Cambridge International HISTORY: Paper 3 : Origins of Cold WAR

Orthodox Historians (“the traditionalists”) 1945-1950’s

Historians Blames the USSR and Stalin's expansionism. (Focus: Salami tactics, violation of Yalta/Potsdam).

CERAH Writig format of Paper 3

CERAH

Claim (C): State which school of thought the paragraph is discussing

Evidence (E): Pull a direct quoteEvidence 

Reasoning (R): Explain why that quote proves the school of thought 

Analysis (A): Bring in your Outside Knowledge. 

Historical Interpretation (H): This is the "Know Ball" step. Compare it to another school.

Revisionist

Blames the USA and "Dollar Diplomacy." (Focus: Open Door Policy, use of the Atomic bomb as a threat, Marshall Plan).

Post-Revisionist

Blames mutual misunderstanding and the "power vacuum" left after WWII. No single side is purely at fault.

Post-post-revisionism

where Stalin’s paranoid personality and his commitment to spreading Communism made a peaceful settlement impossible, regardless of what the US did.

N.A.Z.I.S (Nationalist Socialist Workers Progressive Party)

German faciz who gain political power and under Adolfo Hitler

Joseph Stalin (R: 1922-1953)

Soviet Union brutal dictator forcing Russian to prepare in fear of Hitler might attack them

Salami Tactics (1945–1948)

The Soviet method of taking over Eastern Europe by "slicing" away non-communist parties one by one until only Communists remained.

The Iron Curtain (1946)

A term made famous by Winston Churchill describing the physical and ideological division between Democratic West and Communist East Europe.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

The US policy of "Containment," promising military and economic aid to any country threatened by Communism (specifically Greece and Turkey).

Marshall Plan (1948)

A massive US financial aid package ($13 billion) to rebuild Western Europe; Revisionists call this "Dollar Diplomacy" to control markets.

COMECON (1949)

The Soviet response to the Marshall Plan; an economic organization designed to link Eastern European economies to the USSR.

NATO (1949)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a military alliance formed by the US and Western allies for "collective defense" against the USSR.

Warsaw Pact (1955)

The Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern European nations, formed as a direct response to West Germany joining NATO.

The "Open Door" Policy

A Revisionist concept arguing that the US wanted to ensure all global markets remained open to American trade and capitalism.

The Grand Alliance (1941–1945)

The "Marriage of Convenience" between the USA, UK, and USSR to defeat Nazi Germany; its collapse led to the Cold War.

Spheres of Influence:

The idea (discussed at Yalta) that each superpower would have a region where they had primary political and economic control.

Atomic Diplomacy

The theory that the US used its nuclear monopoly (1945–1949) to bully or intimidate the Soviet Union during negotiations.

The Percentages Agreement (1944)

A secret deal between Churchill and Stalin to "split" influence in the Balkans (e.g., 90% British influence in Greece).

Kennan’s Long Telegram (1946)

A 8,000-word message from a US diplomat in Moscow stating the USSR was naturally aggressive and must be "contained."

If the author talks a lot about "Salami Tactics" and "Stalin’s aggression," they are likely

Orthodox

If they focus on "Dollar Diplomacy" and the "Marshall Plan" being an American weapon, there are likley

Revisionist

If they mention the "Long Telegram" and "Soviet Insecurity," they are likely looking at the

Post-Revisionist

If the author focuses on "Stalin’s personality," mentions "newly opened Soviet archives," or argues that "ideology made conflict inevitable," they are likely

Post-Post-Revisionist

Capitalism vs. Communism

From this view, the U.S. saw the Soviet Union’s closed economic system as a threat to global trade.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet leader; Orthodox views blame his expansionism while Post-Post-Revisionists use archives to highlight his rigid Communist ideology.

Dumbarton Oaks Conference (1944)

A meeting to draft the United Nations; used by historians to show that the Grand Alliance was still trying to cooperate before 1945.

Yalta Conference (Feb 1945)

The "Big Three" [Roosevelt (United States)],[Churchill (UK)],[Joseph Stalin (USSR)] agreed on free elections in Poland; Orthodox historians claim the Cold War began because Stalin broke these promises.

Potsdam Conference (July 1945)

The "turning point" where Truman replaced FDR and revealed the Atomic Bomb; Revisionists argue Truman used "Atomic Diplomacy" here to bully the USSR.

Cold War

The era of ideological and diplomatic tension between the US and USSR; historians argue over its start date, ranging from 1917 (Bolshevik Revolution) to 1947.

Iron Curtain (1946)

Churchill’s speech describing the division of Europe; Revisionists call it a "call to war," while Orthodox say it just described Soviet reality.

Harry S. Truman

US President after 1945; Revisionists blame his "get tough" attitude and lack of diplomacy for destroying the Grand Alliance.

Containment

The US policy to stop Communism; Post-Revisionists see it as a reactive security move, while Revisionists see it as aggressive US economic expansion.

West Germany (FRG)

Formed from US/UK/French zones; its creation is seen by many historians as the final "breaking point" that made the division of Europe permanent.

East Germany (GDR)

The Soviet-controlled state established in 1949; its formation solidified the "Iron Curtain" and the end of any hope for a unified Germany.

Berlin Blockade & Airlift (1948–1949)

Stalin’s attempt to cut off West Berlin forcing allies out; a key flashpoint used to show how the Cold War nearly turned into a "Hot" war. the US responded by flying in supplies for 11 months.

