1. Introduction

The Cold War originated from the Yalta Conference at the end of the Second World War. After the end of the Second World War, the United States(the US)and the Soviet Union(the USSR), as the most powerful countries, naturally formed opposition due to different ideologies. In 1946, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his "Iron Curtain Speech", marking the beginning of the Cold War. In 1947, US President Harry Truman introduced the Truman Doctrine, which clarified that the US would take tough measures against the USSR, marking the beginning of the Cold War.

‌During the Cold War, the US and the USSR developed rapidly in military and aerospace technology, which formed the confrontation between the two camps. The two sides confront each other through local proxy wars, technological and arms races, space competition and diplomatic competition, despite efforts by both sides to avoid large-scale war, the global security situation remains unprecedentedly grave.

‌The Cold War ended with the economic collapse of the USSR, the dissolution of the state, and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. In this process, most socialist countries turned to the capitalist road, and the NATO system left over from the Cold War is still an important force affecting the global military, political and economic.

‌The tension between the USSR and the US kept the world in an uneasy state for a long time following the Cold War. This tension was exacerbated by other heated conflicts in different regions, which also resulted in frequent international crises.

The Cold War hindered the development of economic globalization and led to local wars, which caught US the division of Germany, Korea and so on. ‌

‌Although the US and the USSR were evenly matched and tried their best to avoid war, local wars such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War still broke out.‌

‌In the general environment of the Cold War, the US and the USSR were evenly matched, which avoided the outbreak of a new world war in nearly half a century ‌, countries with different social systems coexisted for a long time. They learned from each other's experience and applied it to internal adjustment and reform, which promoted the overall development of the world.‌

The developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America sprang up and grew stronger, and the Third World rose accordingly.‌

‌During the Cold War, the in-depth research and exploration of science and technology by the two camps of the US and the USSR indirectly promoted the third scientific and technological revolution and the rapid development of information technology and new energy technology ‌

After the Cold War, several geopolitical shifts took place around the world. Cold War military alliances such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact were dissolved or reorganized, and new frameworks for security cooperation and partnerships were established. Eastern European countries and former Soviet republics shed Soviet influence and moved toward democracy and market economies. These political changes led to many regional conflicts, such as the breakup and conflict in Yugoslavia, and tensions in the former the USSR.

Since the end of the Cold War, globalization has accelerated. The global position of the ruble and the ruble and the US dollar has been enhanced, facilitating international trade and investment. Developing countries such as China and India are rapidly emerging as important forces in the global economy. These changes have not only boosted economic growth but also exacerbated global economic inequality and geopolitical competition.

After the end of the Cold War, the international political pattern has undergone great changes. The collapse of the USSR led to the decline of communism and the emergence of the US as a superpower. Since then, the distribution of global political power has changed significantly, and new challengers and competitors have emerged.

The subject of this article is the origin, causes, and outcome of the Cold War and the ongoing impact on the world. The Cold War legacy of the contemporary international system is a potential global security risk. The great power game after the Cold War is not a "new Cold War" of confrontation between two systems, but the continuation and transformation of a kind of relationship pattern left by the Cold War between the US and the USSR. In the evolution of the contemporary international system, the capitalist camp, driven by the Cold War mentality, seeks a unipolar pattern and hegemonic order with the Cold War logic, and adopts containment strategies against the forces of multipolarity and the forces of the middle, creating a series of new contradictions interlinked with many issues left over from the Cold War. It is predicted that the hegemony of the political and economic system of the capitalist camp is declining, local intelligence war, cyber war and nuclear imbalance promote the international system to return to the logic of hard power competition, and the Western cultural hegemony accelerates the spread of Cold War thinking in the international community.

2. Literature review

2.1. Origins of the Cold War

‌World War II (World War II for short) was a global war on an unprecedented scale. It lasted from 1939 to 1945, involving 61 countries and regions, and more than 2 billion people were involved ‌. WWII was fought against the Axis powers of Fascism such as Germany, Italy and Japan and their minions on one side, and against the anti-fascist Allies such as China, the USSR, the US and the UK and anti-fascist forces around the world on the other. Wars ranged from Europe to Asia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

‌The result of World War II was the defeat of the fascist states in Germany, Italy and Japan and the victory of the anti-fascist alliance, which caused the decline of Europe and the rise of the US and the USSR, and became a real turning point in the international pattern from the center of Europe to the bipolar pattern of confrontation between the US and the USSR.

At the end of World War II, Europe was devastated. Many cities are in ruins, especially the more prosperous US and large cities before the war, the more violent the attacks in the war, the greater the economic losses, and it will take a long time to rebuild. The devastation was widespread, with large numbers of people displaced in both victorious US and defeated countries. In this great war, Germany was completely defeated and a power vacuum emerged in Central Europe. It is impossible for the victors to ignore the existence of this power vacuum and intervene in it one after another to form a struggle to defeat the countries here.

The US played a decisive role in World War II. Because the US was far from the battlefield, its economy was not affected by the war. In the war, the US did not lose its military power and economic power but emerged as the most powerful country after World War II. After 1945, the US broke away from its previous US isolationist tendencies and began to play a leading role on the international stage.

The USSR severely depleted Germany's military power in the Soviet-German war and later played a major role in the war against Germany, and many countries in Eastern Europe joined the USSR after the war. Although the USSR suffered heavy losses in World War II and the domestic economic development was not satisfactory for a time, the USSR's intention to expand the scope of power never stopped [1].

2.2. NATO vs the Warsaw Pact

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO for short, was a political and military alliance established after the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949. After the end of World War II, the US used the "containment" theory as a basis and threw out the "Truman Doctrine" to determine the strategy of containment of the USSR. Western European countries, fearing the USSR, wanted to unite with the US. Against this background, to comprehensively contain the USSR, the US promoted the establishment of NATO. Its main purpose was to maintain peace and security in the North Atlantic region, initially to counter the USSR with the practice of collective defense. During the Cold War, NATO had a sharp confrontation with the USSR and the Warsaw Pact bloc, constantly expanding its military strength, and implementing a strategy of "large-scale retaliation." After the end of the Cold War, NATO proposed a strategy of "prevention and crisis management", and the military role was reversed, and the task changed from defending territorial security to defending the common interests of the States parties, and its defense zone expanded to other regions of the world. In recent years, NATO has put forward the strategy of "active engagement, modern defense", evolving from a defensive military organization to an offensive military organization, and from a regional military bloc to a global military bloc.

The Warsaw Pact, also known as the Warsaw Pact, was a political-military alliance established to counter the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Following the Second World War, the global strategic framework known as Yalta was established. The USSR and The US were at an escalated confrontation during this period. Western nations, including the US and Canada, founded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. The Paris Agreement, which was signed in 1954 by the US, Britain, France, and other Western nations, allowed the Federal Republic of Germany to join NATO. This further jeopardized the security of the USSR and the Eastern European socialist nations. The Soviet government had asked Western countries not to ratify the Paris Agreement and had proposed the convening of a European Conference on Collective Security and the concrete Union of the European Treaty on Collective Security, but it was refused. Against this background, the USSR decided to unite the socialist countries of Eastern Europe to form the Warsaw Pact. In 1968, the "Prague Spring" reform movement took place in Czech Slovakia Republic, and the Warsaw Pact armed forces led by the USSR invaded Czech Slovakia on a large scale, which provoked widespread protests.

With the upheavals in Eastern Europe and the collapse of the USSR in the late 80s and early 90s of the 20th century, the Warsaw Pact lost the basis for its existence. In a meeting held in Prague on July 1, 1991, the members of the Warsaw Pact States formally announced the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. On February 25, 1991, the Special Session of the Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Pact decided to abolish the Warsaw Pact's military apparatus US and to end the validity of the military agreements reached within its framework, effective April 1, 1991.

