1. Origins of the Cold War

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The world in the 1900

Dominated by Europe, then US, Japan. Military, economic and imperial power

Balance of Power

Realist idea that alliances within Europe having equal power could prevent European war. Infighting would take up the resources required to continue imperialism, therefore ruining domination

How did WW1 affect the BoP?

A discrepancy emerged between imperialism and the BoP, as nations scrambled for the remaining uncolonised nations which topple the BoP

Russian revolution

1917 - Russia experienced a communist revolution lead by Lenin against the tsarist powers who had not provided effective fighting against Germany and Austria in WW1. Ideas included: no part in the capitalist world order, equal economy at home, no empire

Woodrow Wilson’s solution

At the Paris Peace Talks suggested free market capitalism (increase interdependence), international institution of peace (LoN), self-determination for Europe. CLASSICAL REALISM

Lenin’s cause and solution

Cause of WW1 was not the absence of Wilson’s 14 points, but the natural inclination of capitalism toward colonisation. They ran out of nations to colonise.

Solution: revolution of the industrial workers of the world which will cause spontaneous socialism which lacks colonial ambition. Socialism prevents war

Global response to Lenin and Wilson’s ideas

Wilson convinced UK and France to join the LoN but they were reluctant to abandon pre-war domination ideas. Lenin underestimated the importance of post-war nationalism