Published Paper Details:

This research article investigates the far-reaching and complex impact of the Cold War on Third World countries--nations across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East that were emerging from colonial rule and striving for sovereignty during the second half of the 20th century. Though the Cold War is traditionally understood as a bipolar geopolitical conflict between the United States-led capitalist bloc and the Soviet Union-led communist bloc, its most consequential and often devastating outcomes were experienced outside the core arenas of power. Third World countries became ideological, political, and military battlegrounds where superpower rivalry manifested in the form of proxy wars, covert operations, military coups, economic manipulation, and competing development agendas. This study explores how the Cold War altered the political and developmental trajectories of non-aligned or marginally aligned nations, using case studies such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Cold War-era interventions in Angola, Chile, and Afghanistan. It examines how superpowers used aid, arms, and ideological influence as tools of dominance, often exacerbating domestic conflicts or stifling democratic aspirations in favor of geopolitical expediency. The research also analyzes the role of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and regional leadership in resisting bipolar domination and advocating for an independent course. Through a critical synthesis of historical events, political theory, and postcolonial analysis, the article underscores the legacy of Cold War dynamics in shaping contemporary issues in the Global South, including ongoing political instability, economic dependency, and security dilemmas. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the need to reframe Cold War history by placing Third World experiences at the center, revealing the hidden costs of superpower competition and the resilience of postcolonial states striving for autonomy and self-determination.