COLD WAR

 ‘ideological warfare’
 WESTERN EUROPE: scientific enhancement to replace agrarian production; better
military: ships, naval power, trade; politically evolved
 USA wasn’t as globally influential as Europe because they followed isolationism and
were not imperialist and expansionist
 Encirclement, ‘siege mentality’ scared them, they were on an ‘ideological island’
 Propaganda and McCarthyism in the USA
 Use ‘containment’ in answers, they were vilified and made public enemies
 The belligerents of the Cold War wanted ideological control of not only their nations, but
also for the ideologies to spread throughout the world.

WHAT DID THE USSR WANT?
Control and heavy influence of the
Eastern European Region, countries such
as Poland, Hungary, Romania, etc. Eastern
European countries will have a ‘buffer zone’
WHAT DID THE ALLIES WANT?
Britain wanted to ensure the ringfencing of
communism, especially in Greece, where
they were quelling a potential communist
takeover.
USA moving from isolationism to
containment, was anti-imperialist.
USA wanted to propagate liberal and
progressive capitalist ideas.
Jews went to USA

What capitalists did not want was communism in Germany;

At Yalta, West was softer towards USSR; however at Potsdam they were harsher due to
Truman.

Roosevelt promised Stalin he could gain a ‘sphere of influence’ in Eastern Europe; process of
decolonization could take place. USA wanted more capitalism and democracies to spread
though they did not want to annex countries; ‘Beacon of Freedom,’ when they came out of the
policy of isolationism. Roosevelt passed a ‘declaration of a liberated Europe,’ with free and fair
elections

‘Deterrence:’ fear of USA as they possessed Nuclear Power. Countries w/out nuclear power
would ally w/ USA.

USA, then USSR gained nuclear power. This created a ‘nuclear parity,’ bipolar world as both
had nuclear power.

‘revisionism’ and ‘post-revisionism’

WHO WAS TO BLAME FOR COLD WAR?

Orthodox: Stalin is to blame for the Cold War

Revisionist: US was to blame

Post-revisionism: USA and USSR equally to blame for the Cold War