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「冷戰期間，美、蘇為歐洲帶來的合作較衝突更多。」評論此說能否成立。
定義 「衝突」指爭吵、摩擦的情況，甚至有可能動用武力，以致處於戰爭的狀態；「合作」指聯合起來做共同的項目。 // 立場 在冷戰期間，儘管美、蘇兩國為歐洲帶來了若干的衝突，但事實上，兩國的對立為歐洲帶來了大量防守性的合作，因此形成了歐洲長期處於對抗，卻未有爆發大戰的冷戰局面，故題目所言確能成立。 // 架構 以下，將從政治、經濟、軍事方面討論。
主旨句 政治方面，美、蘇的對立使多次衝突及危機的出現。 // 項目B(衝突) 美﹑蘇兩國互相猜忌﹑互相抗衡，終致一連串衝突的出現，如1948年蘇聯恐懼英﹑法﹑美三國合併西德及於西德進行政治及貨幣改革，因而對西柏林進行封鎖，終令美國為首的西方國家強烈不滿，導致「柏林危機」的出現。此外，美國為了取得蘇聯的情報，不斷派偵察機到蘇聯領空，卻釀成了美國偵察機被蘇聯擊落的「U-2擊墜事件」(1960年)，使原定於同年舉行的第二次和平高峰會告終，令兩大陣營再次進入緊張的關係。 // 小結 可見，兩國的對立引致了多次衝突的出現。
主旨句 然而，兩國的對立帶來了更多的政治合作，促成的合作多於衝突。// 項目A(合作) 美、蘇兩國為了抗衡對方的勢力，分別拉攏歐洲的資本主義和共產主義國家建立同盟，例如美國於1949年成立北約，以團結起北大西洋附近的資本主義國家。往後，當西德於1955年加入北約時，蘇聯亦與東歐多國建立華沙公約組織，以進一步團結東歐的共產主義勢力，抗衡美國為首的北約，結果令東、西歐分別建立了同盟關係，促成了政治合作。除了各自陣營的合作外，歐洲國家恐懼美、蘇的對立會令其捲入兩國間的衝突，因此也在1975年召開了歐洲安全與合作會議，東、西歐的大多國家均有參與在內，希望藉此建立溝通及合作的關係，避免歐洲出現戰爭。 // 對比(~20%) 相比之下，美、蘇兩國為歐洲帶來的衝突主要集中在冷戰的早期，但至1960年代中後期起，兩國已經鮮有導致歐洲的政治危機和衝突出現。相反，兩國的對立不但分別開啟了東、西歐間的政治合作，也驅使了歐洲安全與合作會議的出現，使歐洲的政治合作日趨頻繁，故帶來的合作實多於衝突。
經濟方面，美、蘇的對立並未有為歐洲經濟帶來太大的衝突。冷戰期間，美、蘇只是導致東、西歐在經濟出現對抗，但卻未發展至衝突的地步。由於美國恐懼共產主義會乘戰後的惡劣經濟環境而迅速傳播，故於戰後積極援助歐洲國家重建經濟，在1948年推出馬歇爾計劃，提供130億美以援助西歐國家重建經濟，而蘇聯為了抗衡美國的馬歇爾計劃，於馬歇爾計劃的討論階段就落實了莫洛托夫計劃(1947年)，結果令東、西歐分裂成東、西歐經濟抗衡的狀況。可見，兩國的對立只是導致東、西歐經濟對抗，尚未形成衝突。
然而，美、蘇的對立為歐洲經濟帶來的合作遠多於衝突。由於美、蘇處於對立關係，分別支援東、西歐的經濟發展，結果促使了合作的出現，例如西歐國家為了分配美國130億美元的援助，故成立了歐洲經濟合作組織(1948年)，開啟了歐洲經濟統合，往後更不斷成立歐洲煤鋼共同體(1952年)、歐洲經濟共同體(1958年)，甚至是歐洲共同體(1967年)等組織以持續進行經濟上的合作。同時，蘇聯為抗衡美國對西歐國家的經濟援助，也推行了莫洛托夫計劃(1947年)，及後又於1949年成立經濟互助委員會以承接莫洛托夫計劃，建立了東歐國家之間的經濟合作。相比之下，美、蘇兩國僅使東、西歐的經濟處於對抗局面，並未有導致經濟衝突的出現，相反，兩國對歐洲經濟帶來了劃時代的影響，分別下啟了西歐和東歐的經濟統合，使歐洲出現史上最大規模的經濟合作。因此，兩國為歐洲經濟帶來的合作實遠多於衝突。
軍事方面，美、蘇的對立造成了軍事衝突的出現。由於美、蘇兩國互相對立，結果雙方為了抗衡對方的擴張，不惜在歐洲的地區性戰爭上支援同一陣營的派系，例如美國於1947年發表了「杜魯門主義」，提供4億美元以支援希臘及土耳其對抗當地的共產黨，結果使希臘內戰愈趨激烈，令衝突惡化。另外，蘇聯為防止美國的勢力滲入東歐，也不惜利用軍事力量打壓東歐國家，例如在1968年捷克嘗試民主化改革時，蘇聯認為捷克有右傾的方向，故派遣華沙公約組織的軍隊入侵捷克，使東歐共產主義陣營的內部衝突出現。可見，兩國的對立引致了軍事衝突的出現及惡化。
然而，兩國的對立促成了更多的軍事合作，帶來的合作多於衝突。由於美、蘇兩國在冷戰時期互相對抗，雙方為了箝制對方而與盟國建立起軍事合作，例如美國於1959年在意大利和土耳其建立導彈基地以針對蘇聯，使三國建立起軍事合作的關係。此外，至1983年時，美國也與北約成員國研發「星戰計劃」，發展太空攔截導彈的計劃以針對蘇聯，使美國與西歐多國建立起太空合作。另一方面，蘇聯為防範美國為守的北約，也與東歐國家進行軍事佈署，例如將大量華沙公約的軍隊駐紮在東德及波蘭，建立防守性的軍事合作關係。相比之下，儘管美、蘇的對立令歐洲長期處於軍事對立的局面，但事實上，美、蘇為歐洲帶來的軍事衝突並不多，因兩國分別與西歐國家及東歐國家建立了許多防守性的軍事合作項目，形成了勢力均衡的局面，令雙方不敢輕易挑起戰端，塑造了冷戰的「冷」局面出現。因此，美、蘇的對立實際上為歐洲帶來的軍事合作較衝突更多。
總括而言，美、蘇兩國的對立為歐洲帶來了大量政治、經濟及軍事方面的合作，分別團結起東歐和西歐的國家。正正由於兩大陣營團結起來，結果構成了勢力均衡的局面出現，令到雙方均不敢輕舉妄動，最終形成了冷戰的局面出現。因此，兩國對立所導致的衝突例子並不多，相反，因對立而帶來的合作遠較衝突多。
‘During the Cold War, the US and the USSR brought more cooperation than conflicts to Europe.’ Comment on the validity of this statement.
'Conflict' refers to the situation with disputes and disapprovals. It is also possible that violence is involved and war is resulted; 'Cooperation' refers to the events done cooperatively. During the Cold War, although the US and USSR brought numerous conflicts in Europe, they actually brought a lot of cooperation for defence. This resulted in a situation of Cold War in which long term confrontation was resulted in Europe and no wars was involved in the process. Hence, the statement was totally valid. Below, the essay would be discussed in the political, economic and military aspects.
