Perspectives on International Relations: Power, Institutions, and Ideas: 2nd Edition: By Henry R. Nau, George Washington University

CHAPTER FIVE: The Origins and End of the Cold War

Study

Following World War II, the world became polarized in a cold war between two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. Realists list several possible reasons for this standoff. Perhaps the Cold War began because of Soviet aggression, perhaps it began because of the expansionist nature of the U.S. capitalist system, or perhaps it began simply because the international security dilemma left the two countries no other viable option. Whatever the reason, realists argue that the United States won the Cold War by means of deterrence and an arms race that bankrupted the Soviet Union. Liberals, focusing on institutions and negotiations, attribute the origin of the Cold War to the UN's failure to establish collective security; the Cold War's end came about through the slow process of communication, negotiations, and détente. For scholars adopting the identity perspective, the Cold War was about values and common humanity, and they point to the nature of American democracy and Marxist-Leninism as the origins of the conflict. Accordingly, it came to an end only when the two superpowers' ideologies became less divergent. Identity scholars emphasize the effect leaders such as Gorbachev and Reagan had on deconstructing the Cold War. Critical theorists argue that the Cold War was an inevitable manifestation of the social and political revolution associated with communism and capitalism.

Study Questions

  1. What were the main points of George Kennan's long telegram? Which perspective best characterizes it?


  2. What are the three realist explanations for the cause of the Cold War? Which is most compelling?


  3. According to the identity perspective, why did the two superpowers' perceptions of one another as enemies, not merely rivals, contribute to the beginning of the Cold War?


  4. What role did international institutions like the UN, NATO, and the EC, play during the Cold War?


  5. How was Gorbachev different from previous Soviet Leaders? How did perestroika and glasnost contribute to the deconstruction of the Cold War?