Cold War leaders historiography

Orthodox and Post Revisionist historian on Stalin

Orthodox

Herbert Feis – Stalin’s expansionism caused Cold War: “The Kremlin’s determination to dominate.”

Post Revisionist

Geoffrey Roberts – Stalin pragmatic; West misunderstood Soviet security needs.

Orthodox and Revisionist views on Truman

Vojtech Mastny – Truman’s rhetoric escalated confrontation: “His words defined a conflict still open to compromise.”

Orthodox

Arthur Schlesinger Jr. – Truman Doctrine a “brave and wise response to totalitarian challenge.”

Revisionist

William Appleman Williams – Truman pursued “open door” imperialism, provoking conflict.

Gar Alperovitz – Truman’s atomic diplomacy “was designed to intimidate the Soviets.”

Post revisionist views on leaders

John Lewis Gaddis (early) – Cold War a “tragedy of misperceptions”; both sides fuelled escalation.

Melvyn Leffler – US sought security and markets; USSR sought buffers; conflict structural, leaders amplified it.

Marxist view on leadership

E.H. Carr – US imperialism, not Soviet defence, drove Cold War escalation.