Cold War era

ather than a single military conflict, the “cold war” is a term used to describe the shifting struggle for power and military strength between the Western powers, including the United States, and the Communist bloc, primarily the Soviet Union, from the end of World War II until the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

This period of East-West competition and tension fell short of full-scale war, and instead was characterized by mutual perceptions of hostile intention between military-political alliances, or blocs, competition for influence in third world countries, and a major superpower arms race. The cold war period is characterized by the American foreign policy principles of internationalism, as executed in the formation of alliances with other world powers in an effort to ensure the world’s collective peace; “containing” the threat of communism as posed by the Soviet Union’s increasing reach into Eastern Europe; and military deterrence, building the military strength of America and its allies in an effort to deter an attack from the Soviet Union.

                     

Joy of Self-publishing

I was born and raised in Hungary in Eastern Europe, during the communist era. In 2001, I arrived in the United States, where I cherish democracy and freedom.


Let me tell you a story… I was twenty years old when I went to a tourist trip to Austria, the neighboring country of Hungary. It was the first time in my life that I traveled outside communism. My head was full of pre-suggested ideas.

In the small baroque town of Gmunden, in the youth hostel, I met a young American. We discussed the United States and he explained me with proud how open the American society is. I did not understand the meaning. I answered with self-assurance: "The American society was open one hundred years ago! Nowadays, the classes are settled, society organized and America is as like all the others, directed by money and capital!"

The young man, surprised, contemplated me with seriousness. He answered with the same certainty and self-assurance: "America is still a country of opportunity, where all is possible!" I was dazzled. This simple sentence shook all the twenty years of instruction and education, everything I had heard and knew about America. The young man was of my age. For him, everything was possible…

I went back to Hungary, but in my spirit, this encounter changed something that I could not even express at this time.

Thirty years are gone… Today, I live in Los Angeles. When I had the first printed exemplar of my book in my hands, particular emotions shook my soul. Suddenly, the smiling face of that young American appeared before my tears filled eyes. How right he was! America is still a country of opportunity, where everything is possible.

With my book, I would like to remember my readers of the Berlin Airlift, when Americans and Europeans were protecting side-by-side democracy and freedom.

Why Did the Berlin Airlift Occur?

The Berlin Airlift occurred after World War 2. When Germany surrendered, the four major countries of the Allies were placed in charge as occupation forces. The four countries were USA, Britian, France and Russia. The country was divided up into sectors and placed under the control of each country and the capitol city of Berlin was also divided. Later, Russia began to isolate the territories under their rule, including other border countries. This divided Germany and eventually Russia erected a wall that was known as the "Iron Curtain" along the border.

Since the city of Berlin was within the region occupied by Russia, the sectors of the city that was under the rule of US, Britian and France were cut off from the other regions of Germany to the west, which still had some freedom. The Soviet Prime Minister wanted to exert complete control, so he closed the only road that connected the part of Berlin that was free from the remaining West Germany. The US and the other allies didn't want Russia to take complete control over Berlin, so they sent food and supplies into Berlin by air---thus the Berlin Airlift.

Eventually, Russia gave in and re-opened the road.