INTS10001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, Cuban Missile Crisis
26 Jun 2018
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INTS10001 – The Cold War
What was the Cold War?
An ideologically dichotomised global system
International realm broadly split between the influence of the US & USSR
US represented democracy, liberalism
USSR represented communism
Characterised by regional and international ‘bloc’ relations
Proxy wars were typical as a means of the superpowers extending their influence and
inhibiting the spread of such of the other
Rivalry between the superpowers
oSpace Race
oSports (Olympics) Race
oNuclear Arms Race
Lack of formal economic & diplomatic interaction between the two superpowers
Competing explanations for the origins of the Cold War:
Traditional Interpretation – Cold War a result of Soviet expansion/aggression
Revisionist/New Left Interpretation – C.W. result of American expansionism/aggression
Compromise – C.W. caused by the competing ideologies of both superpowers
The US Perspective:
1948-51: Marshall Plan:
o$13 billion to rebuild Western European economies
oEnabled Western Europe to be capitalist
oPrevented a ‘Domino effect’ in Europe the idea that Communism will spread
within a region
1949: NATO established
oAlliance between the US & Western European states
‘Truman Doctrine’
oAim to prevent the spread of communism
o‘Containment’ now the main security objective
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
International realm broadly split between the influence of the us & ussr. Proxy wars were typical as a means of the superpowers extending their influence and inhibiting the spread of such of the other. Rivalry between the superpowers: space race, sports (olympics) race, nuclear arms race. Lack of formal economic & diplomatic interaction between the two superpowers. Competing explanations for the origins of the cold war: Traditional interpretation cold war a result of soviet expansion/aggression. Revisionist/new left interpretation c. w. result of american expansionism/aggression. Compromise c. w. caused by the competing ideologies of both superpowers. 1948-51: marshall plan: billion to rebuild western european economies, enabled western europe to be capitalist, prevented a domino effect" in europe the idea that communism will spread within a region. 1949: nato established: alliance between the us & western european states. Truman doctrine": aim to prevent the spread of communism, containment" now the main security objective. 1950-54: senator mccarthy pursues communists & communist sympathisers.