NATO (1949)

Western military alliance; Revisionists view this as US military imperialism, while Orthodox historians see it as a defensive necessity.

Korean War (1950–1953)

The first major proxy war; historians use it to show how the Cold War shifted from a European issue to a global conflict.

General Douglas MacArthur

Leading US general in Korea; his desire for "total war" shows the internal US struggle between containment and total victory.

Panmunjom

The site of the 1953 armistice; represents the "stalemate" and the reality of a world permanently divided by the Cold War.

McCarthyism

The 1950s "Red Scare" in America; used by historians to show how domestic political pressure forced US leaders to be more aggressive.

Arms Race

The nuclear competition between superpowers; Post-Revisionists argue it was a "security dilemma" where both sides built weapons out of fear.

Nuclear Proliferation

The spread of nuclear tech; historians use this to explain why the superpowers avoided direct war (Mutually Assured Destruction).

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader after Stalin; his "Secret Speech" and "De-Stalinization" are key topics for New Cold War History (Post-Post Revisionism).

Dwight Eisenhower

US President (1953–1961) who used the "New Look" policy to increase nuclear reliance and contain Communism more cheaply.

Also introudced "Brinkmanship," which historians use to discuss how close the world came to nuclear war.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

US promise to defend Middle Eastern nations against Communism; shows the global expansion of the Containment policy

Also introudeced "Brinkmanship," which historians use to discuss how close the world came to nuclear war.

The "Worker's Paradise"

The Communist ideal where private property is eliminated and government withers away because everyone works for the common good; historians use this to explain why the USSR felt morally justified in spreading its system.

Class Struggle

The Marxist belief that history is a conflict between "capitalists" (owners) and "workers"; Stalin used this ideology to justify the brutal "collectivization" of Soviet agriculture.

The 38th Parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea; it represents the first major "Containment" failure in Asia where the Cold War became a violent "Hot War."

The "Fall of China" (1949)

When Mao Zedong’s Communists defeated Chiang Kai-Shek’s Nationalists; this event caused a massive shift in US public opinion, leading to the "Red Scare" and pressure to be tougher on Stalin.

Civilian Control of the Military

The principle Truman upheld by firing MacArthur; Paper 3 historians use this to show the tension between political "Containment" and military "Total War."

The Hydrogen Bomb

A weapon much more powerful than the atomic bomb; its development by both sides by 1953 led to the concept of "Massive Retaliation" and heightened the global fear of the Arms Race.

Collective Farming (Collectivization)

Stalin’s policy of seizing peasant land to create state-run farms; historians use the brutality of this policy to explain why the West viewed Stalin as a "Red Hitler."

The "Hotline"

A direct communication link between the White House and Kremlin established after the Cuban Missile Crisis; it represents the "Thaw" and the realization that nuclear war was too risky.

Sputnik (1957)

The first man-made satellite launched by the USSR; it caused a "Space Race" and led to the US Eisenhower Doctrine to prove American superiority.

Loyalty Review Boards

US government groups that interrogated citizens about their political beliefs; shows how the Cold War "home front" led to the loss of civil liberties in the name of security.

The Katyn Forest Massacre

The Soviet murder of 20,000 Polish officers in 1940; historians use this to explain why Poles (and the West) deeply mistrusted Stalin during the Yalta negotiations.

Isolationism vs. Interventionism

The debate in the US after WWII; Truman’s biggest challenge was convincing Americans to stay involved in Europe rather than "retreating behind the oceans."

Satellite Nations

The Eastern European countries (like Poland and Hungary) that were technically independent but actually controlled by the USSR; a key term for describing the "Iron Curtain."

Why would a Revisionist argue the Marshall Plan was an attack on the USSR?

Because it used "Dollar Diplomacy" to make Europe economically dependent on the US and intentionally set requirements Stalin could never accept.

Did the Cold War start because of Stalin’s personality or the Superpower system?

Post-post-revisionists blame Stalin’s paranoid personality and ideology, while Post-revisionists argue the "power vacuum" of 1945 made conflict between two giants inevitable.

Why was Potsdam the "death" of the Grand Alliance?

Because Truman used "Atomic Diplomacy" to intimidate Stalin, and the lack of a common enemy (Hitler) allowed deep ideological mistrust to surface.

How does an Orthodox historian view Salami Tactics?

As clear evidence of Stalin’s aggressive, pre-planned expansionism and his failure to honor the "free elections" promised at Yalta.

What is the "Security Dilemma" in Post-Revisionism?

The idea that one side’s defensive move (like NATO) was seen as an aggressive threat by the other side, creating a never-ending spiral of tension.

How did the "Fall of China" change the Cold War?

It globalized the conflict, proved that Containment in Europe wasn't enough, and pressured US leaders to be more aggressive to avoid appearing "weak on Communism."

What would a Revisionist say about the Truman Doctrine?

That it was an unnecessary and aggressive declaration of global intervention designed to protect American capitalist interests.

How do Soviet archives affect the Post-Post-Revisionist view?

They revealed that Stalin was often driven by a genuine belief in a world Communist revolution, making him a much more dangerous figure than previously thought.

Why is the Berlin Blockade the ultimate Paper 3 flashpoint?

Because it is the first time the two Superpowers moved from "words" to a direct confrontation that proved the world was officially divided into two camps