interpretations: COLD WAR Flashcards
when was the US orthodox view and what did it state?
- 1940s- early 1960s
- USSR was to blame for cold war.
- aggressive soviet leaders (esp Stalin) wanted a world revolution and to spread communism to the whole world
- Stalin needed a threatening enemy to convince his people they needed a strong dictator
there are 3 reasons why the US orthodox view emerged. state them
- THE RED SCARE- fears about Soviet spies in 1920s and late 1940s. Intellectuals monitored and censored themselves. few historians were going to argue anything other than the USSR was to blame
- PERSONAL EXPERIENCE- Kennan was a senior US government official and a key figure in policy of containment. Feis was a US government advisor.
- LACK OF SOURCES- US sources were highly secretive and sensitive and there was no hope of accessing Soviet sources.
which historians argued the US orthodox view?
-Bailey
-Feis
-Kennan
It was widely accepted for most of Cold War.
List three reasons why the US orthodox view was fair
- Red Army on the ground in Eastern Europe
- Takeover of governments in Eastern Europe
- Berlin blockade
give examples of historians to show that the US orthodox view was UNFAIR
- William Appleman Williams
- E H Carr
- Soviet historians (blamed US imperialism)
give reasons why the US orthodox view was UNFAIR
- Atomic bomb test and revelation at Potsdam
- Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
- Remilitarisation of Western Germany
- NATO
when was the US revisionist view?
mid 1960s-1970s
what did the US revisionist view say?
USA WAS TO BLAME
- orthodox historians overestimated the Soviet threat and were just trying to justify US actions after WW2
- USA provoked Cold war by trying to achieve economic dominance in Europe and Asia (open door policy gave access to states it could dominate politically and economically)
- Marshall Plan was designed to prevent a post-war depression because it would harm US trade.
- Truman’s Get Tough attitude made the USSR feel threatened and it’s not surprising they acted aggressively in turn.
Why did the US revisionist view emerge?
- CUBAN REVOLUTION- US actions in Cuba after Castro’s takeover was more like and aggressive empire-builder than a force for good.
- VIETNAM WAR- US supported a corrupt regime, killed 10000s of civilians, used chemical weapons and neglected its poorest citizens at home. It impacted on the trust US citizens had for their government.
Name the historians that argued the US revisionist view.
- William Appleman Williams
- Joyce and Gabriel Kolko
- Thomas G. Paterson
Give some reasons why the US revisionist view was FAIR.
- A bomb test and revelation at Potsdam
- Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
- Remilitarisation of West Germany
- NATO
Give 4 reasons why the US revisionist view was UNFAIR.
- orthodox historians (eg Feis)
- Red Army on the ground in Eastern Europe
- Takeover of governments in Eastern Europe
- Berlin blockade
when was the post revisionist view?
early 1970s-1989
what did the post revisionist view state?
MISUNDERSTANDING
- rejected the revisionist view that it was solely US fault
- argued that a substantial portion of responsibility lay with actions of USSR esp. Stalin
- did accept that US policy was based on misunderstanding and exaggeration of Soviet strength and that USA tended to overreact to soviet actions, and the USSR overreacted in turn.
- COLD WAR WAS NOT INEVITABLE BUT THE RESULT OF FEAR CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING ON BOTH SIDES
why did the post revisionist view emerge?
- HISTORICAL DEBATE
- THAWING OFCOLD WAR- in early 1970s Nixon began détente. they agreed SALT in 1972 and met to discuss human rights in Helsinki in 1975, influencing historians to think less about blame and more about misunderstanding.
