Cold War
,#1 Fear or aggression lead to superpower rivalry
‘Ideology was the main factor that led to the emergence of superpower
rivalry between 1943 and 1949.’ Discuss (May 2018)
Ideology is indeed the main factor that led to the emergence of superpower rivalry because
although factors like fear and aggression have a role, the rivalry and difference in ideology
between superpowers is what ultimately lead to fear and aggression.
“Fear, rather than aggression, was the main cause of superpower rivalry
between 1943 and 1949.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
(May 2022)
Fear is a more important cause of superpower rivalry than aggression because aggressive
actions were mainly driven by fear. However, another factor that should be considered is the
ideological rift between communism and capitalism that lead to fear.
Introduction:
Historian John Lewis Gaddis: “Both the United States and the Soviet Union had been born in
revolution. Both embraced ideologies with global aspirations…”
● Capitalism = emphasise collective security, political self-determination, economic
integration and free market
● Communism = Marxist idealism and Stalinism, emphasise on international socialism
Paragraph 1: capitalism and communism is an important factor as it drives aggressive
actions and rivalry
Communism: international socialism
● Salami tactics: parties other than communism in Poland is sliced off → against his
promise in Yalta Conference of free elections + principle of democracy in US capitalism
○ Mikolajczyk’s Polish Peasant Party had 246 candidates disqualified
○ One million voters were taken off the electoral register
● Sep 1947 Cominform → seen by US as aggressive expansionist
○ Communist Information Bureau set up → increase Stalin’s control over
Communist parties of other countries
Capitalism: economic integration and free market + democracy
● Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
○ Caused by communism salami tactics → conflicts with capitalist democracy
○ “All these famous cities and the populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere”
● June 1947 Marshall Plan (European Recovery Program):
, ○ 4 year aid programme of 17 Billion USD → economic recovery and stability in
Western Europe through capitalist principles, free-market reforms
○ Soviet view as US dollar imperialism
■ Lead to Molotov Plan Jan 1949, Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Paragraph 2: fear and aggression also plays a role
Fear: cause of Truman Doctrine, which US turn away from isolationism
● USSR delayed its withdrawal from Iran that was agreed mutually with UK in Tehran
Conference, and encouraged Communist Uprising
○ Allies demanded USSR to withdraw, USSR refused on 1946 Jan 1st, citing
“threats to Soviet security”
● US suspects the instability in Greece and Turkey, where anti-imperialist and communism
atmosphere increase, were also supported by USSR
○ Lead to Truman Doctrine of March 12, 1947
● US provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under
threat from external or internal authoritarian forces
○ Shifted US policies from isolationism to containment of communism
○ Historian Walter LaFeber: “The Truman Doctrine was a milestone in American
history…From 1947 on, therefore, any threats to that Western system could be
easily explained as Communist inspired.”
Aggression (but fear) : Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 - 12 May 1949)
● Cause: France, Britain & US introduced new currency (Deutsche Mark)
○ USSR viewed it as US economic imperialism, exert control and influence over
Western Europe → fear of west dominating Germany + a reunited and revived
Germany
● Started Berlin Blockade
○ Supply of energy from East to West was cut
○ Allies supplied West Berlin via air
■ 200,000 flights in 320 days for 2.2 million Berliners
○ First crisis of cold war where war was a possibility
■ Ended by 1949 May
● Resulted in division of Germany, formation of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
Paragraph 3: ideology is the most important
However, ideology is still more important because the fear was driven by the capitalist ideology
of a free market economy.
Capitalism: Marshall Plan 1947 April
● Reveals US’s true intention to secure free market in Europe
● US’s Truman Doctrine was only a protection to its trading partners, ultimately to secure a
free market as capitalistic ideology
,#1 Fear or aggression lead to superpower rivalry
‘Ideology was the main factor that led to the emergence of superpower
rivalry between 1943 and 1949.’ Discuss (May 2018)
Ideology is indeed the main factor that led to the emergence of superpower rivalry because
although factors like fear and aggression have a role, the rivalry and difference in ideology
between superpowers is what ultimately lead to fear and aggression.
“Fear, rather than aggression, was the main cause of superpower rivalry
between 1943 and 1949.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
(May 2022)
Fear is a more important cause of superpower rivalry than aggression because aggressive
actions were mainly driven by fear. However, another factor that should be considered is the
ideological rift between communism and capitalism that lead to fear.
Introduction:
Historian John Lewis Gaddis: “Both the United States and the Soviet Union had been born in
revolution. Both embraced ideologies with global aspirations…”
● Capitalism = emphasise collective security, political self-determination, economic
integration and free market
● Communism = Marxist idealism and Stalinism, emphasise on international socialism
Paragraph 1: capitalism and communism is an important factor as it drives aggressive
actions and rivalry
Communism: international socialism
● Salami tactics: parties other than communism in Poland is sliced off → against his
promise in Yalta Conference of free elections + principle of democracy in US capitalism
○ Mikolajczyk’s Polish Peasant Party had 246 candidates disqualified
○ One million voters were taken off the electoral register
● Sep 1947 Cominform → seen by US as aggressive expansionist
○ Communist Information Bureau set up → increase Stalin’s control over
Communist parties of other countries
Capitalism: economic integration and free market + democracy
● Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech
○ Caused by communism salami tactics → conflicts with capitalist democracy
○ “All these famous cities and the populations around them lie in the Soviet sphere”
● June 1947 Marshall Plan (European Recovery Program):
, ○ 4 year aid programme of 17 Billion USD → economic recovery and stability in
Western Europe through capitalist principles, free-market reforms
○ Soviet view as US dollar imperialism
■ Lead to Molotov Plan Jan 1949, Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Paragraph 2: fear and aggression also plays a role
Fear: cause of Truman Doctrine, which US turn away from isolationism
● USSR delayed its withdrawal from Iran that was agreed mutually with UK in Tehran
Conference, and encouraged Communist Uprising
○ Allies demanded USSR to withdraw, USSR refused on 1946 Jan 1st, citing
“threats to Soviet security”
● US suspects the instability in Greece and Turkey, where anti-imperialist and communism
atmosphere increase, were also supported by USSR
○ Lead to Truman Doctrine of March 12, 1947
● US provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under
threat from external or internal authoritarian forces
○ Shifted US policies from isolationism to containment of communism
○ Historian Walter LaFeber: “The Truman Doctrine was a milestone in American
history…From 1947 on, therefore, any threats to that Western system could be
easily explained as Communist inspired.”
Aggression (but fear) : Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 - 12 May 1949)
● Cause: France, Britain & US introduced new currency (Deutsche Mark)
○ USSR viewed it as US economic imperialism, exert control and influence over
Western Europe → fear of west dominating Germany + a reunited and revived
Germany
● Started Berlin Blockade
○ Supply of energy from East to West was cut
○ Allies supplied West Berlin via air
■ 200,000 flights in 320 days for 2.2 million Berliners
○ First crisis of cold war where war was a possibility
■ Ended by 1949 May
● Resulted in division of Germany, formation of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
Paragraph 3: ideology is the most important
However, ideology is still more important because the fear was driven by the capitalist ideology
of a free market economy.
Capitalism: Marshall Plan 1947 April
● Reveals US’s true intention to secure free market in Europe
● US’s Truman Doctrine was only a protection to its trading partners, ultimately to secure a
free market as capitalistic ideology
