[Calliope]: 216.Essays.Spheres of Influence

Sphere’s of Influence

  The two views of spheres of influence are as contradictory as two opposing perspectives can be. On the supportive side, people believe it reduces tensions and helps global stability. On the opposing side, people say the spheres do create tensions. They believe erecting spheres is like erecting a challenge for other nations while at the same time suppressing smaller states. Spheres of influences completely disregard national self-determination while promoting extreme nationalism and removing the international components. They create tension points usually through proxy wars that result in the death of innocents and draw countries in that are otherwise uninvolved. The negative consequences of spheres of influence’s far outweigh the positive aspects. If they truly accomplished relieving tensions and promoting international relationships they would be fine, but that is not the case. The Cold War can be summed up in the following simple quote “There are now two great nations in the world, which starting from different points, seem to be advancing toward the same goal: the Russians and the Anglo-Americans. . . . Each seems called by some secret design of Providence one day to hold in its hands the destinies of half the world.” Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1835).

  Throughout the entire cold war, nations were vulnerable solely because of their geographical positions. Some countries were classified as ‘tension points’  and manipulated by either superpower so that they would be able to hold the opposition in place. Turkey was used this way when America installed ICBM’s so that major Soviet cities were within range. Cuba was used for the same purpose in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis when Khrushchev had missile bases constructed on the island and was able to target all major American cities. Because of these two cases, lives were lost. In Cuba, the Bay of Pigs offense was a complete failure for the US. Castro was able to retain his hold on the power he had gained by removing Batista and is still the leader of the communist state today. He also continued to receive support (mainly monetary) from the Soviet Union up until it began to disintegrate in the late 1980’s. Even now, there is no relationship between America and Cuba. Cuba was assumed to be in the American sphere of influence and when it became communist, the world realized spheres of influence mean very little, especially in war.

  Besides nations corrupt by tension points, there were nations that were suppressed. Before World War II, Eastern Europe was a democratic region. The newly created states were democracies while the older states were beginning to lean towards more democratic options. That all changed after Hitler’s rise, the Holocaust, and the ‘liberation’ of Eastern Europe by the Soviet Union. Eastern nations were now within the USSR’s sphere of influence and proceeded directly to becoming communist regimes under the Soviet leader, Stalin. Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, etc. they were all reformed to communism. Even today, these nations bear the mark of the decades spent in the Soviet sphere of influence.

  There were rebellions planned in the suppressed states. Hungary was the site of a revolution in 1956 which turned into a blood bath when it was quickly crushed by Khrushchev . A similar uprising occurred in Czechoslovakia and was labeled the ‘Prague Spring’. There was a major difference between the two revolutions however. In Hungary, Nagy was eliminated and the revolt disbanded, in Czech. Tito was not killed and hope lived on in many people’s hearts. Still, no liberties were granted to the satellite states until Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union and invoked his two policies, glasnost and perestroika. These allowed for more ‘openness’ in politics and more economic pursuits for the people. They were also the downfall of Gorbachev and the USSR.

  Being suppressed and used by the superpowers weren’t all that nations had to be concerned about. Many countries that neighboured nations fallen to communism became victims of democratic states, mainly America. The ‘Domino Theory’, a concept developed by Dwight Eisenhower was a crucial motivator for the US. Their policy of containment led to the occupation of bordering countries as well as violent searches. Laos and Cambodia, nations bordering Vietnam, became victims during the Vietnam War. They were bombed extensively through a variety of different methods. Carpet bombing, chemical weapons, and napalm were all used in America’s quest to find the Ho Chi Min trail. This was the supply route carrying munitions and information from North Vietnam to Vietcong groups in the south. America also attempted to prevent Laos and Cambodia from becoming communist along with Vietnam. They sent in political advisors and occupied the countries in an effort of enforcing containment. Unfortunately, both nations became communist for a short period of time, even though it never continued to spread on towards Thailand. The Domino theory and containment never did live up to the status America shoveled upon it and many victimized nations most likely endured extreme hardships for no reason other than a superpower’s pride.

  Grenada was another victimized nation. The small country off the north-east coast of South America is lucky if it's a threat to itself, yet America invaded and conquered the little country, solely because it was facing a communist revolution. No more than 100,000 people occupied the nation at the time of the American 'liberation' and the installment of a US friendly government, yet it was a perceived threat. Once again, because of the Domino theory, a phrase with the word theory right in it. Why one person, let alone such a powerful nation would follow a 'theory' so doggedly is beyond my comprehension.

  Some of the world's most prominant figureheads played leading roles in the Cold War and the divvying it up into spheres. John F. Kennedy, Mao, Stalin, Ho Chi Minh, Diem, Khrushchev, Lindon B. Johnson, Tito, Nagy, not all were leaders of superpowers, but all had great influence on they're section of the world. The outcomes of various events could be vastly different if any one of these men had different ideals, perspectives, morales, or didn't even come to power. It's frightening when looking back and realizing how easily things could be different for both sides. How spheres of influence could have made new countries or broken existing ones. How countries could be goverened differently from what they are today or how peace might be more reasonable between certain nations. Instead spheres were erected, dividing the world, not only geopgraphically but politically. Views became distinct and the base for many disputes and the formation of prejudices. Families were separated, destroyed, and turned against one another. Spheres of influence have no conscience, they have no sense of direction or morales. They accomplish what we are willing to make them accomplish, and in a world like today, that doesn't include anything beneficial, at least not for the globe. Maybe in the distant future, spheres will become worthwhile, but the population is too selfish and intent upon individual gain to make them anything other than a hazard at the moment.

© Angie O'Connor