Assignment: Source Skills: Origins of the Cold War

IB HIST OF AMERICAS HL YR 2-B
2022-11-16T17:27:54Z

Due: Dec 16, 2022 by 11:59pm

When did the Cold War begin?
Below are four sources presenting different perspectives on post-war tensions, all of which were produced in the immediate aftermath of the war.

US Secretary of State James Byrne, reflecting on the foreign ministers' conferences in 1945:
"As long as they needed us in the War and we were giving them supplies we had a satisfactory relationship but now that the War was over they were taking an aggressive attitude and stand on political territorial questions that was indefensible."

Joseph Stalin (Premier of the Soviet Union), Bolshoi Theatre speech, February 1946:
"Perhaps catastrophic wars could be avoided if it were possible periodically to redistribute raw materials and markets among the respective countries in conformity with their economic weight by means of concerted and peaceful decisions. But this is impossible under the present capitalist conditions of world economic development."

Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), Sinews of Peace speech, Fulton, Missouri, USA, March 1946:
"I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines. But what we have to consider here today while time remains, is the permanent prevention of war and the establishment of conditions of freedom and democracy as rapidly as possible in all countries. Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them. They will not be removed by mere waiting to see what happens; nor will they be removed by a policy of appeasement. What is needed is a settlement, and the longer this is delayed, the more difficult it will be and the greater our dangers will become. From what I have seen of our Russian friends and allies during the war, I am convinced that there is nothing they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect for than weakness, especially military weakness."

Former US Vice President Henry Wallace, speech in New York City, September 1946:
"We may not like what Russia does in eastern Europe. Her type of land reform, industrial expropriation and suppression of basic liberties offends the great majority of the people in the USA. But whether we like it or not the Russians will socialize their sphere of influence just as we try to democratize our sphere of influence . . . Russian ideas of socio-economic justice are going to govern nearly a third of the world. Our ideas of free enterprise will govern much of the rest. The two ideas will endeavor to prove which can deliver the most satisfaction to the common man in their respective areas of political dominance."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Questions

1. Summarize in one sentence the main point of each source:
a. Byrne:
b. Stalin:
c. Churchill:
d. Wallace:

2. Choose the two sources that you think are the most similar in content.
a. List the two sources:
b. Give the similarities of the content:

3. Choose the two sources that you think are the most different in content.
a. List the two sources:
b. Give the differences of the content:

4. In your opinion, which of these was the most accurate in predicting the course of the Cold War? In two or three sentences, explain why.

When did the Cold War begin?
Below are four sources presenting different perspectives on post-war tensions, all of which were produced in the immediate aftermath of the war.

US Secretary of State James Byrne, reflecting on the foreign ministers' conferences in 1945:
"As long as they needed us in the War and we were giving them supplies we had a satisfactory relationship but now that the War was over they were taking an aggressive attitude and stand on political territorial questions that was indefensible."

Joseph Stalin (Premier of the Soviet Union), Bolshoi Theatre speech, February 1946:
"Perhaps catastrophic wars could be avoided if it were possible periodically to redistribute raw materials and markets among the respective countries in conformity with their economic weight by means of concerted and peaceful decisions. But this is impossible under the present capitalist conditions of world economic development."

Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), Sinews of Peace speech, Fulton, Missouri, USA, March 1946:
"I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines. But what we have to consider here today while time remains, is the permanent prevention of war and the establishment of conditions of freedom and democracy as rapidly as possible in all countries. Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them. They will not be removed by mere waiting to see what happens; nor will they be removed by a policy of appeasement. What is needed is a settlement, and the longer this is delayed, the more difficult it will be and the greater our dangers will become. From what I have seen of our Russian friends and allies during the war, I am convinced that there is nothing they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect for than weakness, especially military weakness."

Former US Vice President Henry Wallace, speech in New York City, September 1946:
"We may not like what Russia does in eastern Europe. Her type of land reform, industrial expropriation and suppression of basic liberties offends the great majority of the people in the USA. But whether we like it or not the Russians will socialize their sphere of influence just as we try to democratize our sphere of influence . . . Russian ideas of socio-economic justice are going to govern nearly a third of the world. Our ideas of free enterprise will govern much of the rest. The two ideas will endeavor to prove which can deliver the most satisfaction to the common man in their respective areas of political dominance."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Questions

1. Summarize in one sentence the main point of each source:
a. Byrne:
b. Stalin:
c. Churchill:
d. Wallace:

2. Choose the two sources that you think are the most similar in content.
a. List the two sources:
b. Give the similarities of the content:

3. Choose the two sources that you think are the most different in content.
a. List the two sources:
b. Give the differences of the content:

4. In your opinion, which of these was the most accurate in predicting the course of the Cold War? In two or three sentences, explain why.