Essay
Exemplar History Coursework 40/40 A*
- Module
- The cold war
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Exemplar history coursework 40/40 Essay Title - What is your view about the reasons for the development of the cold war in the years 1945-53?
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What is your view about the reasons for the development of the cold war in the years 1945-53?The Cold War was a period of intense geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United
States that lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. After World War II, the great
power vacuum left in Europe resulted in numerous outcomes such as political paranoia, military
build-up, and economic competition, all of which contributed to the unravelling of the already fragile
relations between the two superpowers. As a result, the origins of the Cold War are highly disputed
among historians. Arthur Schlesinger argues that the expansionist communist ideology and
inherently expansionistic nature of Leninism were the predominant causes of tension, making a
Soviet-USA alliance impossible. In contrast, Joyce and Gabriel Kolko place the blame on the USA and
their aggressive economic pursuits. Kolko argues that the USA's aim to restructure Europe into its
ideal trading partner led to the war-torn Soviets feeling attacked as their borders were once again
under threat. Although America was not necessarily combating solely Soviet influence, but any
threat to their capitalist goals, their tendency to link anything leftist with the USSR led to hostile
foreign policy towards the Russians. Finally, Bernstein argues that the atomic bomb was one of the
many causes of the Cold War, as it reduced America's caution when compromising with the Soviet
Union. However, the bomb was not necessarily created to threaten the Russians but ensure global
and national security.
Evaluating the three historians' works, Kolko presents the most convincing argument, in the sense
that the Cold War was not necessarily due to conflicting ideologies but the threat they posed to each
of the rivalling nations' economic stability and growth. Although Stalin was an autocratic leader
whose authoritarian personality could have pushed Americans to believe that rapprochement was
futile, Schlesinger's claim that Stalin ardently followed Leninism and would therefore pursue an
unrelenting global takeover is the least convincing. However, aside from the important role
economic gain played in fueling tensions, the reoccurring theme throughout all interpretations is the
prevalence of miscommunication and misinterpretation. Due to both nations harboring a deep
mistrust for one another, they failed to view each other's actions objectively. Therefore,
misunderstandings and uncompromising visions of national security on both sides led to the
development of the Cold War in the years 1945-53.
IDEOLOGICAL INFLEXIBILITY – ARTHUR SCHLESINGER
There is considerable disagreement regarding the significance of ideology in the origins of the Cold
War. Historians Arthur Schlesinger and Walt W. Rostow concur that the aggressive and expansionist
nature of Stalin led to the breakup of the Grand Alliance, forcing the Americans to react in defense
of democracy and resulting in the Cold War. Schlesinger argues that the intransigent nature of
Leninist ideology deemed any non-communist state a threat to the Soviet Union, thereby making
America, as "the leading capitalist power"1, a persistent enemy. However, due to his role as
Kennedy's advisor, Schlesinger could be considered as having an insider view of events, which
suggests a lack of an impartial or objective view in his historical judgments. Moreover, Schlesinger
wrote the source during the era of McCarthyism, a period of intense anti-communist sentiment. The
atmosphere of paranoia and intense ideological polarization may have made it difficult for
Schlesinger to present a fully balanced and nuanced view of the conflict, diminishing the credibility
of his argument. Similarly, Rostow served as National Security Advisor to President of the United
States Lyndon B. Johnson, which opens the possibility that his analysis was shaped by personal
experience or tainted by political views.
1
Arthur M. Schlesinger “Origins of the cold war “Foreign affairs 46
Pg 32
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