The Effects of the Cold War on the Russian Economy

The Effects of the Cold War on the Russian Economy

As we know now the cold war and the race of super- powers certainly

had an influence on the Russian economy. Different historians argue a

different time period for the cold war. Some of them say that the cold

war has its roots in the causes of the first world war. Nevertheless

for this essay it will be assumed the most common dates, with the

start of the cold war in 1945. There were several reason and parties

that caused the cold war to start. For example you could name the

west's general fear of communism, and the soviet union's constant fear

of being attacked. Now the question occurs, was the Cold War the

ultimate reason that made the Russian economy develop the way it did,

and furthermore cause severe poverty ? From my point of view the Cold

War was the dominating fact in terms of development and investments,

which as already mentioned were directly followed poverty through out

the whole country.

In the year 1945 Russian economy had recovered from the low point in

1942, though it was still seriously damaged from the war. At that time

most of western Russia was wrecked. The state Committee of defence had

remained in full power until the regular governmental organs restored

on September 1945. Governmental organs immediately ordered

reconversion of war factories to civilian production. On 19 August

1945 a new draft of a five year- plan was set up by the Gosplan which

was out for exceeding the pre war output by 1950. 1

In 1945 Reconstruction was hit by cancelling the lend-lease. The

foreign trade figures of 1945 state the Importance of aid . Exports 1,

433, Imports 14, 805 ( ...

... middle of paper ...

... Alec Nove, London ,1969, p.297

6) Memories of an unreal ambassador, Alexander Bovin, Moscow, 2000 ,

p. 196

7) An economic History of the USSR, Alec Nove, London ,1969, p.297

8) An economic History of the USSR, Alec Nove, London ,1969, p.298

9) An economic History of the USSR, Alec Nove, London ,1969, p.298

10) Letters of relatives , years from 1938 -1950

11) " Sawerscheno Secretno", Henrich Borovik, Moscow, 2003 Nr. 12

12) Memories of an unreal ambassador, Alexander Bovin, Moscow, 2000 ,

p. 234

13) Historical Documents, , Moscow, " Kitchen Debate ", Moscow, July

24, 1959,

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/14/documents/debate/

14) Historical Documents, , Moscow, " Kitchen Debate ", Moscow, July

24, 1959,

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/14/documents/debate/