Cold War
Origins
US Orthodox
(l.40s - e.60s)
Summary
USSR provocation - expansion of Comm.
(TB) E.EU actions spark war - ROM, BUL, POL etc.
(GK) USSR needed war for Stalin to keep autocracy
(HF)US forced to use T.Doctrine and M.aid for justice
Figures
Thomas Bailey, George Kennan, Herbert Feis, J McCarthy
Impact
US public agreement; Hollywood movies - War of the Worlds
Gov movies (Make mine Freedom); Books, Comics etc.
Soviet Challenges
Context: Red Scare
('20s) - 1st one, Many Comms arrested after RUS revolt '17
('40s) - 2nd one, Joseph McC claims sympathisers in US gov
McCarthyism - Accusations of treason w/ little evidence
Academics pressured to censor, WAW had a risky career
Context: Personal
GK, HF heavily involved in C.War
GK - senior gov. official; HF - US gov adviser
GK helped develop containment/domino theory
Source Lack
Hi-sensitivity about sources, especially recent sources
Propaganda influenced sources revealed at most
No chance of soviet sources even for soviet historians
US Challenges
WAW - US provoked C.War, USSR were defensive
E H Carr admired USSR; ('60s) publish USSR history book
Large C.War blame on US policies
US Revisionist
(m.60s - m.70s)
Summary
Orth. over exaggerate; not historical based
Trying to justify US's policy, actions
Open Door: Political, Economic incentive in E.EU
Marshall Aid helped trade partner countries
USSR provocation - Truman's Doctrine
Figures
William Appleman Williams, J&G Kolko,
Fidel Castro, Thomas G Paterson
Context: Cuban Revolt
1st was WAW in '59 - US behaved w/ imperial incentive
Initially unpopular
Context: VT war
'60s - More Revs, US helped the corrupt commit atrocities
US gov trust was crumbling; unethical Napalm, Agent Orange
Ms/10Ks of civilians killed
Impact
Many politicians criticised in interpretation
Less well received by Elders
Youth embraced the idea.
Challenges
Traditionalists thought young protests inexperienced
Believed it a smaller outbreak of communism
Post Revisionist
(e.70s - '89)
Summary
John Lewis Gaddis combined prev. ideas
Believed prev. interpretations to primitive
Not solely US's fault - both sides overreacted
A result of fear, confusion, misunderstanding
Context: Historical Debate
Historians always want new interpretations
Many wanted to change historical perspective
Context: Cold Thaw
Détente - e.70s:
Better US/SR relation than USSR/China relations
SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) talks in '72
Human Rights Conference: Helsinki, Finland in '75
Maybe C.War was of misunderstandings, not deliberate
Challenges
Revisionist thought it an Orth. comeback
Carolyn Eisen thought it a newer Orth
w/ a few more pieces of evidence
New Cold War
Historians
(89-)
Summary
Berlin Wall, USSR falls; archives become steadily available
('89-) Info given that strengthened all perspectives
Gaddis leaned more Orth; M Cox, K-Pipe leaned to Revs
Historians don't now have a uniform opinion
Figures
John Lewis Gaddis, Michael Cox, Caroline Kennedy-Pipe
End of C.War: Soviet Sources
Ms of new sources, soviet historians can communicate
End of C.War: Reagan Factor
Anti-comm polarises politics, calling USSR evil empire
Many called him reckless - both sides had evidence
Impact
Final conclusion not found
JLG's change didn't persuade everyone
Many felt it a personal change than logical
Soviet sources didn't give answers
Just more questions...
JLG's Relations
Dean of C.War, historian of the historians (NY Times)
Friends w/ Prez Bush; B's Father is Reagan's vice prez
JLG was justifying his friend's dad's superior's actions
Patriotism - USSR reputation on the line after WWII
Source Lack - US/SR sources unavailable to soviet historians
Censorship - Less freedom for Historians vs. the Norm
(punish etc.)