Chapter 4: The Origins and End of the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

Topics to Cover The Long Telegram Snapshots of the Cold War Realist Explanations Identity Explanations Liberal Explanations Critical Theory Perspective Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

THE LONG TELEGRAM What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

The Long Telegram Written by Kennan in 1946 Six main points: –The Soviet Union is confrontational –Marxism expresses Russian insecurity –The Soviet Union will expand its power –The Soviet Union leads a worldwide communist effort –The U.S. should contain the Soviet Union and let communism fail –The U.S. should improve its own society to win Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

SNAPSHOTS OF THE COLD WAR What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

Snapshots of the Cold War Two global superpowers: U.S. and Soviet Union –“Logic of force” –Ideological differences –Division of Europe –Military alliances: NATO and Warsaw Pact Cold War –Deterrence –Diplomatic crises –Proxy wars Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

REALIST EXPLANATIONS How different perspectives use the levels of analysis to make arguments about the causes of the beginning, escalation, and de-escalation of the Cold War; What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War; How containment and deterrence work; What role violent conflict and the threat of violence played in the Cold War; How nuclear weapons changed the calculations of the United States and the Soviet Union; How the different perspectives view the Cuban Missile Crisis Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Started: Soviet and U.S. Aggression Soviet aggression –Provokes American containment policies –Arms race: Competitive build-up of weapons U.S. aggression –Plans to keep Germany unified (Potsdam Conference) and integrate Europe (Marshall Plan) provokes Soviet retrenchment –Revisionist interpretation of events Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Started: Power Vacuum and Spheres of Influence Germany’s defeat leaves a power vacuum in Europe The U.S. and the Soviet Union establish spheres of influence –Winston Churchill: “Iron Curtain” separates Europe Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Expanded: The Atomic Bomb and the Balance of Terror Development of nuclear weapons created a balance of terror What is effective deterrence? –Minimum, maximum, extended –U.S. policy of massive retaliation –Mutual assured destruction, emphasis on offensive weapons –International agreements: SALT, ABM Treaty Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Expanded: Cuban Missile Crisis Bay of Pigs invasion Fall 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis –Soviet Union moves missiles into Cuba –Kennedy orders naval quarantine, standoff ensues –Khrushchev agrees to stop deployments, remove weapons –Kennedy pledges not to invade Cuba, withdraws Jupiter missiles in Turkey Liberal perspective: Kennedy and Khrushchev cooperated Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Expanded: Alliances and Proxy Wars Hot wars in peripheral areas –Korea (1950), Vietnam (1961), Afghanistan (1979) Decolonization after World War II –Domino theory drives superpowers to form global alliances –Soviet Union supports national wars of liberation –U.S. supports freedom fighters –Nonaligned movement led by India, Yugoslavia, Egypt Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How the Cold War Ended: U.S. Rebound & Soviet Collapse U.S. launches economic, military buildup in 1980s under Reagan –Increased defense spending: Strategic Defense Initiative –Change in the calculus of deterrence: Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START), mutual assured protection Soviet Union weakens –Economy peaks in 1970, then stagnates –Political weakness before Gorbachev Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

IDENTITY EXPLANATIONS How different perspectives use the levels of analysis to make arguments about the causes of the beginning, escalation, and de-escalation of the Cold War; What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How Ideas Started the Cold War: Soviet and American Ideology Soviet ideology promotes spread of communism and defeat of capitalism American ideology promotes spread of democracy and defeat of tyranny –Truman Doctrine –Rollback The ideologies of both the U.S. and the Soviet Union cause them to think of each other as enemies, not rivals Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How Ideas Ended the Cold War: Convergence Ideological convergence –U.S. becomes more postmodern (community-oriented) –Soviet Union becomes more modern (individual-oriented) Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

How Ideas Ended the Cold War: Soviet Ideas Change, U.S. Ideas Win Soviet ideas change –Gorbachev adopts “New Thinking” –Collaborations with European experts on peace research studies U.S. ideas win –Reagan forcefully promotes American values and favors rollback of the Soviet Union Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

LIBERAL EXPLANATIONS How different perspectives use the levels of analysis to make arguments about the causes of the beginning, escalation, and de-escalation of the Cold War; What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

United Nations Collective security institution after World War II Security Council: Primary responsibility for keeping peace The UN needed cooperation among the great powers to function properly Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

Truman’s Blundering Diplomacy Roosevelt sought greater cooperation with the Soviet Union but died in 1945 After Roosevelt’s death, Truman alienated the Soviet Union through poor diplomacy United Nations fails to keep superpowers communicating Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

NATO and the European Community Europe integrates –NATO backs up political and economic integration –European Communities form in 1968 from mix of smaller institutions, becomes EU in 1993 –Marshall Plan leads to establishment of OECD Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

Détente and the Helsinki Accords Détente with the Soviet Union –Led by France and West Germany The Helsinki Accords (1975) –Focus on arms control, trade, and human rights Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

The Information Revolution and the End of the Cold War Information revolution introduces new technologies –Emphasis on non-zero-sum economic goals –Drives Gorbachev to adopt “New Thinking” to encourage economic growth Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

CRITICAL THEORY PERSPECTIVE How different perspectives use the levels of analysis to make arguments about the causes of the beginning, escalation, and de-escalation of the Cold War; What historical events each perspective argues are most important for explaining key changes during the Cold War Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications

Critical Theory Perspective Highlights dialectical process of social change U.S. as leading representative of capitalism –Open door policy, Marshall Plan consequence of monopoly capitalism Soviet Union as vanguard of communism –Class struggle produces more equal distribution of wealth –Socialist institutions will replace liberal market institutions Henry R. Nau, 5e © 2017, Sage Publications