International History:

rise of the cold war

Dr. Hungdah Su
 Schedule
• 1. March 9 Beginning of Cold War in Europe
and Asia
• 2. March 16 Speech on EU-China by Dr. Xin Ning
Song of Chinese Remin University
• 3. March 23 Rise of containment imposed by the
US
• 4. March 30 West vis-à-vis East: conflicting
approaches
• 5. April 13 Crises and détente

• 6. April 20 Midterm
• 7. April 27 From strict bipolarity to loose
bipolarity
• 8. May 4 Rise of the South
• 9. May 11 Rise of Islam
• 10 May 18 Speech
• 11. May 25 Rise of Asia and Viet Nam War
• 12. June 1 Rise of non classical powers: non
State actors and non military factors
• 13. June 8 End of the Cold War
• 14 June 15 National Workshop on the Inter
national History
Speech on March 16, 2011
• Prof. and Jean Monnet Ch
air at Reming University
• Associate Dean of College
of International Studies at
Reming University
• Chair of EU-China Relatio
ns at College of Europe (2
009-2010)
 Alternative to final report
• For international students who will have to
leave before the end of this semester, you
will have to
– continue to participate in the preparation work
in group for its final report.
– submit an essay analysis before 18 May. On
11 May, I will make public the themes to
analyze.
 EUTW Newsletter (bi-weekly)
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ter.
 Beginning of Cold War
• 1947 Truman Doctrin • 1947 Civil War in China
e • 1948 First defeat of
• 1948 Berlin Blockade ROC army
• 1949 Total victory of
• 1949 Atlantic Treaty a CCP and creation of
nd creation of two Ger PRC
manies
• 1950 Towards NATO
• 1950 Sino-Soviet
alliance and Korean
War
Limited wars in Asia during the Cold War period (1950-1990)
In Europe
 Approaches to interpretation of
beginning of Cold War
• Determinism volontarism
• (post-revisionist) - traditionist
- revisionist

Perception
(Decision-Making,
constructivism)
• Debate 2: What is “Groupthink”?
• “the tendency for decision-making groups
to strive for consensus and to limit
consideration of alternative course of
action”.
• Debate 3: East Europe’s role in the Cold
War History/Studies?
• The focus of cold war
• It cast light on the American and Soviet
national and geopolitical interests in
relation to the then international system.
• Debate 4: Traditionist v.s. Revisionist in th
e interpretation of the cold war in the East
Europe between 1945 and 1953.
• Debate 5: What were the internal
conditions favorable to the communist and
Soviet development in the post WWII East
Europe?
• Very recently created nations
• Weak civil society
• No zeal for return of old regimes
• Appealing power of communism and
discredited conservatism and liberals
• Necessity of a strong government with
immediate solutions
• No trust in the West- Munich Agreement in
1938; Nazi Annexation of Czechslovakia;
Nazi Invasion of Poland.
• Debate 6: How did Soviet policy confirm th
e traditionist analysis.
• Proof 1: “Katyn Massacre” in 1940.
• Proof 2: “Warsaw Uprising” in 1944.
• Proof 3: Poland was not an exception.
• Debate 7: Did then Stalin want to provoke
the cold war and even a ‘hot’ one with the
US?
• NO, he did not and he was afraid of the
US. But he was determined to safeguard
Soviet territory and interests.
• Debate 8: American European Policy in
the aftermath of WWII?
• “Boys back home within two years”
• Europe be constituted as a ‘third force’
between US and USSR.(??)
• Expansion of US economy throughout the
world as a whole (GATT)
• No concrete policy, indecisiveness
• Debate 8: What was Roosevelt’s “Foreign
Foreign Policy” towards the USSR?
• An open world order supported by four
policemen of which Soviet Union would
play an important role via UN.
• Debate 9: Why did the US European
policy change?
• Increasing sovietization in E. Europe
• Increasing communist activism in W. Euro
pe
• Weak W. European states, which appeale
d US engagement in Europe
• Failure of an open world order
• Debate 10: Forces that facilitated the
rising cold war.
• Misperception of each other
• Maximalism of each other’s policy in Europ
e that led to the ‘global institutionalization
of their differences’.
• Debate 11: Development of Truman
Doctrine
• March 1947: Britain announced that it no longer
afford to support Greek and Turkish
governments in their …
• 12 March 1947: Truman Doctrine: “it must be the
policy of the US to support free peoples who are
resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by
outside pressures.”
• Debate 12: What was Truman’s motif?
• To convince the still hesitating Congress
and public with American idealism
• To distinguish US policy from the British
policy in Middle East
• Debate 13: Importance of the Truman
Doctrine
• The beginning of the cold war structure
and cognitive framework
• UN discredited
• Only in Europe
• Only indirect assistance
• No military intervention
• Debate 13: Background of the Marshall
Plan?
• Consolidating Soviet regimes in E. Europe
• Quarrels over German question
• Deteriorating W. European social and
economic situations
• Debate: Causation between the Marshall
Plan and future European integration?
• Initiated by the Marshall plan, the W.
Europeans began working together to
reconstruct their economies and
establishing the OEEC.
• W. Allies began forging their occupation
zones in Germany in a W. Europe wide
system
• Debate: Causation of the Marshall Plan
and division of the Europe?
• Soviets and its allies withdrew from the
plan and Stalin began tightening his
control in the E. Europe.
• W. Allies began forging their occupation
zones in Germany
• Berlin Blockade 24.6.1948-12.5.1949
• Debate: What was the vicious circle of
cold war in Europe?
 Towards cold war in Europe
• 1. 1947 US and British zones in Germany merge
• 3. 1947 Marshall plan
• 6. 1947 Break up at Paris Conference
• 9. 1947 COMINFORM
• 2. 1948 New DM in Germany
• 6. 1948 Berlin Blockade
• 1. 1949 COMECON
• 5. 1949 FRG/BRD; GDR
• Debate: What was WEU?
• West European Union, signed in March
1948 by France, Britain and Benelux as a
treaty establish a military defense alliance.
• Debate: Why didn’t the WEU suffice for
the US to defend Europe?
• Too European
• Too limited capacities
• Debate: What was the dilemma for the US
in its defense for Europe?
• Necessity to defend Europe against Soviet
invasion or pressure (idealism and
realism)
• No will to station permanent troops in
Europe (isolationism)
• Debate: Where did the wind of change
come for US defense strategy?
• Soviet A bomb
• Loss of China

