Post-Revisionist Approach (1970’s-80’s)

• Belief: The conflict was inevitable because two of the world’s largest powers wanted to be the best and biggest, so they would have to fight for this spot.

Historians:

• John Lewis Gaddis: created novels arguing both sides contributed to rising tensions

Evidence:

• The US was a democratic + communist gov’t major power, and USSR was a communist gov’t major power competing for world domination, ideological + territorial expansion, and sphere of influence.

• The US + Britain fought in the 19th century as the most powerful nations with the same ideology, so any battle for world domination will inevitably result in battle.

• The two nations would clash at one point in the 20th century because the world was no longer large enough.

• Yellow journalism influenced US citizens that USSR citizens were being mistreated, this heightened tensions

• Both govt’s thought their way of running a country were the best.

Reasoning:

• “Conflict was neither fault of US or USSR, but inevitable due to power vacuum post-WW2.”