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Comparing Cold War in Europe vs. in Asia

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Define the Cold War comprehensively. How did it originate from World War Two? Compare and contrast the Cold War in Europe to the Cold War in Asia. (Take your answer up to the early 1950's) I need to write 4-5 pages on this, using our text "The World Since 1945, A history of International Relations" by Waynce C. McWilliams and Harry Piotrowski...I'm supposed to Avoid quoting from the textbook and outside sources... and synthesize information in the book

Please tell me in your own words how would you would go about this, what you would include and what not...
Please no web references or copying,, I can search google..

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First off, I would advise you to look up George Kennan's famous "Mr. X" aricle in July 1947 Foreign Affairs and in my opinion, proved quite prophetic. Also good is Kennan's "Long Telegram" of Feb 1946.
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<br>One way to look at the question of how the Cold War originated from World War II is to personalize the question. Who was most responsible for the souring of US-Soviet relations immediately following the collapse of the Third Reich? Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, Truman?
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<br>How did Stalin behave in the countries "liberated" by the Red Army? Particularly instructive is his handling of Poland - a Western ally with free forces particpating in fighting in the West and with an exile govt in London. Did Stalin negotiate in good faith at Yalta and Potsdam? or did he pretty much create whatever security and political arrangements he wanted to , including territorial adjustments without consulting his allies?
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<br>Another good way of looking at this question of how the Cold War orginated is to look at the war aims of the Soviet Union itself. Why did Stalin agree to sign the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact? What was his ideal scenario in August 1939 and what does that tell you about his ultimate goals during the post-war period? Check the record/minutes of the Sept 1945 Allied London Congerence (soviet demands are quite revealing) Look up the Novikov Telegram - soviet memo on American intentions during Paris Conf. Sept 1946 for the more paranoid Soviet viewpoint.
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<br>some of Stalin's minimum post-war aims:
<br>1) preservation of gains made through Nazi-Soviet Pact (achieved at Potsdam)
<br>2) establishment of communist govt;s to help implement Stalin's preferred policies along Soviet periphery (again, basically achieved at Yalta, Potsdam, and during the infamous "percentages agreement with Churchill)
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<br>some of Stalin's post-war demands:
<br>1) soviets want military bases in Dardenelles
<br>2) delays evac. of Soviet troops from Iran, wants client regime in Azerbaijan
<br>3)actually makes territorial claims for former Italian colonies in North Africa
<br>Did Truman ever attempt to use nuclear blackmail to force the Soviets into making political concessions in either eastern europe or Asia? If so, did it work?
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<br>The revisionist historical interpretation is that America failed to take into consideration Soviet security interests (eastern europe as the historical invasion route into Russia, thus the need for satellite communist states), US could have been more generous - ...

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