v Legacy of American & Russian Expansion:

Ø Sense of special mission in history for both

Ø Growth of missions to global dimensions – 20^th century

Ø Contrasts in political, economic, & social cultural attitudes

Ø Absence of conflict or cross purposes until Nov 1917

Ø Origins of US-Soviet diplomatic conflict:

§ Balancing geo-strategic interest vs. ideological values

v Assessment – Wilson’s Ideological Conflict:

Ø Wilson’s idealistic world view:

§ International cooperation

§ Collective security

§ Self-determination

§ Free & open markets

Ø Wilson’s view of Bolshevik regime

§ US motives & actions taken as a result

Ø Impact on Soviet attitudes toward West:

§ Soviet fear of Western capitalism & encirclement

v Assessment – FDR’s Wartime Diplomacy:

Ø Recognition of Soviet Regime (March 1933)

§ Unfulfilled expectations & disappointment

Ø FDR’s main wartime Soviet Policy Goal?

§ Obstacles inhibiting success: isolationism

§ Maintained access to Soviets (post Sept 1939)

§ Promised & pursued 2^nd Front

Ø Was FDR naïve?

§ Wartime vs. postwar priorities

§ Rejection of Churchill’s Balkan strategy

§ Overestimating his ability to pursued

§ Postponement of hard political decisions

§ Minimizing Churchill’s concerns to the end

Ø Did FDR mislead Stalin wrt US concerns in East Europe?

§ Proclivity to avoid confrontation

§ Spin or efforts to avoid hard political choices

Ø Assess impact of FDR’s political priorities:

§ Practical geo-political vs. idealistic interest?

§ Effect on Atlantic Charter principles?

§ Would harder line approach made any difference?

§ Could Soviet actions in E. Europe been precluded?

v Assessment – Truman & Containment:

Ø Key Policies, Strategies, & Doctrine shaping Cold War:

§ Cold War became main arena for competition & conflict:

§ Demonstrated through Truman’s adoption of:

· Containment thesis & rationale:

¨ Kennan’s Long Telegram;

· Truman Doctrine:

¨ states official US position to contain communism

· Marshall Plan:

¨ Economic means to achieve Containment’s end

· NSC-68:

¨ Military Strategy to achieve Containment

· NATO:

¨ Military means for Containment in Europe

§ Soviet’s Response:

· Molotov Plan: (reaction to Marshall Plan)

¨ Tied Eastern Europe to Moscow’s economy

· Berlin Blockade:

¨ Failed Soviet response to growing western influence

Ø on Western Germany (Bizonia);

· Warsaw Pact:

¨ NATO’s counterpart

¨ Soviet military alliance of East Europe

· Stalin’s hard line on Eastern Europe:

¨ Hope fades for democracy in East Europe;

Ø Three Interpretations of Cold War’s Origins:

§ Orthodox: mainly the Soviets are to blame;

§ Revisionists: USSR defense concerns & Capitalist greed;

§ Post-revisionist: both side contributed to Cold War;

Ø Summary of specific arguments:

§ Orthodox:

· Soviet behavior & its aggressive actions;

· Fundamental Ideological conflict;

· USSR support for world communism

· Soviet support for 3^rd World liberation movements:

¨ Linked to Soviet motives of expansion;

· Misunderstandings attributed to FDR’s spin;

§ Revisionists:

· Soviet concern for security – defensive in nature;

· US fabricated fears & myths:

¨ Aim: make world safe for capitalism & invest.

§ Post-revisionist:

· All of the above contributed to CW origins;

· Strategic security gained through economic means;

· Overall US objective: preponderance of Power;

v Expansion of Containment to the Third World:

Ø Assessment – Eisenhower & Dulles:

§ US-Soviet competition for 3^rd World allegiance grows:

· Tendency to confuse Nationalism w/Communism;

¨ Result: US aligned more w/right wing dictators

¨ Growing trend toward covert actions to fix problems

Ø LATAM, Iran, & Africa

§ Khrushchev’s aggressiveness also contributed to tensions:

· Support for Liberation movements strain relations

· Partly due to Khrushchev’s ambition for influence;

· Motive: Remain leader of communism ahead of China

Ø Kennedy & Johnson- Flexible Response & Limited War:

§ JFK’s & Khrushchev’s personality conflict:

· Significant factor in US-Soviet relations;

§ JFK’s resolve & insecurity also factors in poor relations:

· Determination to forge “new generation” of leadership;

· Humiliation at Bay of Pigs fiasco;

· Khrushchev’s attempt to exploit & challenge JFK:

¨ Berlin, Cuba. Vietnam, & Congo;

· Personality conflict almost ended in Nuke war (Cuba)

§ Failure of containment in the 3^rd World:

· JFK failed to reverse Castro’s Cuba;

· LBJ failed to defeat North Vietnam communists;

· Result: Vietnam Syndrome in future conflicts;

§ On Positive side: tentative beginning of Detente:

· Limited Test Ban & Non-proliferation treaties;

v Nuclear Arms Race:

Ø Ike, Massive Retaliation, the New Look, & Roll Back:

§ Ike threaten to use Nukes off China & to end Korea War

§ Nuclear arms race motivated by fears of coming in 2^nd:

· Applies to varying degrees to both sides:

¨ For US– motives of Military Industrial Complex

¨ For USSR – propaganda conceals Nuke weakness

§ Khrushchev miscalculated US reaction: fear of missile gap

· Spurred US efforts to build up Nuclear arsenal

Ø JFK & the Brink of Nuclear War:

§ Most dangerous era of the Cold War:

· Event that marked closest yet to Nuclear War?

