“Historians have disagreed about the origins of the Cold War. What is your view about the reasons
for the start of the Cold War was because of the actions of Stalin?”
An Overview:
Post-World War 2, the previous allies of war, the Soviet Union, and United States, had defeated Nazi
Germany together had been transformed into formidable superpowers of the world, inevitably
competition and tension grew positioning them in direct conflict with each other. The cold war was a
period of geopolitical rivalry between the two superpowers in which they exercised propaganda,
money, ideology, and mutually assured destruction to enforce their influence and control over
Europe to prove they were the better superpower of the world.
Revisionist historians have not completely agreed on the starting and ending dates of the cold war,
this is because they advocate different schools of thought and use different sources for their
research. The orthodox view illustrates the belief the actions taken by Stalin are to blame for the
Cold War with his expansionist approach of the east, this contrasts to the revisionist view which
emphasises the belief in which Truman as well as the USA was to blame for the development of the
Cold War in which Stalin had to protect himself from a potential western invasion. The post-
revisionist view campaigns the belief Stalin and Truman are equally to blame as well as other factors
plays a part in the development of the Cold War. The post-revisionist view has surfaced during the
period of détente, giving a more balance view on the Cold War and actions taken from both
superpowers. Overall, the post revisionist interpretation of the Cold War is more accurate because
although the USA and USSR had their own intentions of world domination, the actions other took
was in retaliation to each other in which an aggravating factor of Germany heighten the conflict
between the two superpowers.
Role of Stalin:
Stalin played a dominant role in the end of the second World War and the early development of the
Cold War with the United States, the view undertaken by historians believe the cold war originated
as a result of actions taken by Stalin presents an orthodox view which blames the USSR for seeking
to expand and exert their control over Europe.
Arthur Schlesinger has an orthodox view of the Cold War as he blames the USSR’s insecurity and
desire to seek communist expansion of the world as a motivator for tensions with the United States.
Arguably Schlesinger takes the orthodox approach when analysing the Cold war due to his
background in American history as well as actively supported the presential campaign of Senator
Robert F. Kennedy therefore making him very critical of the USSR. Schlesinger proclaims the USSR
had a non-negotiable outlook on how to proceed with the United States after the end of the World
War 2, this therefore provoked tensions and deteriorated the relationship between the USSR and
USA in which the “…West found it hard to accept the thesis that Russia was moved only by a desire
to protect its security and would be satisfied by the control of Eastern Europe” 1. Russia has had a
history of being the central target for invasion and war in its history, most notable by the Nazis in
1941, causing Stalin’s paranoia after the second World War which led him to believe he needed a
sphere of influence in order to secure his safety of another invasion consequently, if his desire was
not fulfilled then he will go to war. Stalin’s claim over his sphere of influence emerged where
Germany was left in the hands of the big three in which by the Potsdam conference, tensions grew
as he didn’t keep his promise over elections in east Europe. It can be argued that Germany was the
root of the Cold War because of its location being the centre of decision making. Trachtenberg’s
research highlights the fact that both superpowers wanted to assert their dominance and ideologies
1
Arthur Schlesinger, Origins of the Cold War (1967), p. 48
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, “Historians have disagreed about the origins of the Cold War. What is your view about the reasons
for the start of the Cold War was because of the actions of Stalin?”
over Germany which “lay at the heart of the Cold War” 2, causing a power vacuum. However,
Schlesinger portrays the USA to be compromising with the USSR as they were “perfectly ready to
acknowledge that Russia was entitled to convincing assurance of her national security” 3, but this
validated Stalin to further pursue his sphere of influence which led the US to believe Stalin had
ulterior motives than just security concerns by using force, propaganda, and political scheming in the
Eastern bloc countries to make them loyal to the Soviet Union. In general, although the USSR was
imperialist in dealing with eastern Europe, the position in which Germany was situated was left open
for control of the USSR or USA which caused conflict in how Germany was to be dealt with. As a
result, if Germany was to be controlled by the west, the USSR would feel a need for heightened
security and so would the USA If the USSR controlled Germany.
Schlesinger’s argument can be supported by Norman Graebner as he believed the USSR played a
dominant and superior role in the Cold war using their influence over the east of Europe to take over
the world. Graebner has a background in the US military, he served during the occupation of Japan
between 1945-46. This indicates that he will have a patriotic view of the US in which they acted upon
protecting its people. Graebner expresses “…the Kremlin is concerned less with stabilising its post
war position than with dominating the free world” 4. This connotes Stalin would rather take over the
free world, expanding the Soviet Union, than coming to terms to reach an agreement with the
United States for peace after the second World War, the actions taken by Stalin, draw attention his
motives for world domination was highlighted in his unfaithful promise for fair and free elections in
the states surrounded the USSR, particularly Poland, Romania and Bulgaria in which he rigged or
arrested the politicians. Graebner goes on further to express the US hopes for peace were ended “…
since soviet repression in Eastern Europe first designed the promise of great power unity in the post
war world”5 which clearly indicated Stalin’s yearn for world domination which therefore left Truman,
president of the United States, no choice but to issue his doctrine on March 12 th, 1947, to support
any country in the world was at threat of communism. The actions carried out by the United States
can be interpreted of Truman retaliating to Stalin in order to prevent the spread of communism.
Overall, orthodox historians focus too much attention on the role of Soviet expansion in which they
neglect the role both superpowers as well as participating allies played in developing tensions of this
geopolitical war. The actions taken by both superpowers was in retaliation of one another which
originated with the formation of Bizonia as Britain could not afford to rebuild while rebuilding their
German territory. This therefore caused tensions with USSR concerns of security resulting in the
takeover of the Soviet buffer zone. It is understood, both actions taken by the superpowers had
broken the agreements made at the Potsdam conference, July 1945.
Role of Truman:
Truman was also a dominant figure in the Cold War, he wanted to prevent the spread of communism
as it threatened the national security of America. This view of the USA emphasises the revisionist
view which blames the USA for laying the foundations of the Cold War.
William Appleman William’s revisionist perspective blames the Americans and their use of an open-
door policy as the root of causing tension with the Soviet Union, making them feel threatened. He
became popular in education for his willingness to challenge orthodox views as well as American
2
Marc Trachtenberg, A constructed peace: the making of European settlement, p. 7
3
Arthur Schlesinger, Origins of the Cold War (1967), p. 37
4
Norman Graebner, The Cold War: An American view, p. 96
5
Norman Graebner, The Cold War: An American view, p. 95
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