Ronald E. Powaski, Cold War: The United States and the Soviet Union, 1917-1991, goes in depth with origins of the Cold war and the relations between American-Soviet rivalry. Powaski challenges the reader to think of the war in new ways and provides an innovative perspective on the conflicts of the two countries. He shows that both America and Soviet were expansionist nations with developments that influenced history. He also emphasis on the new development that have added on to the countries rivalry relationship and highlights what ties them together in conflict. Powaski argues that “That the Cold War was inevitable.
The Cold War was a result of the failed alliance between the US and Soviet Union. For forty years, the two nations were at odds. Each tried to become better than the other, spread their political systems, and achieve world domination. During this time period, the rivals were always on the verge of a war. The Cold War was fought with thinly veiled threats and began due to the iron curtain.
This triggered WWI and led to further violence and unrest among several other countries such as Germany, Britain, France, Austria – Hungary Empire and Italy. There were several important Battles during World War I and these battles fall under the first category. All of these interactions in Europe during World War I were diplomatic, related to the military and problems of countries during the war. Diplomacy determined how battles were fought and how other military interactions happened. Military interactions were based on the technology such as trench warfare, submarines, airplanes and tanks.
This should allow one to reach an informed conclusion. In order to answer the first part of the question, this paper will now proceed to explain the causes and major events of the cold war according to the revisionist approach. In this, the focus must be on the revisionist approach first, and not the, to be discussed events. In the revisionist approach USA is seen as driving force of Cold War. The Soviet Union is seen defensive in its actions and its policies are argued to be a response to those of America (Lundestad, 2010:9).
Even though, both sides have claimed responsibility for their actions, Stalin’s intentions should be seen as defense actions from the West therefore, the United States is mostly responsible for the start of the Cold War. While most of the blames should be placed for the United States, the Soviet Union is partly responsible for the origin of the war too. After World War II, Stalin saw in Eastern Europe the opportunity to spread communism and protection necessities against Western attacks. According to Schlesinger’s analysis, the Soviet’s actions were moved only by its desire to protect themselves and the satisfaction of control over Eastern Europe. In 1947, Stalin established Conform.
Soviet Actions In Europe Between 1945 And 1947 Were Primarily Responsible For The Origins Of The Cold War. Assess The Validity Of This View. There has been a debate regarding whether who had started the Cold War. Historians that follow a Traditionalist or Orthodox view have cited that it was the Soviet’s dominating expansionism regime and its force in spreading communism that was to blame. Another perspective, the Revisionist view initiated by the historian William Appleman Willams regards that the American’s attitude to dispense their ideology of capitalism as well as their tactics in using military means to dominate with world trade was the cause.
Historians such as Hobsbawn argue this, and believe that the traditional great power rivalry was fundamental to the start of the Cold War. Many different historians argue different points as to why the war began, McMahon argues that the difference between the Capitalist West and the Communist East was the fundamental reason for the beginning of the Cold War, the difference in ideology has been rife for many years leading up to the Cold War. Oppositely, Gaddis believes that the personality of the leaders, in particular Stalin had a main role and where he is concerned, all other leaders could have been removed, leaving only Stalin and the Cold War still would of started. I believe that the difference in Ideologies played a key, dominant role in the development of the Cold War, however I do appreciate that power rivalry and also leader personalities had a role. Firstly, Hobsbawn immediately dismisses the fact that ideology played a role in the development of the Cold War, he says ‘Confrontation would probably have developed even without ideology.’ Hobsbawn then goes onto say that after Kennan came up with his policy of Containment, the USA saw themselves as the only ‘rival power to Russia’ and that they would have to ‘contain its pressure by uncompromising resistance, even If Russia had not been communist’.
The Soviet Union was initiated the satellite states as a response to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which were against the communism. The satellite states were not only established in response to the NATO treaty, but to expand the Soviet Union’s governmental powers within Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union’s ability to control Eastern Europe was completed with the military troops already stationed within the territory.
The Helsinki agreements recognised Soviet control over Eastern Europe because it dictated confrontation and expansion abroad. Russia promised to respect human rights but Brezhnev didn't have the intentions for honouring the human rights but the U.S needed Détente to occur because they believed the Soviet Union was strong and going to get stronger. During these agreement SS20s were being targeted at Western Europe Salt II lasted from 1972 to 1979. It was a progression from Salt I trying to provide limits on weapon systems and to put restraints on future developments. MIRV systems were finally limited for both the U.S and Soviet Union.
Compare/Contrast Essay War has been a part of this world since the very beginning of the human race. War is fought for many reasons, land, religion, politics, or because countries are allied together. Whatever the reason for fighting wars have impacted this world greatly. Two of the worst but greatest wars fought are World War I and World War II. Even though they were fought twenty years after each other there are similarities and differences between the way they started, were fought, and the outcome.