plan. The United States intended to boost its economy by exporting its manufactured and industrial goods to European countries, as well as to establish an alliance with Western European states against the Former Soviet Union by collecting financial resources6. From 1948 to 1952, the United States largely concluded the implementation of the Marshall Plan in Western European countries. France, which initially pursued a policy of creating a unified integrated region in Europe through this plan, withdrew from it. During these years, the nationalization of British industrial complexes was halted. 3 "The development of the country in the modern world". Ed. "Science". Moscow 1984. 4 Gorodetsky A.E. "Marshal's Plan" - a path to stabilization and revival of Europe. M.1993. 5 Tuzmukhamedov P.A. The Non-Aligned Movement and world politics. In the book: The Non-Aligned Movement in documents and materials. M., Chap. ed. east. lit-ry publishing house "Nauka", 1979, 6 History of Diplomacy. T.U., Book 1 / Edited by A.A.Gromyko, I.N.Zemskova, V.A.Zorin, etc. With the participation of: A.S.Anikin, B.N.Beletsky, E.Y.Bogush, Anat.A.Gromyko et al. M.: Polit Publishing House, lit., 1974 American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 83 www.americanjournal.org All the countries that accepted the "Marshall Plan" had their economic and financial allocations monitored and directed by American economists. The United States allocated all the funds based on the Marshall Plan to support the production of industrial goods by redirecting them to military production, specifically certain sectors of the military industry, and encouraging new research and development. As a result, the question arose whether the "Marshall Plan" was a military strategy or an economic recovery strategy7. In 1948, the "Marshall Plan" was implemented, which was considered a response to the acute economic problems in international relations. The fragmentation of the fascist military bloc and the anti-fascist liberation character of the war led to a division in international relations between the socialist and capitalist states. The states that chose the path of socialist development aligned themselves with the Soviet Union, while the United States, as a state supportive of the Soviet Union, opposed their efforts and criticized the "Marshall Plan" for not assisting in the economic recovery of European countries but rather hindering their independent development and serving American imperialism. French publicist A. Claude stated, "American militarists are advancing a new course aimed at regaining world domination." The implementation of the "Marshall Plan" was based on two documents prepared by the US State Department and the State Military Coordination Committee, which were expected to be implemented over a long period of time and according to a specific schedule. William Clayton played a key role in the movement of the "Marshall Plan." William Clayton, the American representative to the Economic Commission for Europe and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), was considered the architect of the "Marshall Plan." In 1947, a special commission was formed under the supervision of foreign countries by the President of the United States. This commission recorded its findings in its reports. The second phase (early 1960s to mid-1970s) was a period of socio-political and economic stability for Western European countries. The economic integration of six countries led to significant economic growth. Charles de Gaulle's leadership favored relations with socialist states. In 1963, a peace agreement was reached between the FRG and France, marking a shift from "Atlanticism" to the start of a "Europeanism" policy. Following this agreement, the United States began to exert influence on Bonn. It was necessary for Bonn to show that it was not opposed to anti- American and anti-Atlantic tendencies. Washington's policy of Vietnam adventures raised concerns among European allies. The economic consolidation of Western European countries posed not only benefits for the United States but also created significant challenges for its economic power. In this regard, John Kennedy developed the "Grand Design" project, which aimed to implement a project of the Atlantic Alliance in cooperation with European countries. This resulted in the removal of barriers that defined the economic situation of American monopolies and strengthened the position of the United States. Before Kennedy, and later under Lyndon Johnson's leadership, Britain and France were responsible for overseeing nuclear weapons. This comprehensive nuclear power (NATO) project was discussed and only the US President had the final say in using this power. However, this program was not implemented. EEC members unanimously rejected it. The removal of barriers by Western European countries was also noted by the United States. As a result, London Johnson was forced to abandon the (EEC) program. The integration of Western European countries into NATO served as a strong example of their "Eastern policy." The FRG's new 7 Gorodetsky A.E. "Marshal's Plan" - a path to stabilization and revival of Europe. M.1993. American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 84 www.americanjournal.org Eastern policy and the Western European countries' position in the Helsinki Accords of European Security and Cooperation (1975) were significant. In the first half of the 1970s, the United States faced an internal political crisis. As a result, its position in the international arena weakened, and Western European countries began to establish relations with the USSR. At the same time, the United States sought new ways in its relations with Western European countries. The "Long-Term Partnership" program was a continuation of the "Next Doctorate." It aimed to use the economic growth of Western European countries for military purposes and to fulfill the global obligations of the United States. In conclusion, it is worth noting that in the second half of the 20th century, the geopolitical situation between the two major powers, the United States and the former USSR, was characterized by the formation of opposition and the "Cold War" policy between them. After the Second World War, the division of forces in the world into two camps, Europe and Asia, serving two different social systems, became evident. The United States established economic cooperation in Europe under the Atlantic partnership, which led to the formation of the Western European economic partnership and the subsequent establishment of the North Atlantic Western Bloc (NATO). The formation of the North Atlantic Western Bloc led to the division of the world into two poles. At that time, the issue of the integration of Western European countries was a matter of concerns. REFERENCES: 1. Dementev V.E., Olevskaya E.M. "Marshal's Plan": a look from today's. M. 1993. 2. Russia. Russian Economic Journal. No. 8, 1993. 3. "The development of the country in the modern world". Ed. "Science". Moscow 1984. 4. B.A.Vvedensky. "Soviet Encyclopedia", 1,2 t. M. 1964. 5. Gorodetsky A.E. "Marshal's Plan" - a path to stabilization and revival of Europe. M.1993. 6. E.Gidens "Socialogy" T-2002 7. Tuzmukhamedov P.A. The Non-Aligned Movement and world politics. In the book: The Non- Aligned Movement in documents and materials. M., Chap. ed. east. publishing house "Nauka", 1979, 8. History of Diplomacy. T.U., Book 1 / Edited by A.A.Gromyko, I.N.Zemskova, V.A.Zorin, etc. With the participation of: A.S.Anikin, B.N.Beletsky, E.Y.Bogush, Anat.A.Gromyko et al. 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