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We Now Know Rethink Cold War Analysis

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John Lewis Gaddis. “We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History.”
Gladdis highlights the meaning of containment and explains what would be necessary to “keep peace while preserving the balance of power.” In addition, Gladdis really goes into deep detail about the Marshall Plan and what it did. Gaddis states that the Marshall Plan had a purpose of, “creating an American sphere of influence… one that would allow those within it considerable freedom. Gaddis discusses that the United States seemed to fall short when it came to running a big empire, and that the “idea of autonomy was implicit in the task of restoring European self confidence.” Furthermore, Gaddis describes how the Soviet Union did not have good control over its empire well. He provides …show more content…

Stalin said that because of that, he thought that The Soviet Union and its East European allies should join in the plan; however, Stalin began to rethink that when, Nikolai Novikov warned him that the American offer of the Marshall Plan to the Soviet Union was not “sincere.” Gaddis continues by saying that after the Marshall Plan, Stalin saw it necessary to augment his forms of “imperial management.” By this action, Stalin called a meeting for the purpose of talking about collaboration in Poland with the Soviets, East European Communist parties, and the French and Italian communists. However, after the meeting, Stalin said the real reason, which was to organize an agency for international communism. Moreover, Gaddis expresses the task of the Soviets to control over already communist areas and how in the year of 1948, proved to be a turning point because as Gaddis explains it, “it was the first time this process provoked resistance.” In addition, the author includes how the Red- army abused Yugoslav civilians and how those civilians tried to “defer” the Soviets. As these tensions rose, the actions between Stalin and the Yugoslavs concluded to the East

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He does not aim to present a new argument and clearly states that this book fulfills a need for an accessible survey of Cold War history for younger students. Gaddis succeeds in his aim to be accessible through the easily readable, narrative style of The Cold War. He does not use any primary sources in his this book but only relies on secondary sources from Cold War historian, including himself. Gaddis does discuss Poland and Solidarność but only as it relates to the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, his history is so broad it is hard to get a sense of each event’s importance or connect with any of the players.

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At the end of the Second World War, the European economy was devastated and the continent was in despair, and there was no political or economic stability in the region. Secretary Marshall believed that a politically stable and an economically strong Europe could serve the best interests of the United States. In June of 1947, Marshall revealed his mega plan for his European economic recovery program, also known as the “Marshall Plan”, which would, modernize industry, boost trade and make Europe prosperous continent again. The plan was a big success that laid the framework for a rebuilding of war ruined Europe and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Marshall was not only dedicated to building a strong defense to safeguard the freedom and security of our nation, but also determined to find peaceful solutions to world conflicts.

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The United States has established itself as a superior nation that is concerned with struggling minorities subjected to oppressive and tyrannical forms of government often associated with the death of individuality. Throughout the twentieth century, widespread fears of communism contributed to a prominent desire to protect weaker nations from this destructive form of leadership that could ultimately defer trade and spark national tensions. From this fear arose the controversial containment policy, which granted the United States the ability to intervene in foreign nations if it would potentially assuage communist revolutions. The underlying futility of these attempts was exposed as miscalculations of opposing power caused great monetary loss

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Many Western Nation in Europe saw the Soviets actions as a threat to global democracy. The Soviet Union wanted to maintain their power and spread their communist ideology throughout the world. A longtime democracy advocate, the United States came to Europe’s aid. Through the Marshall Plan, the

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He says, “We look for some sign from the Soviet Union that they are willing to move forward, that they share our desire and love for peace and that they will give up the ways of conquest.”

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Source A presents the American response to the Marshall Plan, including the motivation for its creation being to revive a working economy in the world to prevent chaos, loss of peace and an unbalanced economy. Source B then presents the Soviet response to the Marshall Plan, suggesting that it was a clear threat to its influence in Eastern Europe and it was an attempt to spread their economic and political control. Clearly the superpowers had totally different responses to the creation of the Marshall Plan, and the sources express these responses from both sides in great

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The Soviet Union began demanding adjustments to its relations and control over Turkey, as well as Iran. Though Stalin backed down at the threat of U.S. Naval forces, his actions led to the containment policy. This policy is used to prevent the spread of communism. Later, in 1947, the United States took over the responsibility of providing economic aid to Turkey and Greece and announced that they would be helping the nations affected by Communism. The Marshall Plan was put into effect later that year and it offered reconstruction aid to much of Europe.

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The Marshall Plan announced on June 5th, 1947, was a crucial event in which the United States placed the Soviet Union into an extremely difficult situation after the war’s end. It consisted of the U.S.A providing economic aid to Europe with over $13.7 billion worth of help being given through a joint economic programme. This was a controversial event in which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated to be “one of the most unsordid acts of history”. However Andrei Vyshinsky, Soviet spokesman and politician, contrastingly used this American programme as evidence of ‘an attempt to split Europe’ , and a deliberate act by the United States to undermine the Soviet influence within Europe. The Marshall Plan attempted to extend American economic

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