Cold War Historical Interpretations Timeline
Historical Interpretations
Copy following for timeline
Traditional/Orthodox
Revisionist
Post Revisionist
Contemporary/Post 1991
Traditional/Orthodox
•
This view follows the official US interpretation of the
beginning of the Cold War
The breakdown of relations was a direct result of Stalin's
violation of the Yalta accords, the imposition of Soviet-
dominated governments on an unwilling Eastern Europe, and
aggressive Soviet expansionism
Stalin was trying to build up a Soviet empire in accordance
with Marxist theory
USA had to act defensively
Revisionist
•
This view sees :
•
USA commitment to maintaining an 'open door' for American
trade in world markets
USA provocations and imperial ambitions were at least equally to
blame
Truman had not understood how much Russia had suffered in
WWII
Onset of Cold War due to 'dollar diplomacy' and needs of
capitalism
Stalin was a pragmatic leader, needed security
The use of the Atomic bomb was the first move by the USA in the
Cold War
Post Revisionist
•
This view claims that neither side can be held solely
responsible for the Cold War
Focused on mutual misperception, mutual reactivity and
shared responsibility between the superpowers
America didn't understand Stalin's fears and need to defend
himself after the war
Two military establishments, USA and USSR, were both
seeking world domination
Both superpowers overestimated the strength and threat of
the other.
Contemporary/Post 1991
•
This view sees that the collapse of the Soviet Union and the
Eastern European bloc in the early 1990s allowed scholars
and historians (from both East and West) to finally gain
access to archival evidence that was inaccessible to
researchers throughout the Cold War. Such unprecedented
opportunities gave rise to a new field in history. This new
perspective values the importance of the superpowers' allies
during the Cold War, instead of just at the superpowers
themselves.
Key historians
•
George Kennan,
Herbert Feis,
Thomas A. Bailey
•
William A. Williams,
Walter LaFeber,
•
Gar Alperovitz,
•
Joyce and Gabriel
Kolko
•
John Lewis Gaddis,
Thomas G. Paterson,
Ernest May
•
Eduard Mark
•
Tony Smith
Cover slide. No need to copy
Explore different historical interpretations of the Cold War through three main perspectives: Traditional/Orthodox, Revisionist, and Post-Revisionist/Contemporary/Post-1991. The Traditional/Orthodox view blames Stalin for the breakdown of relations, the Revisionist view points to mutual provocations, and the Post-Revisionist perspective emphasizes mutual misperceptions and shared responsibility between the superpowers. The Contemporary/Post-1991 view highlights new insights gained after the collapse of the Soviet Union, focusing on the role of allies in shaping Cold War history.
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Presentation Transcript
Historical Interpretations Copy following for timeline
Traditional/Orthodox Revisionist
Post Revisionist Contemporary/Post 1991
Traditional/Orthodox This view follows the official US interpretation of the beginning of the Cold War The breakdown of relations was a direct result of Stalin's violation of the Yalta accords, the imposition of Soviet- dominated governments on an unwilling Eastern Europe, and aggressive Soviet expansionism Stalin was trying to build up a Soviet empire in accordance with Marxist theory USA had to act defensively
Revisionist This view sees : USA commitment to maintaining an 'open door' for American trade in world markets USA provocations and imperial ambitions were at least equally to blame Truman had not understood how much Russia had suffered in WWII Onset of Cold War due to 'dollar diplomacy' and needs of capitalism Stalin was a pragmatic leader, needed security The use of the Atomic bomb was the first move by the USA in the Cold War
Post Revisionist This view claims that neither side can be held solely responsible for the Cold War Focused on mutual misperception, mutual reactivity and shared responsibility between the superpowers America didn't understand Stalin's fears and need to defend himself after the war Two military establishments, USA and USSR, were both seeking world domination Both superpowers overestimated the strength and threat of the other.
Contemporary/Post 1991 This view sees that the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European bloc in the early 1990s allowed scholars and historians (from both East and West) to finally gain access to archival evidence that was inaccessible to researchers throughout the Cold War. Such unprecedented opportunities gave rise to a new field in history. This new perspective values the importance of the superpowers' allies during the Cold War, instead of just at the superpowers themselves.
Key historians George Kennan, Herbert Feis, Thomas A. Bailey William A. Williams, Walter LaFeber, Gar Alperovitz, Joyce and Gabriel Kolko
John Lewis Gaddis, Thomas G. Paterson, Ernest May Eduard Mark Tony Smith
