Question

Reflection Question 12: Foreign Policy and the Cold War

As you will have multiple questions to answer for this assignment, it will be
weighted accordingly.
The advent of nuclear weapons would change the stakes of war between the
great powers in a way that could never have been imagined in World War I or even
at the beginning of World War II.
1. How did nuclear weapons change foreign policy between the superpowers
during the Cold War? How do such weapons impact the office of the presidency
and US foreign policy?
2. How did those changes impact other countries in the world? Could conflict
between the great powers of the world be contained to those countries? What
would war between the superpowers mean for the rest of the woled?
3. During the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet Ambassador Anatoly
Dobrynin said, "If the sun comes up tomorrow, it is only because of the will of
good men." How did this statement reflect what was at stake during the Cold War?
4. How did the Cuban Missile Crisis reflect the larger conflict between the U.S.
and the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

Answer 1

I can provide some general information and guidance to help you answer these reflection questions:

Nuclear weapons changed foreign policy during the Cold War by creating a situation of mutually assured destruction, where the use of nuclear weapons by one side would result in the annihilation of both sides. This led to a policy of deterrence, where both sides sought to prevent the other from using nuclear weapons through the threat of retaliation. The possession of nuclear weapons also gave the U.S. presidency significant power and influence over foreign policy, as the president had the authority to launch nuclear weapons without needing congressional approval.

The changes in foreign policy due to nuclear weapons impacted other countries in the world by creating a bipolar power structure, with countries aligning themselves either with the U.S. or the Soviet Union. Conflict between the great powers of the world was not necessarily contained to those countries, as both sides engaged in proxy wars in other parts of the world. A war between the superpowers would have had catastrophic consequences for the rest of the world, as it would have likely resulted in a nuclear apocalypse.

The statement by Anatoly Dobrynin reflected the gravity of the situation during the Cold War, where the threat of nuclear war was ever-present and the fate of the world rested on the decisions of a few powerful individuals. The statement also highlighted the importance of moral leadership and the responsibility of those in power to act in the interest of peace and humanity.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a significant moment in the larger conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, as it brought the world closer than ever before to a nuclear war. The crisis demonstrated the dangers of nuclear brinkmanship and the need for effective communication and diplomacy between the two superpowers. It also highlighted the importance of finding peaceful solutions to conflicts and the need for global cooperation to prevent catastrophic events.