Robert C Tucker Orthodox:

Personal Exposure to Soviet Realities - Tucker’s nine years of living and working in Soviet Russia, from
1944 to 1953. During this time, he witnessed firsthand the everyday life in the USSR, the intricacies of So-
viet bureaucracy, and the complexities of Soviet society. His personal interactions with Russians and his own
family experiences, including his marriage to a Russian woman, Eugenia Pestretsova, likely gave him a
unique perspective on the Soviet system. This personal connection to the country and its people could have
made him more inclined to view the Cold War through a way that considered the human aspects of Soviet
society and leadership.
Intellectual Curiosity Approach - His broad intellectual background suggests a deep-seated desire to un-
derstand the intricacies of human behavior and society. When applied to his analysis of the Cold War, this
curiosity likely drove him to explore the psychological differences among Soviet leaders. His personal inter-
est in these topics could have motivated him to take a more nuanced approach to understanding the Cold
War's dynamics.
Frustration with Oversimplified Narratives of the Soviet System - Tucker's criticism of the totalitarian
model and its tendency to oversimplify Soviet politics can be seen as a personal frustration. Having spent a
significant portion of his life in Soviet Russia, he might have felt personally invested in dispelling overly re-
ductionist views of the Soviet system.

Arnold Offner Revisionist:

Focus on American Foreign Relations: Most of Offners writing focuses on American, and specifically Tru-
man’s role in the causes of the Cold War. He was an American citizen and so it is expected that certain deci-
sions of Truman could have possibly affected him (negatively)
Arnold A. Offner was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. to parents who had immigrated from Eastern
Europe - His Eastern European Heritage could’ve caused him to view the Soviet Union and Communism
from a difference stance due to his parent’s experiences as well as a more personal view point.
Dedicated to looking past average American Patriotism and true critique of Truman’s policies: “It’s
the duty of the historian to look behind the Fourth of July speeches and rhetoric. That doesn't negate the con-
structive things that have been accomplished, but it looks at the prices paid. The question is whether there
were better ways of accomplishing the same objectives that would have resulted in less cost and conflict."