Tag: Cold War

Ukraine: why supply of US and German tanks echoes cold war

Ukraine: why supply of US and German tanks echoes cold war

by | Mar 21, 2023 | | 0

Reading time: 5 minutes
The export of German and US tanks to Ukraine is not without risk, both real and symbolic. In purely military terms, well-trained, well-led and motivated Ukrainian tank crews operating the Leopard 2 or M1 Abrams will be better protected, have better firepower and be more manoeuvrable than their Russian counterparts. Provided the Ukrainians can cope with the fact that they will need different ammunition, spare parts and possibly fuel they can make a difference, significantly enhancing Ukraine’s capability to defend its territory.

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The R1 – South African Bush Rifle

The R1 – South African Bush Rifle

by | Aug 22, 2022 | | 0

Reading time: 9 minutes
In the wake of the rise of the Soviet Union’s AK-47 and the USA’s litany of rifles during the Cold War, South Africa needed a modern automatic service rifle. After trialling several different guns, the South African government settled on the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle. As a result, the “Rifle R1” was born – the bush gun of Southern Africa.

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The Story of the AK-47: The World’s Most Famous and Deadliest Rifle

The Story of the AK-47: The World’s Most Famous and Deadliest Rifle

by | Aug 8, 2022 | | 0

Reading time: 7 minutes
The AK-47 is perhaps one of the most recognizable automatic rifles in the world. This simple gun, produced by Mikhail Kalashnikov, was initially intended to replace the somewhat ineffective weapons carried by Soviet forces. However, it quickly became the weapon of choice during most conflicts following the Second World War. But, how did this weapon become the most famous and deadliest rifle in the world?

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A Cuban Catastrophe: The Bay of Pigs Invasion

A Cuban Catastrophe: The Bay of Pigs Invasion

by | Jul 16, 2022 | , | 0

Reading time: 11 minutes
The 1959 Cuban Revolution resulted in rule by a communist regime under Fidel Castro. This period also saw counter-revolutionaries forming anti-Castro movements, complicating the already tumultuous political landscape. In 1961 the United States would intervene with a force made up of Cuban exiles, the infamous ‘Bay of Pigs’ invasion.

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Dag Hammarskjöld: a defiant pioneer of global diplomacy who died in a mystery plane crash

Dag Hammarskjöld: a defiant pioneer of global diplomacy who died in a mystery plane crash

by | Feb 17, 2022 | | 0

Reading time: 5 minutes
The idea of a global institution has captivated thinkers since Immanuel Kant in the 18th century. But a body set up to create and maintain world peace and security needs the right people to make it work. When the United Nations was created in 1945, old sentiments — seen in the disbanded League of Nations — threatened to prevail. Would the UN and its leadership simply comply with the great powers of the day?

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Domino Theory and U.S. Foreign Policy

Domino Theory and U.S. Foreign Policy

by | Dec 14, 2021 | , | 0

Reading time: 4 minutes
When looking at the cold war and the way the United States went about its foreign policy, you can’t escape the influence of the so-called domino theory. This belief, a common one in American’s halls of power, stated that if one country fell to communism, the surrounding ones would, too. Was there any truth in this theory, though, or was it more scare mongering?

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Cuba without Fidel: Five Years Later

Cuba without Fidel: Five Years Later

by | Nov 25, 2021 | | 0

Reading time: 6 minutes
For nearly 60 years, and for better or for worse, Fidel Castro was Cuba; at least he fancied himself as such, and the Communist Party which he largely governed with total control, never questioned this image. But what about the Cuban people? Did they really view Fidel as a “modern day Simon Bolivar”, and their one defender against American imperialism?

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