• Result:
– 4. 1949 Signature of North Atlantic Treaty
– NSC 68, an overall policy review.
• Debate: What was so-called ‘Stalinization’
in E Europe?
• Leaders
• Politically
• Economically
• Trade
• Agriculture
• Debate: Statlin’s last attempt in Europe, ini
tiative for a unified and neutralized Germa
ny. Why?
• Detach the W. Germany from the West
(NATO, CSCE, OEEC)
 Cold War in Asia 1949-1975
• Korean War 1950-1953

• Vietnam War 1963-1975

• Afghanistan War 1979-1985

Limited wars in Asia during the Cold War period (1950-1990)
 Korean War 1950-1953
• 1949.10.1 Total victory of Mao on Mainland
China
• 1950. 6. 25 North Korea invaded
• 1950. 9. Nearly total victory of N. Korea
• 1950.9.15 Landing of US army in Incheon
• 1950.10 Nearly total victory of US army
• 1950.10.19 Entry into war of PLA
• 1951.4.11 Removal of MacArthur
• 1953.3.5 Death of Stalin
• 1953.7.27 Cease-fire was signed.
MacArthur flew to Taipei to meet Chiang on May 9,
1951 and, two days later, was removed by
Truman.
 Debate:
Background of the Korean War
– International structure
– US
– North Korea: Kim Il Sung
– China (PRC): Mao Tse Tung
– Soviet Union: Stalin
Debate: Process of the Korean War
• Evolving strategies of the US
• Debate over the general or limited war
• Conflicts between the diplomatic targets
and the military strategy
 Debate: What was Kissinger’s
conclusion about the Korean War?
• What?

• Why?
 Debate: Consequences of the
Korean War
• To the Korean Peninsula
• To the US
• To the PRC
• To the Soviet Union
• To the triangular relationship between US,
PRC and Soviet Union
 Debate: Korean War and US
• What was the consequence for Taiwan,
ROC?

• What happened after Korean War as

regards Taiwan’s/ROC development?
 Movies for reference
• 太極旗下生死兄弟

• 雲水謠

• 智取威虎山
 Conclusion
• E. Europe in the emerging cold war
– The new power structure after WWII as the
main drifting force
– Ideology as the secondary source