2.3. Major conferences and plans

During the Cold War between the US and the USSR, many major events occurred.

The Yalta Conference, which was held in Yalta (modern-day Crimea) in early 1945 by the heads of state of the US, Britain, and the USSR, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, gave rise to the Yalta System, a general term for the international political pattern that prevailed after World War II and the start of the Cold War between the US and the USSR (1945–1991).

The so-called Yalta system is the post-World War II international political pattern and order established at the Yalta conference, and the characteristics of this system are: with the US and the USSR as the center, the Cold War for hegemony is fought on a global scale, but it does not rule out wars in which the two superpowers directly or indirectly participate in local areas (such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Afghanistan War, etc.).

The Cold War, the bipolar pattern, and the ultimate collapse of the Yalta system came to an end with the 1989 Eastern European upheavals and the USSR's 1991 demise.

The core of the Yalta system is a result of the major powers' mutual compromise and power balance, and it is associated with their power politics.

The Iron Curtain Speech was a speech titled "Pillars of Peace" delivered by former United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill at Westminster College in Fulton City, THE US, on March 5, 1946. Churchill declared that "from Szczecin on the Baltic Sea to Trieste on the Adriatic Sea, an iron curtain has been lowered across the European continent". Many ancient cities in Central and Eastern Europe after the Iron Curtain, such as Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, etc., were within the sphere of influence of the USSR and were not only influenced by the USSR, but also under its increasing high-pressure control. He pointed out that outside the Iron Curtain, the Communist Party's "fifth column" was spread across the country. It is believed that the "power and doctrine" of the USSR are expanding indefinitely and cannot adopt a "policy of appeasement". Churchill proposed that the US was at the peak of world power at that time and that the US should recognize the military threat posed by the USSR to the "free world" and assume responsibility for the future. He advocated an anti-communist military alliance between Britain and the US, maintained close military ties and studied potential dangers together, and called on English-speaking countries to unite to contain the expansion of communism led by the USSR. The Iron Curtain Speech is considered the beginning of the more than 40-year-long Cold War between the US and the USSR, marking the formal confrontation between the two camps of the East and the West. It made the contradictions between the US and the USSR public, and since then the hostilities between the two sides have gradually escalated, and various US arms competitions have intensified [2].

On March 12, 1947, THE US President Harry S. Truman delivered a State of the Union address at a joint session of the two US of Congress, proposing the Truman Doctrine with "containing communism" as the guiding ideology of national political ideology and foreign policy. Its main contents include:

Declare that the world has been divided into two hostile camps, with "liberal institutions" on one side and "totalitarian regimes" on the other. The US has a mission to lead the "free world" and assist other countries in their recovery.

It was emphasized that the US need to provide economic and military assistance to Greece and Turkey in order to prevent a revolution on the ground and resist Soviet expansion. The Truman Doctrine marked a major shift in the US foreign policy, from wartime cooperation with the USSR to all-out confrontation, and kicked off the Cold War.

Since then, the US and the USSR have launched fierce competition and confrontation in the political, economic, military, and other fields.

2.4. Aspects of the Cold War

2.4.1. The economic aspect

The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Plan, was a plan the US economic aid and reconstruction assistance for the war-torn countries of Western Europe after World War II. With the end of World War II, the contradictions between the US and the USSR gradually intensified, and the Cold War pattern began to take shape. The US believed that an economically and politically stable Western Europe was essential to contain Soviet expansion. By aiding Western Europe, the US could enhance the economic power and political stability of Western European countries, making them an important force against the USSR. On June 5, 1947, the US Secretary of State George Marshall delivered a speech at Harvard University, proposing a plan for European renaissance, known as the Marshall Plan. Key elements of the program include:

The US has provided a large amount of economic assistance to Europe, including financial, material, and technical support. Assistance can take the form of loans, grants, in-kind assistance, etc.

The focus of the assistance is to help European countries restore industrial production, rebuild infrastructure, promote agricultural development, etc. Through these measures, the European economy will be strengthened and its economic recovery will be promoted.

European countries are required to formulate a unified economic recovery plan and strengthen economic cooperation among countries. In this way, the US hopes to promote Europe's economic integration and enhance Europe's economic strength and stability. The Marshall Plan was seen as a strategic containment measure for the US against the USSR, intensifying the Cold War confrontation between the US and the USSR. The USSR was strongly opposed to the Marshall Plan and took a series of measures to counter the US influence.

The Marshall Plan also led to the division of Europe, forming a capitalist camp led by the US and a socialist camp led by the USSR.

The 1947 economic pact between the USSR and the Eastern European nations is commonly referred to as the Molotov Plan. Politically aligned with the USSR, Eastern European nations were cautious of the Marshall Plan due to Soviet influence. The Molotov Plan was created because the USSR needed to take action to increase its economic connections with Eastern Europe and solidify its power in the area. The program's primary objectives were the expansion of trade between Eastern European nations and the USSR and Soviet economic aid to the socialist nations of Eastern Europe. By signing trade agreements with Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, the USSR provided certain economic support and material assistance to these countries to help them recover and develop their economies.

This plan was the first counterattack made by the USSR against the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, which strengthened the economic ties between the USSR and Eastern Europe, helped the economic recovery and development of Eastern European countries to a certain extent, and laid the foundation for cooperation between the socialist camp in the economic field. However, there was a certain inequality in the economic cooperation between the USSR and the countries of Eastern Europe. The USSR tended to buy raw materials from Eastern European countries at lower prices and sell in the industrial products to them at higher prices, which to a certain extent affected the economic development of Eastern European countries [3].

2.4.2. The political aspect

The struggle between the ideologies of the Cold War between the US and the USSR was very fierce. The US is based on liberal ideas, which have their roots in the ideas of John Locke. The core is to emphasize individual freedom, believing that freedom is based on law and rooted in property and that the government should protect people's property rights and participation rights and other forms of freedom, and promote the free development of the market economy to measure the spread of freedom. This idea gradually developed into an expansive American-style liberalism, linking the expansion of American influence to the spread of freedom, and the belief that the US has the responsibility and obligation to promote its values throughout the world.

The ideological basis of the USSR was Marxism-Leninism, which pursued the ideals of socialism and communism, with the goal of eliminating exploitation and class oppression, realizing public ownership of the means of production, and allowing all the people to enjoy the fruits of social development. Emphasizing the leadership of the proletariat and the transformation and progress of society through class struggle, the socialist system is incomparably superior and will eventually replace the capitalist system on a global scale.

2.4.3. The culture aspect

American pop culture, such as Hollywood movies, pop music, fast food culture, etc., quickly spread around the world, and these cultural products not only brought commercial benefits, but also carried American values and lifestyles, and had an impact on the traditional culture of other countries. The cultural in the US has become an important tool for its ideological output, attracting the attention and pursuit of a large number of young people.

The USSR also has its characteristics and advantages in the field of culture, such as the USSR's literature, the music, dance, film and other art forms have a high level, reflecting the cultural outlook of the socialist country and the spiritual life of the people. The USSR showcased its cultural achievements to the world through cultural exchange activities and art exhibitions and confronted the cultural hegemony of the US [4].

The information war during the Cold War between the US and the USSR was a complex and highly influential field. The Voice of America (VOA) in the US and the Moscow Radio in the USSR were important tools in the propaganda war between the two sides. "Voice of America" broadcasts to the world in multiple languages, spreading American values, political ideals, and ways of life, while carrying out negative propaganda against the USSR, portraying the USSR as an authoritarian country that lacks democracy and freedom. For example, when reporting on the domestic affairs of the USSR, the so-called "control" of the Soviet government over the people was deliberately exaggerated, and the "unfree" state of Eastern European countries under the influence of the USSR was exaggerated.

