Why did the USA and USSR become rivals in the period 1945 to 1949? Historians have disagreed over the answer to this question for decades. However, the answers given can generally be placed into 4 groups. 1.The Traditionalists 2.The Revisionists 3.The Post Revisionists 4.The Post-1991 school

The Traditionalists The Soviets were to blame for the Cold War The Soviets were to blame for the Cold War The Cold War was the direct result of Stalin's aggressive Soviet expansionism. The Cold War was the direct result of Stalin's aggressive Soviet expansionism. This view is the traditional view of American and British Historians – particularly before 1960 This view is the traditional view of American and British Historians – particularly before 1960

The Revisionists The US were to blame for the Cold War The US were to blame for the Cold War The Cold War was caused by the US trying to keep countries capitalist for trade purposes The Cold War was caused by the US trying to keep countries capitalist for trade purposes The USA deliberately intimidated the Soviets e.g. the dropping of the Atomic bomb The USA deliberately intimidated the Soviets e.g. the dropping of the Atomic bomb

The Post-Revisionists The Cold War was neither the USA’s nor the USSR’s fault The Cold War was neither the USA’s nor the USSR’s fault The cause was a mutual misunderstanding of each other’s motives The cause was a mutual misunderstanding of each other’s motives The Cold War was an inevitable result of the situation at the time i.e. 2 superpowers trying to settle the ‘German Question’ The Cold War was an inevitable result of the situation at the time i.e. 2 superpowers trying to settle the ‘German Question’

The Post-1991 school Inspired by secret documents uncovered after the collapse of communism is Russia Inspired by secret documents uncovered after the collapse of communism is Russia The Cold War was the result of the leaders’ personal faults and fanatical beliefs The Cold War was the result of the leaders’ personal faults and fanatical beliefs The Cold War was a Clash of ideologies – a clash between Capitalism and Communism The Cold War was a Clash of ideologies – a clash between Capitalism and Communism

The four statements following typify the four different interpretations of the causes of the Cold War - the 'Traditional', 'Revisionist', 'Post- revisionist' and 'Post-1991 (ideological)' interpretations. In pairs Can you work out which is which??

The answers... 1: Revisionist 1: Revisionist 2. Post-revisionist 2. Post-revisionist 3. Post Post Traditional 4. Traditional

Other schools of thought The 'realist' interpretation views the Cold War as a great power conflict between the two geopolitically dominant powers which emerged from the Second World War. Wolhforth captures this approach: ‘the Cold War was caused by the rise of Soviet power and the fear this caused in the West’. The 'realist' interpretation views the Cold War as a great power conflict between the two geopolitically dominant powers which emerged from the Second World War. Wolhforth captures this approach: ‘the Cold War was caused by the rise of Soviet power and the fear this caused in the West’.

Similarly, the 'liberal' interpretation sees the Cold War as a military conflict, which, rather than being the result of power vacuums, was the product of poor policy decisions, misperceptions and missed opportunities; given this, many argue, the Cold War could have been avoided. Similarly, the 'liberal' interpretation sees the Cold War as a military conflict, which, rather than being the result of power vacuums, was the product of poor policy decisions, misperceptions and missed opportunities; given this, many argue, the Cold War could have been avoided.

For 'radicals', the Cold War was not really a conflict of values, ideas or interests, but a military conflict coloured with the patina of ideological rhetoric that was used by both sides to establish and further the domination of their own spheres of influence. For 'radicals', the Cold War was not really a conflict of values, ideas or interests, but a military conflict coloured with the patina of ideological rhetoric that was used by both sides to establish and further the domination of their own spheres of influence.