World War III

The United Nations' (UN) landing at the small peninsula determined the future of the world. Although it started at a tiny country, prodigious repercussion was brought about, the "butterfly effect".  

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Communism Dispersion Prevention

“Being able to support a massive and extended 

offensive campaign, which would have constituted 

a serious threat to 

             the United Nations forces.”    

- Charles R. Shrader, writer and expert about communism

The UN's intervention created competition between Democratic and Communist countries. Due to the competitions of communism and definition, the Soviet economy gradually collapsed.

“Shoddy goods and services, queues and shortages have 

become characteristic features of everyday life, along with 

endemic black markets and corruption…. In the 

1980s,overall economic growth probably will slow 

markedly under the impact of sharply declining 

increments to the labor force, energy shortages and sluggish 

               productivity advance.”   
 
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) study

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Perestroika

As the Soviet Union's economy debilitated, Mikhail Gorbachev decided to "Restructure" policy also called, "a fresh new breeze" because it was the Communist Soviet Union's first opened system.

  

“Perestroika held out the promise of a better life, achieved through democratic 

institutions and a market economy”    


- 40th President of United States of America, Ronald Reagan

“Making the Soviet economy the most sophisticated and 

powerful in the world.”


- Principal goal of Mikhail Gorbachev about Soviet Union's economic reform.

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Unsuccessful Coup

“If the members of the Politburo had chosen a communist hard-liner or if the August 1991 coup against Gorbachev 

had succeeded, there is little doubt that, increased defense spending or no, communism would have continued for 

at least another decade or so, until the same factors of economic inefficiency and demographics simply 

overwhelmed it.”    

- Spence Tucker who earned a PhD from the Virginia Military Institute and was a Fulbright scholar in France

“If Soviet leaders are determined to avoid economic reform and experimentation in order to overcome the looming 

crisis of slow growth and declining productivity, then they will be increasingly under pressure to turn to Europe, 

the United States and Japan for economic support, credit, trade and technology. This suggests a more conciliatory foreign 

policy. And if this is unacceptable, then a new leadership will have to contemplate the consequences of a period of 

economic stringencies that might even weaken the Soviet defense effort.”

- William G. Hyland, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment

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Resignation Speech

 

“The country received freedom, was liberated

 politically and spiritually, and that's the most 

important achievement.” 
   
- Mikhail Gorbachev, at his resignation speech

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Change in Communism

Red: Communist Countries

“Substitute for World War III.”    
- 'The Korean War: An International History' by William Stueck

The UN's expedite armistice prevented the "Word War III" by pacifying before the Soviet Union participates. 

United Nations

Perspectives