Both the US and the USSR engaged in psychological warfare by distributing leaflets, producing propaganda posters, etc. In Eastern European countries, the USSR used propaganda posters to show the achievements of socialist construction and the happy life of the people, to strengthen the local people's sense of identity with socialism. The US, on the other hand, produced suggestive leaflets in an attempt to shake the faith of the Soviet bloc, depicting the affluent life of the West and the so-called opportunities for "free choice".

2.4.4. The military aspect

Both the US and the USSR vigorously developed space technology for intelligence gathering. The "Keyhole" series of reconnaissance satellites of the US and the "Cosmos" series of reconnaissance satellites of the USSR constantly monitored each other's military installations, in the industrial layouts, and other important targets. These satellites are capable of capturing high-resolution images to obtain information on the location of the opposing side's military bases, the deployment of equipment, and missile tests. For example, the US used satellite reconnaissance to know the location of Soviet missile silos in order to be able to respond quickly in times of crisis.

Both sides sent a large number of spy operatives to infiltrate each other's countries. Famous the US-Soviet spy networks such as the "Cambridge Five" have long been lurking in the British intelligence agencies and other Western camps, providing the USSR with a large amount of confidential information including military, political, scientific and technological aspects. The US also had many agents operating in the USSR and Eastern European countries, collecting information on the progress of Soviet military equipment research and development, political decision-making, and other information. To a certain extent, the intelligence obtained from these espionage activities has influenced the strategic decisions of both sides.

In the 80s of the 20th century, the Reagan administration in the US proposed the "Strategic Defense Initiative" (SDI), also known as the "Star Wars" program. This plan was mainly based on the strategic background of the Cold War between the US and the USSR at that time. The US, in the arms race with THE USSR, especially in the field of missile defense, hoped to gain absolute superiority through a forward-looking and strategic program.

The first is space-based weapon systems, which envisage the deployment of various US advanced weapons platforms in space orbit. For example, the deployment of high-energy laser weapons, which are capable of firing powerful laser beams at the speed of light, destroys the missile during the booster phase after launch. It also includes the deployment of particle beam weapons, which the US uses high-energy particle beams to attack incoming missiles with high energy and velocity that can destroy the missile's structure or internal electronics.

Creation of complex missile interception bases on land, armed with advanced interceptor missiles. These interceptor missiles were able to automatically track and hit incoming Soviet missiles based on information provided by radars and satellites. At sea, the US plans to equip warships with anti-missile systems, forming an all-round missile defense network. For example, the "Patriot" missile system is also an extension of the "Star Wars" program technology to a certain extent, and it demonstrated a certain missile interception capability in the Gulf War.

Finally, there is the early warning and surveillance system, which includes the establishment of a set of early warning and surveillance systems that include satellites, ground-based radars, and other means. Infrared early warning satellites deployed in space were able to detect the thermal signatures generated by Soviet missiles in time and raise alarms within minutes of launches. Large phased array radars on the ground can accurately track the trajectory of incoming missiles, providing accurate target information for interception systems.

However, the USSR reacted strongly to the Star Wars program. From a strategic point of view, this plan upset the original strategic balance between the US and the USSR. The USSR originally relied on a powerful nuclear missile force to form a balanced posture of "mutually assured destruction" (MAD) with the US, but the "Star Wars" program, if successfully implemented, would give the US the ability to intercept Soviet nuclear missiles, and the USSR's nuclear deterrence would be greatly reduced.

The USSR was forced to devote significant resources to coping. On the one hand, the USSR increased its investment in missile defense technology research in an attempt to develop technology capable of countering the US "Star Wars" program. For example, the USSR also accelerated the pace of research on its own laser weapons and anti-missile systems. On the other hand, the USSR had to maintain and upgrade its huge nuclear arsenal to ensure that it did not lag behind the US strategically, even though it was already facing many economic difficulties, which placed a heavy burden on the Soviet economy.

The "Star Wars" program further escalated the arms race between the US and the USSR. The two sides have invested huge sums of money in missile defense, space weapons, and other fields, which has led to the rapid development of military technology. This includes not only directly related areas such as missile interception technology and laser technology but also advances in many basic disciplines such as computer technology and materials science, whose results are critical to supporting advanced weapons systems.

To a certain extent, the collapse of the USSR was accelerated. The Soviet economy was already overwhelmed by the arms race with the US, and the emergence of the "Star Wars" program required the USSR to invest more resources in the military-technological competition. The USSR's inability to keep such high-intensity military competition for a long time under the difficulty of achieving substantial results in economic reform aggravated the USSR's domestic economic predicament and prompted the USSR to make more adjustments and concessions in its foreign and military strategy.

2.5. The theories of the international politics emerged during the Cold War

A series of theories of international politics emerged during the Cold War.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were first put forward by former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai at the end of 1953 when he received the Indian delegation as the basic principles to be followed in establishing normal relations exchanges and cooperation between countries.

Sovereignty is the supreme power of a country to independently handle internal and external affairs, and territorial integrity refers to the land, water, airspace and subsoil within the territorial boundaries of a country, which are an indivisible whole. All countries should respect each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, which is the basis and prerequisite for peaceful coexistence among countries. Any act that infringes upon the sovereignty of other countries and undermines the territorial integrity of other countries is a violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, such as historical colonial aggression and wars triggered by territorial disputes. States shall refrain in their relations with each other from aggression under any pretext, from the use of force or the threat of force against the sovereignty, independence or territorial integrity of another State by any other means contrary to international law, and from war as a means of settling international disputes. This principle is aimed at preventing the use of force or the threat of force between States to solve problems, to avoid the outbreak of war, and to maintain international peace and security. No country or group of countries has the right to interfere directly or indirectly in other countries for any reason, and it is not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including political, economic, cultural and other aspects, under any pretext. Every country has the right to independently determine its political system, economic model, social development path, etc., and other countries should respect its choice and refrain from arbitrary interference. This principle embodies respect for and protection of national sovereignty and is conducive to safeguarding the independence and autonomy of all countries. All countries should develop economic and cultural relations with each other based on equality and should follow the principles of consultation on an equal footing and mutual benefit when carrying out economic cooperation, trade exchanges, cultural exchanges and other activities, to achieve common development and common prosperity. This principle emphasizes the equal status of US of countries and the mutual benefit of cooperation, opposes the unequal behavior of bullying the weak with the strong and bullying the poor with the rich, and is conducive to promoting friendly cooperation and common progress among countries. States should coexist peacefully, interact peacefully and resolve disputes and conflicts among themselves in a peaceful manner. Countries with different social systems and levels of development should abandon the Cold War mentality and confrontational mentality, resolve differences and disputes through dialogue, consultation and other peaceful means, and jointly build a harmonious and stable international environment.

The Non-Aligned Movement is a loose international organization that has significant influence in the international political arena.

After World War II, the world formed a bipolar pattern of confrontation between the capitalist camp led by the US and the socialist camp led by the USSR. Many newly independent countries did not want to get involved in the whirlpool of the Cold War between the US and the USSR and hoped to maintain an independent position in international affairs. Yugoslav President Tito, Egyptian President Nasser and Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru are among the leading advocates of the Non-Aligned Movement. They actively propagate the idea of non-alignment in their international exchanges, emphasizing that emerging countries should develop their foreign relations independently and independently, and oppose joining any military bloc. Independence: It emphasizes that each member state should maintain an independent position in international affairs, decide its foreign policy and actions according to its interests and judgments, and not be dependent on any major power or group of powers. Non-alignment: Resolutely oppose joining any military alliance or signing bilateral military agreements with major powers, avoid getting involved in military conflicts and confrontations between major powers, and maintain world peace and stability. Non-bloc: Advocate that member states treat each other as equals and respect each other, do not form fixed political and economic blocs, and cooperate in flexible and diverse ways to jointly address global issues and challenges.

