Historiography of the Cold War

Historiography of the Cold War

As soon as the term "Cold War" was used to talk about the problems between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II, people started to discuss what caused these issues. Historians, scientists, and writers debated who was responsible for the end of friendly relations between the two countries. They also questioned whether the conflict was unavoidable or if it could have been stopped.

Historians have different opinions about what the Cold War was and what started it. They study what each side did and why. Even though there are many complex ideas about the Cold War, scholars often sort them into three main groups: "orthodox" views, "revisionism," and "post-revisionism." Many modern historians focus on questions that matter to all these groups.

Pro-Soviet accounts

During the Cold War, many historians in the Soviet Union followed the government's ideas. They often said that the West, especially the United States, caused problems between the two sides. A famous historian from Britain, E. H. Carr, wrote a long history of the Soviet Union about the 1920s. Carr and others thought the Soviet Union was trying to help the world, while the United States blocked progress and started the conflict. Carr also believed that other historians judged the Soviet Union too quickly using British and American values.

Orthodox accounts

The first way people thought about the Cold War came from American historians right after World War II. They believed the Soviet Union was to blame for the problems between the United States and the Soviet Union. They thought the Soviet Union broke promises made at the Yalta Conference, put its own leaders in charge of countries in Eastern Europe, and tried to spread their ideas around the world. Because of this, the United States made plans like the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan to protect itself.

Another historian, Herbert Feis, agreed. He said the Soviet Union's actions in Eastern Europe started the Cold War. He also thought Franklin D. Roosevelt gave in too much to the Soviet leader at the Yalta Conference, which helped the Soviet Union gain more power in Europe. Even though this idea wasn’t as popular in the 1960s, it’s still important today.

Revisionism

The Vietnam War made some historians feel unhappy with how the United States acted, especially compared to the Viet Cong. A group called revisionists believed both the United States and the Soviet Union made mistakes that led to the Cold War.

These historians thought the United States was more to blame for the end of peace after World War II. They said the United States wanted to keep its economy strong and tried to control other countries. They also believed the Soviet Union was just trying to protect itself because it felt weak after the war.

Post-revisionism

"Post-revisionism" redirects here. For post-revisionism in the historiography of the French Revolution, see Historiography of the French Revolution.

After earlier ideas about the Cold War were questioned, new ways of thinking called "post-revisionism" began. These ideas kept some points from older views but rejected many big claims. They tried to balance both sides, showing that both the United States and the Soviet Union shared responsibility for the start of the Cold War.

Important books on this topic include John Lewis Gaddis's work from 1972, which said neither side was fully to blame. Another scholar, Melvyn P. Leffler, argued that U.S. actions were driven by fears rather than Soviet actions alone. Over time, historians began to see the Cold War as a natural result of tensions between two powerful countries that distrusted each other.

Since the 2000s, historians have used newly opened archives to study the Cold War from many angles, including culture and technology. They also look at how the Cold War affected areas beyond the United States and the Soviet Union, especially the Third World. Some historians now study emotions and personal relationships between leaders to understand political decisions better.

Espionage

Main articles: Cold War espionage and List of Eastern Bloc agents in the United States

Further information: History of espionage

After 1990, new memories and records showed more about secret work during the Cold War. Experts now study how the start, middle, and end of the Cold War were shaped by secret actions of the United States, the Soviet Union, and other important countries. They also look at how each side saw the other, using secret information that is now public.