NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science, Chapter 1 - The Cold War Era

You must have heard about ‘Cold War’ a number of times. In this chapter, you’ll learn what ‘Cold War’ was all about. You’ll also study about the two superpowers prevailing in the world – the US and the Soviet Union, the rivalry and conflicts between the two, the tensions and cold war between the two and about smaller countries joining any of these two superpowers. You’ll also study about NAM – Non-aligned Movement and India’s ideology of not joining any of the superpowers but to minimise the effect of the cold war that was prevailing for years. You’ll also come across the formation of various organisations such as NIEO, NATO, SEATO, CENTO and more. Finally, you’ll learn how the non-aligned movement benefited India as well as the world.

Thus, an in-depth study of Chapter 1 Political Science Class 12 will give you a good understanding of The Cold War Era.

Let’s take a look at topics and sub-topics of Class 12 Political Science Chapter 1– The Cold War Era

• Cuban Missile Crisis

• What is the Cold War?

• The Emergence of two Power Blocks

• Arenas of the Cold War

• Challenge to Bipolarity

• New International Economic Order

• India and the Cold War

In Chapter 1 Political Science Class 12, you will learn –

• Cuban Missile Crisis – In this section, you will study about why and how Russia converted Cuba into a Russian base by installing nuclear missiles there. You’ll learn about US reaction to this, leading to the initiation of Cuban Missile Crisis and the emergence of cold war world over. You’ll also learn what do you actually mean by the term ‘Cold War’,

• What is the Cold War? – In this section, you’ll acquire knowledge about how second world war affected the entire world, beginning of cold war, real reasons of bombing the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, emergence of two greatest world powers – United States and Soviet Union, reasons why these two supreme powerful countries avoided another war and why cold war only remained a cold war and did not convert into hot or shooting war.

• The Emergence of Two Power Blocs – In this section, you’ll learn about the emergence of the western and the eastern alliances, formation of various organisations such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) in April 1949, the Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO), the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

• Arenas of the Cold War – In this section, you’ll study about the major areas affected by cold war such as Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, how Jawaharlal Nehru played a crucial role to keep India away from cold war, division of Korea into two parts, significant role played by NAM in intervening between the two Koreas, UN Secretary-General’s role in reducing Congo Crisis, three important agreements signed by two superpowers  such as the Limited Test Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

• Challenge to Bipolarity – In this section, you’ll learn about the friendship between three NAM leaders – Josip Broz Tito, India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, and Egypt’s leader Gamal Abdel Nasser — who conducted a meeting in 1956. You’ll also study about the five founders of NAM, factors discussed in the first non-aligned summit in Belgrade in 1961, the growing popularity of Non-aligned movement and how Non-alignment is different from isolationism ad neutrality.

• New International Economic Order – In this section, you’ll acquire knowledge about the formation of a New Inter-National Economic Order (NIEO) and a report generated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in 1972 regarding a New Trade Policy for Development. You’ll also come across the reform proposed for the global trading system.

• India and the Cold War – In this section, you’ll study about India’s response to prevailing cold war such as staying away from the two superpowers and working against the idea of freshly independent countries to become a part of either of these superpowers, India’s active participation in world affairs to minimize cold war, benefits of NAM to India, criticism faced relating to NAM, and core ideas of the non-aligned movement.

In this chapter, you are provided with several images and timelines to have a clear understanding of The Cold War Era. To know more about Political Science Chapter 1 you should explore the exercises mentioned in this chapter. You can also download The Cold War Era NCERT Solutions PDF, solved by our experts.