The rise and development of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has given strong support to the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America, accelerated the collapse of the colonial system, and created a favorable international environment for the birth and development of newly independent countries. With its independent and non-bloc purposes and principles, the Non-Aligned Movement has formed an independent political force in the bipolar pattern of the US and the USSR, which has constituted a certain constraint and impact on the hegemonism and power politics of the two superpowers, the US and the USSR, and to a certain extent changed the balance of power in the world political pattern.

The "Three Worlds Theory" was an important assertion of Mao Zedong's international landscape in the late 60s and early 70s of the 20th century, which had a profound impact on China's foreign policy at that time and later.

In the 70s of the 20th century, the world was in a period of great turmoil, great differentiation, and great reorganization. On the one hand, the arms race between the two superpowers, the US and the USSR, is escalating, and the struggle for world hegemony is becoming increasingly fierce. On the other hand, with the vigor of US development of national liberation movements, a large number of Asian, African, and Latin American countries have gained independence, and the status of US role of newly independent countries in the international arena has become increasingly prominent.

The first world refers to the US and the USSR, the two superpowers with the strongest military and economic power, which promote hegemony in the world.

The second world refers to the developed countries in between, such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, etc. These countries have a certain degree of economic and military strength, but their influence in international affairs is smaller than that of the US and the USSR, and they are controlled and influenced by the two superpowers of the US and the USSR to varying degrees, and at the same time they have a tendency to shake off the control of the superpowers and safeguard their independence and sovereignty.

The Third World refers to developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and other regions. These countries have vast territories, large populations, and abundant resources, but they have long been oppressed and exploited by colonialism and imperialism, and their economic development levels are relatively backward. After gaining independence, they are faced with the common task of developing the national economy and consolidating national independence, and they are the revolutionary driving force that pushes the world’s history forward.

The "Three Worlds Theory" divided the complex international political landscape at that time in a concise and clear way, enabling people to more clearly understand the status role of different countries in the international arena, as well as the interrelationship between them, and providing a new perspective and theoretical framework for analyzing and understanding international issues. The "Three Worlds Theory" stresses the important role of the third world countries in the struggle against hegemonism and calls on the second world countries to unite to jointly oppose the hegemonism of the two superpowers, the US and the USSR.

The Cold War mentality refers to a mode of thinking on international relations formed during the Cold War, which still has a profound impact on international relations for a long time after the end of the Cold War.

The Cold War mentality refers to the way of thinking of following the confrontational nature of the two major military and political blocs during the Cold War period in viewing and handling international relations. This mode of thinking emphasizes antagonism and conflict between countries, and sees the international community as an arena of a zero-sum game, where what one side gains necessarily means what the other loses.

The Cold War mentality emphasizes the division of the world into different camps, such as the capitalist camp and the socialist camp, based on ideology and social systems. It is believed that there is a fundamental conflict of interests between countries in different camps, and it is difficult to achieve true cooperation and peaceful coexistence.

We firmly believe that there is only competition and confrontation in international relations, and there is no possibility of win-win results. When dealing with international issues, they often only consider the gains and losses of their own interests or their own camps, ignore or sacrifice the interests of other countries, and pursue absolute security and superiority.

It attaches great importance to the building and the use of military forces and regards military deterrence and military confrontation as the main means of safeguarding national security and realizing national interests. The belief that only through a strong military force can ensure one's security and status US has led to an escalation of the arms race.

This mode of thinking emphasizes confrontation and competition, ignores the common interests and space for cooperation between countries, is not conducive to cooperation between countries in the economic, cultural and other fields, and hinders the development of the global economy and the progress of human society.

In order to further their own interests, some nations have adopted unilateralism and hegemonic acts and violated international order and rules due to the mindset of the Cold War. This has severely weakened international law and the fundamental principles governing international relations, as well as the power and function of the United Nations and other international organizations.

3. Discussion

3.1. The 1960s and before

Before the sixties, the Cold War between the US and the USSR had already begun and a series of major events had taken place.

3.1.1. The second Berlin Crisis

The second Berlin Crisis lasted from 1958 to 1961.After Gorbachev came to power, the USSR grew in strength and hoped to change the status US quo in Berlin. The USSR saw the Western presence in West Berlin as a threat to the security of East Germany and the USSR, as well as a challenge to Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.

West Berlin became a free city in November 1958 when the Soviet government wrote to the governments of the US, Britain, and France requesting that they remove their soldiers from the city within six months. Otherwise, the USSR would have handed over access to West Berlin to the East Germans. This demand was rejected by Western countries, and the crisis erupted.

A fierce diplomatic and military standoff ensued between the two sides. The USSR has strengthened its military preparations and Western countries have not backed down, and NATO has held a series of military exercises.

In 1961, tensions reached a climax. The East German government, with the support of the USSR, began the construction of the Berlin Wall, separating West Berlin from East Berlin and the territory of East Germany. This action effectively prevented the mass population migration of East German residents to West Berlin and became an important symbol of the Cold War.

The construction of the Berlin Wall temporarily eased tensions in Berlin, and although the crisis was not completely resolved, both the US and the USSR gradually realized the danger of military conflict. After that, the Berlin issue was temporarily stabilized, but the existence of the Berlin Wall was a stark sign of German division and Cold War confrontation until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and Germany reunited again.

The Berlin crisis is a typical embodiment of the geopolitical game between the US and the USSR in Europe during the Cold War, highlighting the fierce struggle between the two sides in the division of spheres of influence and ideological confrontation, and also reflecting Germany's special position and complex situation in the Cold War pattern.

3.1.2. The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the US and the USSR that shocked the world in 1962, and it was the most intense confrontation between the two superpowers of the US and the USSR during the Cold War, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.

In 1959, Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution succeeded and established a socialist regime. The US has always regarded Cuba as its "backyard" and is deeply disturbed by the socialist regime in Cuba, trying to overthrow the Cuban regime through economic sanctions, military threats and other means.

The USSR, out of strategic interests, wanted to establish military bases in the Western Hemisphere to counterbalance the missiles deployed by the US in places such as Eastern Europe and Turkey. Cuba's geographical proximity to the continental the US made it extremely strategically valuable to the USSR. Cuban leaders also wanted Soviet military protection against the American threat.

In 1962, the USSR began secretly deploying medium-range ballistic missiles and Il-28 bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads in Cuba. These missiles can strike large parts of the continental the US, including important cities such as Washington, D.C.

On October 22, Kennedy made a televised speech in which he declared a "quarantine" (effectively blockade) against Cuba, preventing the USSR from continuing to send military equipment to Cuba. The US Navy dispatched a large number of ships to form a blockade in the waters around Cuba. At the same time, the US has also raised its strategic nuclear forces to the highest level of alert, and the global the US military is in a state of high tension.

The USSR ultimately consented to remove its missiles from Cuba following protracted talks and compromises. Later, the US also secretly destroyed the missiles that had been placed in Turkey against the USSR and pledged not to invade Cuba. he crisis began to ease on October 28, 1962, after which the USSR began to gradually dismantle and transport missiles to Cuba.

The Cuban Missile Crisis made the US and the USSR profoundly aware of the danger of nuclear war. In the aftermath of the crisis, a hotline was established between the US and the USSR so that they could communicate directly in case of an emergency and avoid a nuclear conflict due to miscalculation. This also prompted the US and the USSR to be more cautious of US in their relations and began a series of negotiations on the limitation of nuclear weapons.