Politically, the confrontation of the US and USSR created numerous conflicts and incidents. The US and USSR were suspicious and counterbalanced the power of each other. This resulted in a series of conflicts. For instance, the USSR feared that West Germany, which was occupied by Britain, France and the US, would adopt the political and currency reforms in East Germany. Therefore, she blocked West Berlin and ended in huge discontent of the US-led Western countries. Berlin Crisis柏林危機 thus occurred. Apart from that, in order to obtain information from the USSR, the US sent U-2 spy planes to the air territory of USSR. This ended up in the 'U-2 Incident U-2擊墜事件' which the US U-2 spy plane was crushed by USSR (1960). The second peace conference第二次和平高峰會 which was originally held in the same year was cancelled. Both blocs had a tense relationship. This showed that their confrontation led to numerous conflicts.
However, the confrontation of the two countries brought upon more political cooperation than conflicts. In order to counterbalance the influence of each other, the US and USSR formed alliances with capitalist and communist countries respectively. For instance, the US formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation北約(NATO) in 1949 so as to unite the capitalist states near the North Atlantic. Later, when West Germany joined NATO in 1955, the USSR and some Eastern European countries formed the Warsaw Pact華沙公約組織 so as to further unite the communist power and counterbalance the power of the US-led NATO. As a result, alliances were formed in the Eastern and Western Europe respectively and this facilitated political cooperation. Apart from the cooperation within blocs, countries organised the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe歐洲安全與合作會議 in 1975 with their fear of getting involved in the confrontation of the US and USSR. Most countries of Eastern and Western Europe were involved in the hope of preventing wars through establishing communication and cooperation. In comparison, the US and USSR mainly brought conflicts in Europe during the early stage of Cold War. However, in the mid and late 1960s, they only led to limited political crises and conflicts in Europe. In opposite, the opposition of the two countries not only led to the political cooperation of Eastern and Western Europe, it paved the way to the occurrence of conferences on safety and cooperation in Europe. It increased their political cooperation and hence, the US and the USSR brought more cooperation than conflicts to Europe.
