Traditionalist Approach (1940’s-50’s)

• Belief: “The Cold War was a result of Soviet expansionism, resulting from their communist ideology to cause world revolution.”

• Imposition of communist govt’s in E. Europe, drive for world revolution

Historians:

• Herbert Feis/Thomas Bailey: Argued Soviet aggression in E. Europe destabilized postwar balance of power

• George Kennan: The 1946 Long Telegram argued that Stalin needed a hostile external enemy to keep up with his dictator position

Evidence:

• The USSR’s “violation” of the agreements made at the Yalta Conference, since they made unilateral decisions. (e.g.: Inserting communist governments for the countries they occupied)

• “The totalitarian gov’t of the USSR further caused Russia to be looking for world domination”

• Russia’s failure to remove troops from Iran on time, because they wanted to expand more.

Reasoning:

• “U.S. reacted to USSR aggression in fear, so their increase in stern foreign policy towards USSR is why the war happened.”