3.1.3. The Korean War

At the end of World War II, the US and the USSR occupied the north and south of the Korean Peninsula respectively along the 38th parallel by the Yalta Agreement. On August 15 and September 9, 1948, the Korean Peninsula was officially divided into two countries with the establishment of the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north.

After the division of the Korean Peninsula, both the North and the South regarded the reunification of the country and the nation as the primary goal of their administration, and both believed that it would be difficult to resolve the issue of reunification through peaceful means, so they began to prepare for the reunification by force.

After the beginning of the Cold War, the US and the USSR divided their spheres of influence on a global scale, and the Korean Peninsula became the main position of the US and the USSR in the struggle against each other in the East, and the confrontation between the two sides aggravated the tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The Korean War was an international war of considerable scale that took place after World War II, marking the beginning of a full-scale Cold War between the US and the USSR and opening the prelude to the Cold War in Northeast Asia. The war has further exacerbated the global Cold War pattern, made international relations more tense and complex, and prompted countries to re-examine their security strategies and the positioning of international relations.

3.1.4. The Vietnam War

At the beginning of the Cold War, the US saw Southeast Asia as an important region for the containment of communism. The US feared that a victory for communist forces in Vietnam would trigger a "domino effect" that would cause other countries in Southeast Asia to switch to the communist camp as well. With France's defeat in the Vietnam War, the US gradually increased its support for the South Vietnamese regime and began to intervene in Vietnamese affairs.

Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in August 1964, allowing President Johnson to respond to North Vietnam's "provocations" by any means, including the Using force, under the guise of the "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" (the US claimed that North Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked its warships in the Gulf of Tonkin).This provided the legal basis for the full involvement of the US in the Vietnam War.

After that, the U.S. military began a large-scale bombing of North Vietnam, while increasing its strength in South Vietnam. In March 1965, U.S. Marines landed in Da Nang, marking the official large-scale involvement of U.S. ground forces in the Vietnam War. At its peak, the number of U.S. troops reached more than 500,000.

On January 31, 1968, the North and South Vietnamese National Liberation Front launched the Tet Offensive. They launched surprise attacks on numerous US targets in South Vietnam, including cities such as Saigon. Although the Viet Cong army suffered heavy losses in the face of the U.S. counterattack, the offensive had a huge psychological and political impact, allowing the American people to see that the U.S. military did not achieve a real victory in the Vietnam War, but was mired in the quagmire.

The US invested enormous US human, material, and financial resources in the Vietnam War. The war killed more than 58,000 U.S. soldiers and wounded more than 300,000. The U.S. economy has also been negatively affected, with problems such as inflation. Moreover, the Vietnam War triggered a massive anti-war movement in the US, and society was deeply divided. The war has also damaged the image of the US internationally, making it more caution US in its military intervention abroad.

The Vietnam War exacerbated international tensions during the Cold War. It was a proxy war in the context of the Cold War between the US and the USSR, reflecting the fierce rivalry between the two camps in Southeast Asia. At the same time, the war has prompted some countries to re-examine their positions in the Cold War and their relations with the US.

3.2. The 1970s

3.2.1. Change of the Sino-Soviet relations

Sino-Soviet relations gradually deteriorated in the late 50s and 60s of the last century, a historical event that had a significant and far-reaching impact on the international political landscape and the development of both countries. The deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations will be described in detail below.

Sino-Soviet relations were relatively close in the early days, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, they maintained close alliance relations with the USSR. However, marked by the incident with long-wave radio stations and the Combined Fleet, cracks began to appear in the Sino-Soviet alliance. Beginning in the spring of 1958, Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated sharply, reaching the point of "irretrievability" by the summer of 1959. Since then, the open dispute between China and the USSR has escalated, and there have been multiple cycles of conflict and détente, but each cycle has worsened relations between the two countries and freed other communist countries from Soviet control to a certain extent. This apparent détente was a tactical ploy by both sides to weaken each other's position and win the support of other communist states.

First of all, there were differences between China and the USSR on the understanding of Marxism and the theory of the international communist movement. For example, there were differences in the perception of the Stalinist system, opinions on the national liberation movement and the revolutionary road, etc. Over time, these ideological differences gradually widened and became one of the important factors in the deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations.

And the great-power chauvinism of THE USSR clashed with China's national interests. The USSR, which had long regarded itself as the big brother, showed an unequal attitude toward Sino-Soviet relations, which made China unhappy. From the time the treaty was signed, the USSR regarded China as its "little brother", and this unequal relationship aroused China's resentment. In addition, the conflict of national interests is aggravated by the lack of harmony in relations with third countries. For example, during the Sino-Indian border conflict, the USSR adopted a policy of neutrality, which further intensified the Sino-Soviet contradictions [5].

3.2.2. The Brezhnev Doctrine

The Brezhnev Doctrine is an important political concept put forward by the USSR in a specific historical period and has had a significant impact on international relations.

In the late 60s-70s of the 20th century, the international situation changed significantly. The USSR gradually countered the US in terms of military power, and at the same time, some socialist countries in Eastern Europe also faced various US internal and external challenges. Against this background, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev put forward a series of policy propositions collectively known as the "Brezhnev Doctrine".

The theory of limited sovereignty holds that when the sovereignty of one socialist state is threatened, other socialist countries have the right to intervene. This proposition the US violates the sovereignty of other countries and undermines the basic principles of international relations.

The theory of international dictatorship emphasizes the leading position of the USSR in the international socialist movement and advocates "international dictatorship" over other socialist countries to ensure the unity and stability of the socialist camp.

The theory of the socialist family treats the socialist countries as one big family and emphasizes the central position and leading role of the USSR in this big family. The USSR had the right to intervene in the internal affairs of other socialist countries in order to safeguard the interests of the socialist family.

Under the banner of socialism and internationalism, Brezhnevism is actually hegemonism and has the US undermined the harmony of international relations. It led to tensions between the USSR and other countries, exacerbating the level of confrontation in the Cold War.

Under the influence of the Brezhnev Doctrine, some socialist countries in Eastern Europe lost part of their sovereignty and space for independent development. The USSR's intervention in the internal affairs of these countries provoked discontent and revolt in the countries of Eastern Europe.

Impact on the USSR itself: The Brezhnev Doctrine strengthened the USSR's military power and international standing to a certain extent, but it also imposed a heavy economic burden on the USSR. The USSR, in order to maintain its hegemony in Eastern Europe, had to invest significant resources, which further exacerbated the economic woes of the the USSR.

The Brezhnev Doctrine is a manifestation of hegemonism, which violates the basic principles of international relations and harms the interests of other countries. It also reflected the hegemonic mentality and expansionist tendencies of the USSR in international affairs [6].

3.2.3. The Nixon Doctrine

The Nixon Doctrine was an important symbol of the strategic contraction of the US in the late 60s and early 70s of the 20th century.

The Nixon Doctrine made the US pay more attention to cooperation with its allies, emphasizing the achievement of American strategic goals through partnership. Such policy adjustments will help ease anti-war sentiment in the US, and at the same time win more support for the US in international affairs.

The implementation of the Nixon Doctrine had a profound impact on the international landscape.The Nixon Doctrine was closely related to the international and domestic environment at that time and was also influenced by Nixon's factors, and was the product of the combination of historical inevitability and contingency. At the end of the 60s of the 20th century, the US was mired in the Vietnam War, and its national strength was relatively in decline. Internationally, the USSR's growing military power posed a challenge to the US; Domestically, popular discontent with the war was growing and calls for the government to reduce its foreign intervention. Under these circumstances, President Nixon made a large-scale adjustment of the US foreign policy and put forward the Nixon Doctrine to make the US' foreign relations commensurate with its national strength.

Nixon outlined several concepts in an unofficial press conference in Guam in 1969. These were first referred to as the "Guam Doctrine" and then the "Nixon Doctrine," which was eventually summed up as "Partner, Strength, and Negotiation."

