About this Video

• Video Title: Historian Answers Cold War Questions | Tech Support | WIRED
• Channel: WIRED
• Speakers: Michael Kimmage
• Duration: 00:29:39

Introduction

This WIRED video features historian Michael Kimmage answering viewer questions about the Cold War. The video covers a wide range of topics, from the Cold War's start and end dates to key events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the fall of the Berlin Wall, offering historical context and analysis.

Key Takeaways

• The Cold War timeline: The Cold War began around 1945 with the Potsdam Conference and concluded in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Key events include the U2 incident, the construction of the Berlin Wall, and Gorbachev's reforms.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): This was the Cold War's most dangerous moment, bringing the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war. The US chose diplomacy over invasion, preventing a likely nuclear strike.
• The Domino Theory: This theory, which overstated the threat of communism's spread, led to significant misunderstandings in American foreign policy, most notably in Vietnam.
• The Berlin Wall: The wall symbolized the division of Germany and Europe, but its fall in 1989 marked a significant turning point, emotionally ending the Cold War.
• The role of Reagan and Gorbachev: Reagan's diplomacy with Gorbachev opened the door to a peaceful end to the Cold War, though Bush oversaw its actual conclusion. Gorbachev's reforms, while intended to save socialism, unintentionally led to the Soviet Union's collapse.
• Proxy Wars: The US and USSR engaged in proxy wars, such as the Korean and Vietnam Wars, supporting opposing sides without directly confronting each other.
• Soviet Technological Superiority: The Soviet Union initially surpassed the US in some technologies, notably space exploration (Sputnik), but the US eventually took the lead in microchip and computing technology.
• The New Cold War: Current US-Russia tensions exhibit similarities to the Cold War, including a nuclear component and a rollercoaster of diplomatic interactions. However, the current situation arguably surpasses the Cold War in intensity due to the direct involvement in the war in Ukraine.