Economically, the confrontation of the US and USSR did not bring great conflicts to the economy of Europe. During the Cold War, the US and USSR only led to the counterbalance of economies of Eastern and Western Europe but no conflicts was resulted. As the US feared that communism would spread rapidly with the poor economy, she actively helped the European countries to restructure their economies. She implemented the Marshall Plan馬歇爾計劃 in 1948 and provided financial assistance of USD$13 billion to Western European states. In order to counterbalance the US Marshall Plan, the Molotov Plan莫洛托夫計劃(1947) was launched during the discussion period of the former plan. As a result, Eastern and Western Europe were divided into a situation with economic counterbalance. This showed that the confrontation of the two countries only led to economic confrontation of Europe but did not result in conflicts.
However, the confrontation of the US and USSR brought more cooperation than conflicts to the economy of Europe. As the US and USSR were in a hostile relationship, they supported the economic development of Eastern and Western Europe respectively. It resulted in cooperation. For instance, the Eastern European countries established the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation歐洲經濟合作組織(1948) for dividing the economic assistance amounting to USD$13 billion from the US. This led to the economic integration of Europe. Later, they established organisations like the European Coal and Steel Community歐洲煤鋼共同體(1952), European Economic Community歐洲經濟共同體(1958), and even the European Community歐洲共同體(1967) so as to sustain their economic cooperation. At the same time, the USSR would like to counterbalance the economic assistance from the US to Western European countries and thus launched the Molotov Plan莫洛托夫計劃(1947). After that, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance was formed in 1949 to continue the Molotov Plan. These established the economic cooperation of Eastern European countries. In comparison, the US and USSR only led to the confrontation of Eastern and Western European countries in the economic aspect. It did not lead to any economic conflict. However, these two countries had immense impact to European economy. These paved ways to the occurrence of economic integration of Western and Eastern Europe. It led to European economic cooperation in the largest scale in forever. Hence, these two countries brought more cooperation than conflicts to the economy of Europe.
Militarily, the confrontation of the US and USSR led to military conflicts. The US and USSR were confronted and as a result, they provided military assistance to the regional wars in Europe in the hope of counterbalancing the expansion of others. For instance, 'Truman Doctrine杜魯門主義' was introduced by the US in 1947, providing USD$0.4 billion to support Greece and Turkey in fighting the local communist parties. As a result, the civil war of Greece希臘內戰 became more and more radical and conflicts were worsen. Moreover, the USSR used her military strength to suppress the Eastern European states in order to prevent the US force from getting into these countries. For instance, when Czechoslovakia attempted to carry out democratic reforms in 1968, the USSR thought that she was moving in a rightist direction and sent troops of Warsaw Pact to attack her. This act created internal conflict in the communist bloc. This showed that the confrontation of these states led to the occurrence and worsened the military conflicts.
However, the confrontation of the two countries led to more military cooperation which was more than the conflicts caused. During the Cold War, the US and USSR counterbalanced each other and established military cooperation. For instance, the US set up missile bases in Italy意大利 and Turkey土耳其 which targeted on the USSR. These three countries formed a military cooperation relationship. Apart from that, in 1983, the US and other NATO members investigate on 'Strategic Defense Initiative星戰計劃'(SDI). They developed missile defense systems which targeted on the USSR. The US and many Western European countries established cooperation in the universe. On the other hand, in order to counterbalance the power of US-led NATO, the USSR conducted military deployment with Eastern European states. For instance, a lot of troops from Warsaw Pact were rooted in East Germany東德 and Poland波蘭, a defensive military relationship was formed. In comparison, the US and USSR caused a long term military confrontation in Europe. However, in fact, the military conflicts caused by these two countries were rare. This was the result of the defensive military projects led by them in the Western and Eastern European countries. Balance of power was achieved which both sides were hesitated in initiating wars. It shaped a 'cold’ situation in Cold War. Hence, the confrontation of the US and USSR brought more military cooperation than conflicts to Europe.
To sum up, the confrontation of US and USSR brought numerous political, economic and military cooperation. These united Eastern and Western European states respectively. Due to their unity, balance of power was achieved and both sides would not take action arbitrarily. Hence, the confrontation brought limited conflicts. In opposite, more cooperation were brought.
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