The US has ceased its commitment to deploy ground troops in Asia during the conflict, instead encouraging its Asian allies to enhance their military strength. While the US will maintain air and naval support as well as nuclear deterrence, it will no longer engage in combat on behalf of Asian nations. President Nixon formulated a realistic "balance of power diplomacy strategy," put forward the "Nixon Doctrine," and vigorously pursued balance of power diplomacy with modern connotations. The core of the Nixon administration's global balance of power diplomacy was to establish a multipolar world pattern based on the relative balance of strength of the five major power centers of the US, the USSR, China, Western Europe, and Japan, and to use multilateral forces to balance the expansion of the USSR and safeguard the interests of the US to the greatest extent.

The Nixon Doctrine was an adjustment of the containment strategy that the US has been pursuing since the Cold War, and it is a sign of the US strategic contraction. To a certain extent, it has lightened the external burden of the US, and at the same time, it has also created conditions for the US to seek a new balance and interests in international affairs.

President Nixon's trip to China marked a significant turning point in the global strategic landscape following World War II. This visit led to several shifts in the relationships among China, the US, and the USSR, as well as between the East and the West, and within the Western world. The new international relations framework that emerged from these changes persisted for two decades, lasting until the conclusion of the Cold War [7].

3.2.4. The Afghanistan War

The war in Afghanistan is a major military conflict that has lasted for many years and has far-reaching implications

Afghanistan is located in the heart of Asia, connecting the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Its strategic location has led to a high degree of attention from major powers. For the USSR, Afghanistan has traditionally been seen as a barrier to the entry of external forces into the heart of Central Asia. As for the US, after 9/11, control of Afghanistan could achieve its goal of establishing a military presence in the heart of Eurasia, trying to contain and block other countries in all directions.

Central Asia is predominantly Muslim and has relatively close ties with Muslim communities from the outside world. The Soviet authorities had a rigid perspective on the religious US and ethnic matters, leading to a conflict of ideas with the Muslim communities in Central Asia. Additionally, there were concealed national security threats in the region. As a result, the USSR was particularly attuned to ethnic and religious US concerns in Central Asia, and the circumstances in Afghanistan significantly influenced the security landscape in the area.

After a brief détente in the early 70s, the US and the USSR entered a new round of confrontation; After the Khomeini Revolution in Iran, the pattern of the Islamic world underwent major changes, and the original balance of power in the Middle East was broken, which indirectly caused turmoil in the situation around the USSR. The combination of these factors reinforced the USSR's concerns about the security situation in Central Asia and further highlighted the importance of Afghanistan to the USSR. After 9/11, the US launched the war in Afghanistan under the pretext of fighting terrorism, with the goal of overthrowing the Taliban regime and eliminating al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan.

The main participants were the Soviet Army and the Afghan Resistance. The USSR sent troops to Afghanistan out of consideration for its geopolitical interests and the security situation in Central Asia.

In 1979, the USSR sent troops to Afghanistan. Soviet troops quickly captured major Afghan cities and communication arteries in the early stages of the war, but then became bogged down in guerrilla warfare by the Afghan resistance. The Soviet war in Afghanistan lasted almost a decade and brought enormous US destruction and casualties to Afghanistan.

The USSR's war in Afghanistan consumed a lot of human, material and financial resources, exacerbated the economic and political crisis in the USSR, and had a certain impact on the disintegration of the USSR[8].

3.2.5. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US is a major event in the history of international relations and has had a profound impact on the world pattern. During Nixon's visit to China, the leaders of China and the US held extensive and in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and international affairs, laying the foundation for the normalization of Sino-the US relations.

China and the US formally established diplomatic relations. The event marked the end of 30 years of hostility between China and the US and the normalization of political relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, trade, culture, science and technology have been continuous strengthened.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US has brought tremendous US opportunities for the economic development of the two countries. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, trade between the two countries has been increasing, and investment cooperation has become increasingly close. The economic cooperation between China and the US has not only promoted the economic growth of both sides but also made important contributions to the development of the world economy.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US has promoted exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, education, science and technology. Scholars, artists, students, and other personnel of the two countries have frequently come and gone, which has enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US has enhanced the state US of China and the US in international affairs. As the largest developing country and the largest developed country in the world, the two countries play an important role in international affairs. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US, cooperation between the two countries in international organizations has been continuous strengthened, and positive contributions have been made to safeguarding world peace, stability and development.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US is an important symbol of the major adjustment of China's international strategy in the early 70s of the last century, and it is also a major event that changes the international strategic pattern. Since China and the US established diplomatic relations, the global landscape has slowly shifted from a bipolar structure to a multipolar one.

The establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the US has significantly contributed to global peace and stability. As leading nations, both China and the U.S. have a crucial role in international matters. Since their diplomatic relations began, the two countries have consistently enhanced their cooperation in global affairs, positively impacting the maintenance of world peace, stability, and development. Additionally, their exchanges and collaboration in economic, cultural, scientific, and technological areas have been strengthened over time, further advancing globalization. China and the U.S. are key players in this process and have made substantial contributions to the growth of the global economy. "

3.3. The 1980s and after

3.3.1. The Carter Doctrine

The Carter Doctrine is an important foreign policy proposed by the US in a specific historical period.

At the end of the 70s of the 20th century, the international situation changed significantly. There was a revolution in Iran, and the pro-American Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown; The USSR invaded Afghanistan. These events have seriously threatened The US interests in the Middle East. Against this background, The US President Jimmy Carter proposed the Carter Doctrine.

The Carter Doctrine declares that any attempt by external forces to control the Persian Gulf region will be seen as an infringement of vital US interests and that the US will retaliate by all necessary means, including military force. This policy makes clear the importance that the US attaches to the Persian Gulf region and its determination to safeguard its interests in the region.

The Carter administration has established a strong military security presence in the Persian Gulf region. This initiative is aimed at ensuring that the US can take swift military action if necessary to protect the region's oil resources, as well as American interests.

After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Carter administration declared the "Carter Doctrine" and imposed a series of measures against the USSR. For example, Carter gradually abandoned the policy of "détente" and shifted to a hardline policy toward the USSR that emphasized "based on strength," and in the last year of his term of office, he re-expanded arms spending, developed new types of weapons, increased the defense budget, and formally abandoned his disarmament policy.

The Carter Doctrine laid the groundwork for a more aggressive military policy of the Reagan administration. Since then, the US has become more inclined to use military force in international affairs to protect its own interests.

The Carter Doctrine emphasized the importance that the US attached to the oil resources of the Middle East, and this policy orientation has occupied an important position in subsequent The US foreign policy.

The Carter Doctrine exacerbated tensions between the US and the USSR. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan had already worsened relations between the US and the USSR, and the introduction of the Carter Doctrine had further exacerbated this tension.

The Carter Doctrine has made the Persian Gulf region the focus of international attention, and the interests of various US countries in the region have become more complicated [9].

3.3.2. The Reagan Doctrine

The Reagan Doctrine is a diplomatic strategy that was formed during the Reagan administration in the US.

In the early days of the Reagan administration, the US was at a disadvantage and on the defensive in the struggle for hegemony between the US and the USSR. This situation seriously irritated Reagan, who was known as the "cold fighter."

Reagan, as a typical representative of the American neoconservatives, was strongly influenced by neoconservative ideas. These ideas had an important impact on the formulation and implementation of the Reagan administration's foreign policy.

The Reagan Doctrine was multifaceted, the core of which was a counter-attack on the USSR in the Third World.

The "low-intensity war" strategy is a core element of the Reagan Doctrine, formulated in response to conflicts in the Third World. The strategy is being implemented in several countries, such as Nicaragua, Grenada, Libya and Afghanistan. Methods of implementation include direct military invasion, support for insurgents, counter-terrorism, etc.