§ Issues contributing to deterioration of US-Soviet relations?

· Berlin problem;

· Soviet attempt to challenge US Nuclear superiority;

· Khrushchev’s attempt to preclude US invasion of Cuba;

§ Sobering impact of Cuban Missile Crisis:

· Conflicting motivations:

¨ Avoid future direct confrontations & escalations

¨ Search for ways to reduce nuclear tensions

¨ For USSR: pursue parity as rapidly as possible:

Ø Soviet Nuclear missile build-up

v Failure of US-Soviet Détente:

Ø Assessment- Kennedy & Johnson & Détente:

§ Motivated by close call of Cuban Missile Crisis

§ Initiated early beginnings of Détente:

· Hot Line, Test Ban Treaty, & Nuc. Non-proliferation

§ Revised US Nuclear Deterrence Strategy - MAD (parity)

Ø Assessment- Nixon-Ford & Détente:

§ Ever the pragmatist => motive: US geo-strategic interests

· Soviet & Chinese assistance to end Vietnam War

¨ Triangular Diplomacy:

Ø Isolate North Vietnam from its supporters

· Constrain Soviet Nuclear Weapons –SALT ( parity)

§ Soviets motivated to ease tensions for own reasons:

· Western economic & technology assistance

· Deteriorating Chinese relations- border conflicts

· Eastern Europe: Soviet unease with potential unrest

· Reduce East-West tensions => free to deal w/China

§ Soviet’s still persisted in support its client states:

· So no reason to halt aid to Vietnam, Syria, Egypt, Cuba

· Also aided 3^rd World Liberation Movements - Angola

§ Yom Kippur War ‘s impact on US-Soviet détente:

· Mistrust heightened - signaled beginning of the end

Ø Détente’s rapid demise:

§ Soviet restrict Jewish emigration & require $30K tax

§ Congress undermined Nixon’s Quiet Diplomacy:

· Jackson-Vanik Bill precludes MFN trade status

§ Debate over nature & purpose of Détente ensued:

· Conservative critic’s position:

¨ Too much for too little in return (RR);

· Liberal critic’s position:

¨ Continued violations of human rights

· Critic’s thesis & supporting rationale:

¨ Soviets still committed to 3^rd World Revolution

¨ Détente merely tactical & temporary accumulation;

Ø Changing “correlation of Forces” to USSR favor

¨ Supporting evidence:

Ø Parity achieved with US on Nuclear Weapons;

Ø Loss of US prestige & credibility with 3^rd World:

§ Loss of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Angola;

· Soviet assertiveness further Critic’s arguments:

¨ Breach of Helsinki Final Act & human rights:

Ø Soviet promises not worth paper written on;

Ø Détente just another form of appeasement;

§ By Mar76, détente in grim decline & Kissinger irrelevant

Ø Assessment – Carter’s role in ending Détente:

§ Carter entered Whitehouse w/Wilson’s idealism, and:

· Strong commitment to human rights

· Desire for improved US-USSR relations & détente

§ Carter sought cooperation & accommodation for 3 years:

· Attempted to solve most issues & problems w/Soviets

¨ Issues of US-Soviet mutual interest to solve:

Ø Stop proliferation to Nuclear Weapons

Ø Contain & resolve Regional conflicts

Ø Protect Human Rights (flawed assumption?)

§ But by Carter’s departure – Détente was in shambles:

· Carter felt betrayed by Soviet invasion of Afghanistan:

¨ Overreacted & ignored other important areas

· Covert support to Islamic “freedom fighters”(stingers)

· FP often deadlocked & conflicting (Zbig vs. Vance);

· Carter often paralyzed by indecision & mired in detail

· Carter’s rigid idealism often only made matters worse

§ USSR bears blame but Carter seems more naive than most

v End of the Cold War:

Ø Assessment – evaluating critical links & determinants:

§ Key Questions: The Cold War ended as a result of what?

· US policies & their contribution to Cold War’s end?

· Collapse of Soviet $$$ from within?

· Undermining of people’s faith in communist system?

§ Was Reagan was instrumental in ending CW because of:

· Steadfast ideology? Military buildup?

· Full Court Press & economic impact on Soviets?

· SDI & sincere desire to eliminate all Nukes?

· Decision to take Secretary of State Shultz’s advice?

¨ Influence on Reagan over that of hardliners?

· Reagan’s choice to act - when & how he did act?

§ Role of Congress & Public Opinion?

· Tired of Nuclear sword hanging over World?

· Lack of Congress & Public support for covert Actions?

¨ 3^rd World, Iran-Contra, Nicaragua, etc.?

§ Was the Soviet system itself rotten from within?

· Was communism the glue that held USSR together?

· When the glue deteriorated => USSR became unstuck?

· Did above actions make it all fall apart=> to end CW?

§ Gorbachev’s role in ending the Cold War?

· Recognized vulnerability of Soviet economy?

· Took actions to reduce tensions & $$$ arms race?

· Revised long held ideological views re. East-West?

¨ From inevitable conflict to cooperation?

· Side effects of Perestroika & glasnost?

· Poorly executed reform measures – half measures?

· Profound lack of understanding the forces unleashed?

§ Actions taken by members affected by historic events?

· Eastern European satellites & their response?

· Constituent republics inside the USSR itself?

§ What role did Bush play?

· Concessions Gorbachev forced to make to West?

· Assurances to allow Gorbachev to accept unified Germany & also member of NATO

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