Who Was to Blame for the Breakdown of the Grand Alliance?
Role of Ideology
Role of Economic Rivalry
Role of Great Power Rivalry
Was the War Inevitable?
The USSR was to Blame
The USA was to Blame
Were Both Sides to Blame?
- Communism vs. Capitalism
- 1917 Bolshevik Revolution
- 1920s Red Scare in the US
- 1918 - 1922 Western attempts to break Communism
- Soviet salami tactics
- COMINTERM
- COMINFORM
- Post-war Communist parties
- Marshall Plan and 'Dollar Imperialism'
- Atlantic Charter US calls for 'Democracy' and 'Free Elections
- 'Iron Curtain' speech
- Stalin's speeches about US hostility
- Stalinism - Paranoia
Role of Economic Rivalry
- US economic policy - Open markets, free trade, Capitalism
- Marshall Plan - Prevent Communism by solving economic problems across Europe
- COMECON - Soviet attempt to form an economic sphere of influence within Eastern Europe
- Germany - Stalin was afraid of an economically powerful Germany - US wanted to export to Germany
- 1946 Iran Crisis - Stalin/US wanted control of Iranian oil
Role of Great Power Rivalry
- A balance of power will always emerge in history
- Expansionist powers need their countries to have raw materials,
Was the War Inevitable?
- Short term actions also lead to war - Aggressive reaction
- Stalin’s provocative actions
- US declaring the atomic bomb
The USSR was to Blame
- Roosevelt said that after two years
- US wanted the USSR in the UN
- Stalin went back on many promises - Democratic elections, stayed in Iran
- Berlin Blockade
- COMINFORM
- Promotion of hostility towards the West within the USSR
The USA was to Blame
- USSR had security concerns - Face a hostile West since 1917
- USA was threatening with the atomic bomb
- Truman exaggerated the Communist threat to get Congress to defend its position in Europe
- Introduction of a new currency into Berlin - Deutschmark
- USA formed NATO
Were Both Sides to Blame?
- Both sides were fearful of each other
- USSR’s actions were suspicion and against the Yalta Conference
- Kennan’s Long Telegram was very fearful
- Atomic Bomb - US was paranoid when it came to Communism
- Russia was in a weak position after WWII - Russia wanted security
- Stalin was a very paranoid leader
Which historiographical position do you agree with the most and why?
The position I agree with is the Post-Revisionist position. Post-Revisionist Historians', are able to look at all of the facts presented to them on the subject of the Cold War and make an argument that is not biased to one side or the other. Looking at the argument of the Cold War in this light, gives a balanced argument and conveys how both sides made mistakes when it came to communicating with each other, ideological conflicts and dealing with problems at hand. This can be seen through: President Truman hiding the atomic bomb from Joseph Stalin, Stalin forming the Berlin Blockade to force the US out of Germany and many other unfortunate incidents.