Quick questions on Nature and historiography of the Cold War: QCE Modern History Unit 4

Thesis. The Cold War was caused primarily by Soviet expansionism. American policy was largely defensive.

Thesis. The USA was at least equally responsible, possibly more responsible, for the Cold War. American economic interests, atomic policy, and aggressive containment shaped Soviet behaviour as much as the reverse.

Thesis. Both sides bear responsibility. The Cold War was the structural outcome of 1945 bipolarity meeting incompatible ideologies; specific events became catalysts. Neither side wanted war but neither could accept the other's vision of post-war Europe.

Access to Soviet, Eastern European and Chinese archives has refined post-revisionism:

The IA3 is an "independent source investigation" requiring you to evaluate primary and secondary sources. Historiographical awareness is essential:

Naming schools. Use the terms "orthodox", "revisionist", "post-revisionist" explicitly.

Treating one interpretation as fact. "The Cold War was caused by Soviet expansionism" is the orthodox position, not consensus. Mark it as such.

The Cold War was caused primarily by Soviet expansionism. American policy was largely defensive.

Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Herbert Feis, Samuel Flagg Bemis.

- Stalin's behaviour in Eastern Europe (failure to hold free elections, imposition of communist governments) violated the Yalta agreements. - The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan were responses to Soviet expansionism, not provocations. - The USA was building international institutions (UN, IMF, Marshall Plan) consistent with liberal internationalism; the USSR was pursuing communist expansion.

The orthodox view dominated during the height of the Cold War itself. American academic culture supported a view that legitimated US policy. Soviet archives were inaccessible.

Soviet behaviour in Eastern Europe was demonstrably more aggressive than American behaviour in Western Europe. Stalin's Eastern European policy was incompatible with free elections.

Single-cause emphasis. Underplays American agency, especially atomic diplomacy and economic interests. Assumes American motives were transparent and benign.

Use the terms "orthodox", "revisionist", "post-revisionist" explicitly.

Even one historian per school (Schlesinger / Williams / Gaddis) signals reading.