The Reagan Doctrine relied mainly on military means, while human rights diplomacy was mainly political, and the close cooperation between the two constituted an important tool for the Reagan regime and the USSR to compete for the Third World.

The Reagan Doctrine played an important role in restoring the US' dominant position in the world vis-à-vis the USSR, and to a certain extent, promoted the transformation of the USSR, and played a role in promoting the end of the Cold War in the future.

The Reagan administration's Third World policy had its gains and losses, but the losses outweighed the gains, and it had an important impact on the subsequent foreign policy of the US [10].

3.3.3. The Gorbachev's reform

Gorbachevism is a collection of ideas and policies that emerged in the USSR in a specific historical period, which had a significant and far-reaching impact on the development of the USSR.

Gorbachev's "humane, democratic socialism" is widely regarded by academic circles as one of the important cause of the collapse of the USSR. This guiding ideology portrayed the one-party ruling Communist Party of the USSR as a representative of "totalitarianism" and advocated the abolition of the legal ruling state US of the CPSU and the introduction of a multi-party system. This proposition deviates from the basic principles and requirements of scientific socialism, and the theory of political pluralism advocated by it is essentially a capitalist political program, aimed at overthrowing the ruling position of the Communist Party of the USSR.

After Gorbachev took over the Kremlin, he proposed a new strategy to accelerate socio-economic development. However, because the "acceleration strategy" failed to grasp the key of the irrational economic structure, violated the law of the development of the productive forces of the USSR, and followed the old road of an extensive catch-up strategy, the economic reform was full of difficulties, and finally it was declared a failure and replaced by humane and democratic socialism. Capitalist private ownership and the market economy, which were put forward as the goals of reform, are an integral part of Gorbachev's humane, democratic, and socialist line, and are a reflection of the basic values of humane, democratic, and socialist socialism in the economic sphere. The economic reform carried out by Gorbachev broke the highly centralized planning and management system of the central government, but he did not really turn to a market economy, and the economic reform went from "idling" to chaos, deepening the economic crisis, and finally directly leading to the disintegration of the USSR.

"Renewing the CPSU" was an important part of Gorbachev's reform in the USSR, and it was an attempt by the CPSU to redeem itself in to regain its life, rejuvenate itself, and fulfill its mission, but the result was that the Soviet party and state embarked on the road of no return. This historical fact tells the US that reform is the source of the ruling party's vitality and vitality, and it is also a profound and extensive "revolution" and a historical process, which needs to be carried out step by step and in an orderly manner. The ruling party the US remains sober-minded in the course of reform, strengthens its convictions, has a clear goal, and shoulders the heavy responsibility of history.

Under the banner of "theoretical innovation", Gorbachev distorted and dismembered Marxism, denied its class position and political goals, carried out abstract humanist interpretations, and preached the "obsolescence" of Marxism, which fundamentally deviated from the theoretical essence of Marxism. Gorbachev's ideological transformation reflects the major defects in the ideological and theoretical construction of the CPSU for a long time and provides the US with a negative teaching material for promoting the modernization of Marxism today.

After Brezhnev came to power, he adjusted some of the policies of the Gorbachev period, and then comprehensively implemented the new economic system. But soon after, the Soviet political system regressed, economic reforms tended to stagnation, and the economic situation deteriorated. When Gorbachev came to power, he tried to solve serious US economic problems through fundamental reforms.

Since the 80s of the 20th century, neoliberal ideas in the context of globalization have spread around the world. Through the analysis of the subjects and receptors of neoliberal globalization, the international community background of Gorbachev's media liberalization reform is explained. Problems arose in the Soviet media system during the Gorbachev perestroika period, on the one hand, the path dependence of the system led to the misconception and goals of Gorbachev's media reform.

A series of policies and ideas of Gorbachev led to the collapse of the USSR. The political reform of the multi-party system weakened the leadership position of the CPSU, the failure of the economic reform plunged the economy into chaos, the distortion of Marxism, and the improper handling of the national question aggravated social contradictions. These factors combined to lead to the collapse of the USSR [11].

3.3.4. The INF Treaty

The INF Treaty was an important arms control treaty signed by the US and the USSR during the Cold War, which had a major impact on global strategic stability.

One of the most obvious features of the confrontation between the East and the West in the Cold War was the arms race, and nuclear missiles were an important part of the arms race. By the 80s of the 20th century, the US and the USSR had an astonishing number of nuclear warheads, including a large number of tactical ones. Maintaining large nuclear arsenals imposes a heavy financial burden on both countries, and negotiations on nuclear disarmament have never stopped.

The Soviet leader at the time, Mikhail Gorbachev, was the first to make concessions when he came to power. On December 8, 1987, the US and the USSR signed the U.S.-Soviet Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles in Washington, D.C., which stipulates that the two countries will no longer possess, produce, or test land-based cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with a range of 500 km to 5,500 km.

A short-range missile is defined as having a range greater than or equal to 500 km but not exceeding 1000 km.

The INF Treaty plays an important role in the history of international arms control and is an important cornerstone of global military security and stability. It arose during the Cold War between the US and the USSR as an arms control treaty signed to prevent an endless nuclear arms race. After the signing of the agreement, the tension between the US and the USSR was adjusted, and it had a positive impact on the relations between the US and the USSR, and the global strategic balance and stability between the US and the USSR after the Cold War was maintained.

The failure of the "US-Soviet Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range Missiles and Intermediate-Range Missiles" has dealt a heavy blow to the already fragile international arms control system and has hurt the strategic stability of the US and Russia and global military security. International arms control cooperation and global military security urgently need to reconstruct a new arms control system.

The failure of the INF Treaty could plunge Europe and NATO into crisis. Russia's non-compliance and the U.S. decision to withdraw could spark a new missile deployment debate that could put NATO's European members in a difficult position. The Kremlin is likely to use these differences to weaken NATO, and Europe needs to take action, consider military and diplomatic options, and build a new arms control framework.

3.3.5. The Eastern European upheaval

The Eastern European upheaval was a series of major political changes that took place in the socialist countries of Eastern Europe in the late 80s and early 90s of the 20th century.

After the end of World War II, after a short period of exploration of the road of people's democracy, the Eastern European countries quickly started the historical process of the USSR's model due to the evolution of the international and domestic situation. For Eastern European countries, the Soviet-modeled path to socialism could have some short-term results, such as helping to quickly restore the economy and stabilize social order in the early post-war period. In the long term, however, the Soviet-modeled Eastern European countries faced several adverse reactions.

The countries of Eastern Europe were overly dependent on the USSR economically, implemented a planned economic system, and lacked the regulation of the market mechanism, resulting in an imbalanced economic structure, low labor productivity, and the inability of the national economic sector to complete the plan. For example, the contradiction between supply and demand in the market is prominent, there is a shortage of daily consumer goods, poor export performance, a shortage of foreign exchange, high debts, and soaring prices.

Politically, there is a highly centralized system, there is a lack of democracy and supervision mechanisms, bureaucracy is the US, and corruption is a breeding problem. Although the ruling parties of the later Eastern European countries were deeply aware of the specific conditions of this model itself and a series of shortcomings of its own, and at the same time deeply felt the strong resistance to the promotion of the domestic socialist system, they hoped to change the reality through reform. However, the "inertia" of the development model was so great that the domestic situation was so difficult to return, the reforms did not touch the model itself, and the external interference of the USSR finally made the ruling parties unable to recover from their development trends.

In recent years, the economic growth of the USSR and Eastern European countries has been slow, and last year the economies of some Eastern European countries even experienced negative growth. The economic structure is out of balance, and labor productivity is low, which cannot meet the growing material and cultural needs of the people.

