Which Communist country was #2 in the Cold War (After the Soviet Union)
- Thread starter Hongfan91
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China hands down.
EDIT: Here's my reasoning. Right off the bat you can eliminate any Warsaw Pact states, since they were puppets that only existed because the USSR held them up. That leaves China, Yugoslavia, and "other." Of these nations China was the only one which could project power on a large scale. They were able to fight the US to a draw in Korea, stood up to the Soviets, and provided aid and ideological support to guerrilla movements in Africa and Asia.
EDIT: Here's my reasoning. Right off the bat you can eliminate any Warsaw Pact states, since they were puppets that only existed because the USSR held them up. That leaves China, Yugoslavia, and "other." Of these nations China was the only one which could project power on a large scale. They were able to fight the US to a draw in Korea, stood up to the Soviets, and provided aid and ideological support to guerrilla movements in Africa and Asia.
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Up until the mid-1970's I'd actually say Yugoslavia. As they were not part of the Eastern Bloc, they were in a lucrative global position: getting financial, economic and military support from Western countries, Yugoslavia was economically far, far better than the other Communist countries. Blimey, they were eaven working on a space program and partially sold their raw materials to the United States in exchange for economic support. Plus, Tito managed to make Yugoslavia the centre of the Non-Aligned Movement, which boosted its credibility among the Third World. Throughout the Fifites and Sixties, China was basically an unstable and fanatical country torn by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. And they got a pretty bloody nose while fighting against Vietnam in 1979. But that year was also the turning point: Deng rose to power, whereas the economic decline of Yugoslavia started.
China was easily the next most powerful. East Germany being the USSR's right hand country if there even was one.
1. USSR
2. China
3. Cuba
Cuba obviously has the most strategic location, but you just can't ignore the economic and military powerhouse that is the PRC.
2. China
3. Cuba
Cuba obviously has the most strategic location, but you just can't ignore the economic and military powerhouse that is the PRC.
China, of course. The Warsaw Pact states were USSR puppets, and when they tried to innovate politically, they got invaded. None of them, not even East Germany, had China's geopolitical importance: China singlehandedly turned Korea into a protracted war of attrition, and was significant in Southeast Asia via its support of the Khmer Rouge. The only other communist state with any power projection (other than the USSR) was Cuba, which participated in the Angolan civil war.
Overall, China, no question. In the Warsaw Pact, probably East Germany or Poland--not sure which.
China.
If we're limiting ourselves to inside of the WarPac, then the answer varies by era, but otherwise it's no question that it is China.
If we're limiting ourselves to inside of the WarPac, then the answer varies by era, but otherwise it's no question that it is China.
I voted on the principle of "which of these countries would be best to live in"; I think Yugoslavia had a better standard of living than the rest.
I second that. I think the standard of living in Yugoslavia at that time was comparable to Southern Italy and rural Spain, maybe even rural France.
Coupled with unlimited travel to the West (well Yugoslavia was technically in the West), opportunities to become a guest worker in West Germany, no shortages in stores and the Yugoslav Dinar being a hard currency, I think you wouldn't really notice you're living in a Communist country, outside of the many red stars visible and the constant praise of Tito.
What do you mean number by 2 and whats meant by Communist? The Sino-Soviet split was basically revisionists (pro-soviet) vs deviationists (pro-chinese) unless your not picky on that aspect.
The case could be made for either Yugoslavia and the DRV (North Vietnam) aside from China
Yugoslavia basically was the first communist state that showed the U.S the possibility of "friendly communists". It also helped create the third world as a thing, and even had market socialism that would taken be taken by other communist nations.
North Vietnam was basically the prime battleground of the Sino-Soviet split, where both nations competed for influence with pro-soviet and pro-chinese factions in the DRV. Aside from that you have the Vietnam War which was really a waste of resources on a completely flawed premise of the Domino Theory.
Where do you guys get the Warsaw Pact and possibly the entire second world outside of the Soviets and China are nothing but puppets?
The case could be made for either Yugoslavia and the DRV (North Vietnam) aside from China
Yugoslavia basically was the first communist state that showed the U.S the possibility of "friendly communists". It also helped create the third world as a thing, and even had market socialism that would taken be taken by other communist nations.
North Vietnam was basically the prime battleground of the Sino-Soviet split, where both nations competed for influence with pro-soviet and pro-chinese factions in the DRV. Aside from that you have the Vietnam War which was really a waste of resources on a completely flawed premise of the Domino Theory.
Where do you guys get the Warsaw Pact and possibly the entire second world outside of the Soviets and China are nothing but puppets?
No one suggested such a thing about the second world. But when it comes to power and influence (which seems to be what the OP is asking and most people on this thread seem to be measuring their answer with) it is pretty indisputable that the Soviets and Chinese are going to be in the top two spots. There are other criteria, obviously, and those people who have voted on that basis have stated as much.
Also: it's quite obvious that all the Warsaw Pact states were Soviet puppets. The Second World outside the Warsaw Pact was obviously more complicated, but the Warsaw Pact was pretty blatantly as much a means of the Soviets keeping control of it's Eastern European clients as it was about forming a military alliance to counter NATO.
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Actually, now that I think about it, maybe San Marino should win, they did after all elect a Communist government between 1947 and 1957.