A New Historiography of the Origins of the Cold War

Adewunmi James Falode

doi:10.31940/soshum.v9i2.1237

Abstract

The Cold War that occurred between 1945 and 1991 was both an international political and historical event. As a political event, the Cold War laid bare the fissures, animosities, mistrusts, misconceptions and the high-stake brinksmanship that has been part of the international political system since the birth of the modern nation-state in 1648. As a historical event, the Cold War and its end marked an important epoch in human social, economic and political development. The beginning of the Cold War marked the introduction of a new form of social and political experiment in human relations with the international arena as its laboratory. Its end signaled the end of a potent social and political force that is still shaping the course of political relationship among states in the 21 st century. The historiography of the Cold War has been shrouded in controversy. Different factors has been advanced as being responsible for the origins of the conflict. This work is a historical and structural analysis of the historiography of the Cold War. The work attempts to synthesize the competing views of the origins of the Cold War and create an all-encompassing and holistic historiography for its origins.

Highlights

The cold war was a term that accurately described the international system between 1947 and 1991 that was characterized by an ideological conflict between the two major protagonists; the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and between and within states
What is the Structuralist school? The Structuralist school believes that the historiography of the Cold War should be located, not in the ideology of communism and capitalism or the different leaders involved in World War II (WWII)
The USSR and the USA or Capitalism and Communism, dictating the pace of events at the end of WWII that later culminated in the Cold War, it was the system that became the actor and set the pace for the states to follow

Summary

Introduction

The cold war was a term that accurately described the international system between 1947 and 1991 that was characterized by an ideological conflict between the two major protagonists; the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and between and within states. This blind obedience made it impossible for Russia to have any meaningful peaceful relationship with the West immediately after the Second World War. One should point out here again that the Orthodox assumptions are based wholly on the views of western bureaucrats and career diplomats who had direct dealings with the Soviets or have served in the capacity that brought them close to the Russians.

Results

Conclusion