Cordon sanitaire

Postwar world


   In 1942-1943, the British Government has been developing plans to create various supervised the West federations of small countries in Central, Southeastern and Northern Europe, in order to form a cordon sanitaire against the USSR. Planned, in particular, the Danubian federation and so on. Doctor of Historical Sciences, Valentin Falin leads Winston Churchill called the Soviet isolate Russia from Western Europe cordon "vehemently hated Bolshevism States.

   However, after the Second World War and its outcome, as the TSB, "instead of hostile" cordon sanitaire "Soviet neighbors were mostly friendly state," formed the world socialist system. "The Anglo-American plans to revive a" cordon sanitaire "collapsed", - noted with satisfaction the doctor of historical sciences Nikolai Yakovlev. In the document issued under the auspices of IMEMO multi-volume scientific publication "System History of International Relations 1918-2003" (chapter of the editorial board - Academician Georgi Arbatov) This main theme, which then guided the Soviet Union: it is fear of repeating the scenario attacks from the West. Therefore, Moscow has turned to Eastern Europe in the security zone of the USSR, "cordon sanitaire in reverse", whose task was not the defense of the West from the communist influence, and protection of the Soviet Union from its potential aggression.

   In the West, in connection with the concept of "cordon sanitaire" The strategy of deterrence author George Kennan, the reasons for the doctrine of Harry Truman and the policy of "rollback" of Dwight Eisenhower. Doctor of Political Sciences Institute of USA and Canada Institute, Moscow State Institute Professor Alexei Bogaturov wrote:

   Since the Soviet Union evades the conflict, proposing an American presence to the frontiers of the Soviet zone of interest can be encouraged to Moscow "to withdraw inwards. On this premise was based doctrine of "rolling back" (roll-back) communism, which sought to enrich the American policy of the new administration.

   As a result, identify and strengthened, not only peaceful coexistence, but also the confrontation between the two postwar superpowers, the USSR and the U.S., the world was bipolar. Under the auspices of the past were created military-political blocs - NATO, SEATO, CENTO (see also the domino theory), the Soviet Union and socialist countries have formed and opposed to them, the Warsaw Pact. Was confirmed based on nuclear parity status of the Cold War.