Cold Rivalries

READ 678-681. WRITE a blog post in which you compare the rivalry of the Cold War (as outlined in the reading and in our in-class work) with other international rivalries we've studied this year.
LABEL: Your first name, cold rivalries

The rivalry of the cold war had many similarities and differences to the more traditional rivalries we studied earlier in the year. The "normal" rivalries typically consisted of dissent between adjacent nations, an arms race of some sort, perhaps a fortification of borders, and maybe even an attack. In this sense, the cold war was both traditional and not at the same time.
As most people know, the cold was was a major nuclear arms race between America and the Soviet Union. This type of arms race leading up t a war is completely normal, but in this case the arms race pretty much was the war. It was this nuclear presence that set the cold war so far apart from others. Because the US and Russia were across the seas from each other, the fortifications occurred in other countries in Europe, which was very unusual. And instead or making defenses for their own country, each side simply pointed progressively more nuclear weapons at the other side. The long range of the weapons was what created and international panic: now even countries on the other side of the world were a serious threat.
The "war" was the result in a difference of two ideals, those of communism and those of capitalism. This kind of cause is normal, although the two sides were not. While sometimes fighting may break out on one side of the argument, the communists weren't even CLOSE to unified, which is highly unusual for a war, and especially ironic, as the point of communism is everyone working together for a better future.
While you could argue that actually engaging is battle is not necessary for war, it seems that a term like "contretemps" may better fit the cold war.


Note: I am not trying to say the cold war wasn't an issue; I understand that it was very close to being World War III, and quite possibly the end of life in Russia and America, but I'm not sure it fits the definition o a war.