What started the Cold War?. Choose ONE of the following options
1. What started the Cold War? Who won? How did this war affect people across the entire globe? Are we still paying the consequences of the Cold War?
To answer this set of questions effectively, you must cover all parts mentioned above. In addition, you need to make good reference to the Gaddis book and at least four of the short readings that have been posted at Blackboard (see syllabus).
2. In your opinion, was the American-Soviet struggle against each other and extension of influence over the world, similar or different to the pre-Second World War conflicts between European imperialist powers? This means did the Americans essentially take over for the British Empire and did the Soviets take over for…well…themselves? Was the American-Soviet struggle fought differently? Were there any other major players involved (e.g., Europe, China)? Who won? Was this victory any different from pervious global imperialist struggles?
Again, to answer this set of questions effectively, you must cover all parts mentioned above. In addition, you need to make good reference to the Gaddis book and at least four of the short readings that have been posted at Blackboard (see syllabus).
Short answer: choose two of the following options
3. What was the extent of American and Soviet power? Were there limits? Give clear examples, including from the readings (Gaddis, short readings from Blackboard, etc…).
4. Who were the rebels during the Cold War? Were they terrorists, urban revolutionaries, guerilla fighters, thugs, some combination of all these categories, or something completely different? Give clear examples, including from your readings (Gaddis, Baumann, short readings from Blackboard, etc…).
5. Who or what caused the Cold War? Why does understanding this matter for our present-day reality? Again, provide specific examples, including from your readings (Gaddis, short readings from Blackboard, etc…).
CAUSES OF THE COLD WAR
Lasting from the end of World War II in 1945 until the early 1990s, the Cold War was one of the most significant events of the 20th century. At its heart, the Cold War was essentially a ‘face off’ or competition between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. Historians have identified several causes that led to the outbreak of the Cold War, including: tensions between the two nations at the end of World War II, the ideological conflict between both the United States and the Soviet Union, the emergence of nuclear weapons, and the fear of communism in the United States.