Paper 3 is notorious for its potential pitfalls as getting the interpretation wrong can cost you almost half of the 40 marks offered!
These summary notes will give you the most concise bits of knowledge you need to be familiar with about the 4 interpretations for the Origins of the Cold War: 1. ...
A2 History Paper 3: Cold War Historiography
1. Traditional/Orthodox
Features
● period – late 1940s—late 1960s
● prominent historians – William McNeill, George Kennan, Herbert Feis, Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
Themes & arguments
● main arguments
○ roots of CW = Marxist-Leninist ideology
■ class struggle → world rev.
■ S. developed ‘siege mentality’ in RCW + hostility to W. ∵ W. intervention in RCW
■ S. oppose cap. on principle but would only coop. when necessary
● eg. G. attack on S. → forced into tactical alliance w/ W.
■ S. hoped cap. nations engage mutual self-destruction → sweep in to take control
○ S. wanted to undermine non-comm. powers → expand comm. world
○ CW prod. of Stalin aggressive & expansionist f/p → sole cause of CW
○ A. to be exonerated, absolved of responsibility, not to blame
■ S. expansionism → A. had to protect own legitimate security interests & democracy
in other nations
■ little A. f/p could do to avoid ↑ tensions
● Conservatives
○ FDR & Truman failed to stop S. expansion
■ FDR too conciliatory → surrendered E. Eu. & C.
■ Truman also too weak
● Liberals
○ FDR did not sell A. out, Truman firm but restrained when deal w/ S.
○ Truman Doctrine = bold initiative → thwarted S. expansion + triumphed over residual
isolationism
○ A. f/p generally effective
● Realists
○ A. f/p flawed ∵ tried to be too moral & ideal in dealing w/ S. → ignored realities of power
○ moralism & universalism → A. believed it was compelled to help other nations →
overextended its alliance, disregarded national interest
○ Truman Doctrine = ideological crusade → justification for spending
○ S. expansion not fully ∵ comm. ideology BUT S. actions still caused CW
Approaches
● relied on official speeches/publications, 2ndary accounts, newspaper reports, available published
memoirs, personal experiences, connections w/ prominent officials
○ some w/ personal experience in S./A. govt. agencies
■ BUT still no access to S. archives
○ ∴ v. few insight into S. attitudes & motives
○ incomplete evidence & inaccurate source material
● tend to narrate events, attribute responsibility, identify turning points when CW no longer avoidable
● focused on f/p process
○ who made, which, why, how implemented, what effects
● believed that objective truth can be found w/ right documents
● regard CW = current events problem w/ high urgency & clear binary ideological conflict
● high focus on ideology
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