Eastern European countries are facing great difficulties in the process of economic transformation, abandoning the Soviet model and embracing the Western model, but the Western model is difficult to establish in time, and even if it is established, it is difficult for Eastern European countries to catch up with the Western European countries that have already adopted the Western model.

In light of the evident issues at home, the communist parties in Eastern European nations attempted to implement reforms, but they were unable to regain control. The internal opposition and the "reformers" within the parties took precedence, leading to the communist parties in Eastern Europe being unable to resolve the crisis, resulting in their removal from power and their evolution into social democratic parties. The outbreak of upheaval in Eastern Europe itself has a great irrational component, so after the society has passed the climax of the upheaval, the people will gradually calm down and reflect rationally. After reflection, a part of the public regretted the complete rejection of the old system, which had existed for about 40 years, in period.

The policy of peaceful evolution of Western countries has played a role in fueling the drastic changes in Eastern Europe. Successive US administrations have pursued a policy of "evolution" to bring the countries of Eastern Europe away from the Soviet bloc and eventually abandon socialism. This policy determined that during the Cold War, many political, economic, and even cultural exchanges between the US and Eastern Europe had an "evolving" political purpose.

Changes in the international situation have also had an impact on the upheavals in Eastern Europe. In the late 80s and early 90s of the 20th century, the international political landscape underwent significant changes, the influence of the USSR gradually weakened, and the countries of Eastern Europe lost external support.

The communist parties of Eastern European countries collapsed one after another, the country changed color, and the regime changed hands. The three Baltic states declared their independence, the USSR was in political turmoil, and the country collapsed. All this marked the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and the end of the Cold War.

Eastern European countries have moved closer to the West and implemented multiparty systems and parliamentary democracies, and fundamental changes have taken place in their political systems.

Eastern European countries are facing enormous US difficulties in the process of economic transformation, with slow economic growth, rising unemployment, and severe inflation.

Different Eastern European countries are affected differently by factors such as their exchange rate regimes, their dependence on foreign currency loans, and the adequacy of fiscal and monetary policies before the crisis.

After the collapse of the USSR, the world pattern has undergone earth-shaking changes, and the original bipolar pattern of the Cold War period has been broken, forming a new pattern of "one superpower and many powers."

3.4. Impacts of the Cold War

As an important historical stage in the second half of the 20th century, the Cold War had an extremely far-reaching impact on the world.

Firstly, the political aspect.

The Cold War led to a confrontation between the capitalist camp led by the US and the socialist camp led by the USSR, forming a bipolar pattern. This pattern has led to political tensions in the world, with countries taking sides between the two camps. In Europe, for example, many countries became members of NATO or the Warsaw Pact, and their foreign policies and military strategies were influenced by the two superpowers.

Throughout the Cold War, the rivalry between the US and the USSR created significant strain in international relations. Both nations participated in geopolitical struggles worldwide, resulting in numerous US regional conflicts and crises. A notable instance is the Cuban Missile Crisis, which nearly escalated into a nuclear war, the world on the edge of catastrophe. The Cold War also promoted the development of national independence movements to a certain extent. Many colonial and semi-colonial countries took advantage of the contradictions between the US and the USSR to fight for national independence and liberation. For example, many countries in Africa and Asia emerged from colonial rule and became independent states during this period.

Secondly, the economic aspect.

The Cold War led to the fragmentation of the world economic system. The capitalist camp formed a market economy system centered on the US, while the socialist camp established a planned economic system. The two economic systems are pitted against each other, and trade and economic exchanges are restricted. For example, there was little trade between THE USSR and Western countries, and the two sides blocked each other economically.

Science and technology competition: During the Cold War, the science and technology competition between the US and the USSR promoted the rapid development of science and technology. The two sides have invested a lot of resources in the fields of aerospace, military technology, and nuclear energy, and have made many major scientific and technological achievements. For example, the first human landing on the moon was the result of the space race between the US and the USSR.

To expand their influence, both the US and the USSR provided economic assistance to their allies and spheres of influence. The US helped European countries recover their economies through the Marshall Plan, while the USSR provided assistance to Eastern European countries and some Third World countries. To a certain extent, this economic assistance has contributed to the economic development of the recipient countries.

Thirdly, the military aspect

During the Cold War, there was a large-scale military race between the US and the USSR. The two sides are increasing their military spending and developing nuclear, conventional and military technologies. This arms race puts the world in a state of highly tense military confrontation and increases the risk of war.

In order to confront each other, the US and the USSR established military alliances respectively. The creation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact made Europe the frontier of the Cold War, and the military strategy and foreign policy of various US countries revolved around these two military alliances.

During the Cold War, the proliferation of military technology also had an impact on the world. Some countries have increased their military power by acquiring military technology from the US and the USSR. At the same time, the proliferation of military technology also increases the likelihood of regional conflicts.

Fourthly, cultural aspects

The Cold War was a contest of ideologies, capitalism and socialism, in which two ideologies were opposed. This ideological antagonism has influenced the cultural, educational, and social values of countries. For example, in Western countries, anti-communism became the dominant ideology, while in socialist countries, Marxism and socialist values were widely disseminated.

During the Cold War, cultural exchanges between East and West were greatly restricted. The two sides blockade each other's cultural products and restrict the movement of people. However, some cultural exchanges still take place through clandestine channels, such as the underground transmission of literary works and the exchange of artists.

Despite the restrictions on cultural exchange during the Cold War, some countries have maintained their own cultural identity. For example, European countries still maintained their rich cultural traditions during the Cold War, while some Third World countries are also trying to develop their own national cultures.

Fifthly, the global pattern

In the later period of the Cold War, with the rise of Europe and Japan, as well as the development of third world countries, the trend of multi-polarization in the world gradually emerged. This trend of multi-polarization has been further developed since the end of the Cold War, making the world pattern more diversified.

The end of the Cold War marked a major realignment of the international order. The bipolar pattern is disintegrating, and a new international order is taking shape. All countries are seeking their own state US and interests in the new international order, and profound changes have taken place in the international political and economic pattern [12].

4. Conclusion

Peace is the mainstream of the world, and the national policy of peaceful development should be adhered to.

During the Cold War, although the two superpowers of the US and the USSR did not directly break out into large-scale hot war conflicts, the global situation was shrouded in the haze of nuclear deterrence for a long time. The two sides are engaged in a frantic arms race, with tens of thousands of nuclear warheads, enough to destroy the planet several times. As a result of this tense confrontation, countries around the world have been forced to take sides, the international community has been split into two camps, international trade has been blocked, and economic development has been sluggish.

Adhering to the national policy of peaceful development is the only way for the country to become prosperous US and strong, and for the people to move towards happiness and well-being. On the one hand, a peaceful and stable domestic environment attracts a large amount of foreign investment and creates jobs. On the other hand, China upholds the concept of peace in the international arena, actively participates in peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief, and establishes a good international image.

War and confrontation can only bring great catastrophe to humanity.

In the shadow of the Cold War between the US and the USSR, the local hot war has never stopped. In the Korean War and the Vietnam War, countless lives were lost, cities were reduced to rubble, and people were displaced. The pain caused by the war is not only reflected in the casualties and material damage, but also the heavy damage to the social order and people's hearts, and the fragmentation of families; The economies of the countries participating in the war are in trouble, and the development gains accumulated over the years are ruined.

From a more macro perspective, the arms race triggered by the Cold War consumed enormous US resources. Funds that should have been the used to improve people's livelihoods, develop education and health care, and clean up the environment have been invested in endless weapons research and development. During the Cold War, the annual military expenditure of the US and the USSR as a proportion of GDP remained high for a long time, resulting in lagging development in the field of people's livelihood and social contradictions.