Cold War Interpretations [H1.4]

Question 1

What was the US Orthodox View? (1940-1960)

Answer 1

In the 1940’s the USA believed the cold war was the fault of the USSR:

Bailey argued the USSR wanted world revolution - soviets caused war from actions in Eastern Europe.

Kennan Argued Stalin deliberately took actions to provoke USA and convince the soviets they needed his tough dictatorship.

Feis argued USSR tried to spread communism globally

Question 2

What was the USA Revisionist View?

Answer 2

The cold war was caused by aggressive actions of the USA, particulary it’s determination to ensure that it would dominate trade in europe and asia.

The USA had provoked the cold war by ‘Open door’, this gave the USA the acess to states it could then dominate economically & politically.
Truman’s policies made the USSR feel threatened - and so they acted aggressively.

Question 3

What was the Post Revisionist View?

Answer 3

The Post Revisionist view states that the parties just couldn’t understand each other.

Question 4

New Cold War Historians view,

Answer 4

No way to be sure.
Cold war ended in 1989 with the fall of berlin wall. The USSR collapsed in 1991, soviet historians could now get access to soviet archives.