The war in Ukraine is directly or indirectly affecting virtually all of us. Despite the fact that the hostilities are taking place across our eastern border and not on Polish territory, we are all feeling the global effects of this conflict. From the huge number of war refugees, to disrupted supply chains and economic issues, to the threat of the conflict spilling over into neighbouring countries. Few people, however, ask themselves what the real cause of the war in Ukraine is. In this article, we will try to explain it in detail — for history goes back much further than the last few or even several years.
1944 and the Bretton Woods Conference
It is 1 July 1944. Although the official surrender of Germany in the Second World War was less than a year away, the fate of the greatest conflict in the history of mankind had already been decided. Less than a month earlier, on 6 June 1944, a pivotal event had occurred: the Allied landing in Normandy. This operation allowed Allied forces to breach German-occupied France from Britain and advance further into the continent.
The near-certain fate of the war led the true victor of the Second World War, the United States, to conceive a new framework for global economic relations. This vision was formalised at the Bretton Woods Conference in New Hampshire on 1 July 1944. There, a system was established that anchored international economic relations on the dominance of the US dollar. Additionally, two global institutions were created to shape economic interactions worldwide: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, with the USA at their helm. Thus, from the ashes of war emerged a new economic powerhouse and undisputed economic leader for decades to come.
As a result, America became the sole, true victor of the Second World War. Historians assert that the United States “masterfully played” the war. They engaged in the land war in Europe only when all parties were exhausted — Nazi Germany, France, Great Britain, and even Russia. These powers, economically devastated by the end of WWII, were barely standing. The United States seized this “opportunity” to rise as the only global economic superpower.
The Cold War and the Bipolar World Order That Lasted Nearly Five Decades
At the same time, despite its weak economic condition, the USSR engaged in extensive rivalry with the United States — politically, militarily, ideologically, and economically. This period, known as the Cold War, lasted from 1947 until 1991, the year of the USSR’s collapse. Crucially, throughout this period, the world experienced a bipolar order — two powerful superpowers contended on multiple fronts, almost as equal adversaries.
And it was this very duopoly that was shattered in 1991 when the USSR disintegrated for good. From 1991 onward, for nearly three decades, the United States became the de facto sole global hegemon. During this period, Russia was beset by internal conflicts, a catastrophic economic situation, and Yeltsin’s presidency, often referred to as the Time of Troubles. This scenario was rare in history, as typically multiple great powers coexisted. Never before had a single power dominated globally to the extent that the USA did during this period.
The Last 30 Years: America’s Golden Age
The year 1991 marked the beginning of a truly golden era for America. It was a time of global prosperity and systematic expansion of its influence, including through the enlargement of NATO — perceived by Russia as a hostile military alliance. This expansion was remarkable; it is rare for the forces of one opposing alliance to reach the borders of its rival. This happened when countries like Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined NATO. This understandably stirred concerns in Russia, which views NATO as a hostile, antagonistic military alliance that poses a potential threat.
Read the second part of the post at this link.