Rethinking Cold War History, By John Lewis Gaddis

Gaddis, John L. We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press1997. We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History, is a book about the Cold War. This book was written by John Lewis Gaddis. John L. Gaddis is a Cold War historian. He portrays the Cold War in English and through the dialect of others. The thesis of this book is, I seek to situate this book at a particular point in time, not to claim timelessness for it. This is what I think we know now but did not know, or at least did not know as clearly, while the Cold War was going on. This thesis shows the Gaddis’s purpose behind this book. The purpose, in my opinion, is to clearly show the readers the information that the post-Cold War scholars of Cold†¦show more content†¦Hitler knew this, so his prediction was basically more like putting two and two together. This means that he put together the facts and made his prediction. The rise and fall of Germany led to the clashing of these two superpowers. If Germany was not torn apart by World War II then, the Unites States and Russia would not have collided in Europe. On the other side of that coin, one could say that the Cold War was inevitable because these two superpowers had different outlooks on politics. USSR was more concerned about spreading communism and their own security, whereas the United States wanted peace and world security. Gaddis discusses the impact that these countries had in Europe and their clashing. This discussion is more of a cause and effect. When the Soviet Union blockaded Berlin, the United States responded with the Berlin Airlift. After this, the Soviet Union, wanted to expand their territory, and the United States responded with their Containment policy. This policy is important and plays a role throughout the Cold War. USSR had a sphere of influence that was growing and the United States wanted to stop this. The threat was valid because countries in Europe were weak after World War II and the United States did not want countries to elect a communist leader. In this case, the leaders would vote in the manner that Moscow wanted them to and this was a threat to World security. So, the United States implemented another policy. This policyShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War: A New History by John Lewis Gaddis831 Words   |  4 Pagesof American history was analyzed. The Cold War is rampant with Ameri can foreign policy and influential in shaping the modern world. Strategies of Containment outlines American policy from the end of World War II until present day. Gaddis outlines the policies of presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, including policies influenced by others such as George Kennan, John Dulles, and Henry Kissinger. The author, John Lewis Gaddis has written many books on the Cold War and is an avidRead MoreWas President Truman Responsible for the Cold War? Essay1105 Words   |  5 Pagesinto office right at the end of World War II, after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt. Almost immediately after becoming president, Truman learned of the Manhattan Project, and had to decide whether or not to use the atomic bomb. With the advice of James Byrnes, Secretary of State, Truman decided to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, in part to demonstrate America’s power to the world and gain a political advantage in Europe (Offner 294). After World Wa r II ended, there were negotiations aboutRead MoreWhat Were The Key Of The Cold War? Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesWhat were the key factors that lead to the Cold War? From any historical event, there is always different presentations of the same facts. In every subject, an author’s opinion or point of view can completely change the story. In this paper I will be focus on highlighting the most significant factors various authors have proposed led to the Cold War. There are three viewpoints on what on what were the significant factors that led to the Cold War. There is the Orthodox viewpoint, which blames SovietRead MoreThe Causes of the Cold War Essay2058 Words   |  9 PagesIn discussions of the causes of the Cold War, one controversial issue has been the question: who caused the Cold War? On the one hand, traditional historians argue that the leaders of the Soviet Union are to blame. On the other hand, revisionists contend that the Western leaders are to blame. Others even maintain that it was both the Western and the Soviet leaders who are equally responsible for the development of the Cold War. My own view is that the Western leaders w ere responsible for protectingRead More Race for Nuclear Arms and Power1908 Words   |  8 Pagesthe end of 1945 from the effects of the bomb. After these events occurred, the world was shocked by the devastation of nuclear weapons and unsure of the future use of them. In his final state of the union address, President Truman declared nuclear war impossible for rational men.(5) In a Foreign Policy article U.S. physicist Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) called for greater openness in atomic policy debate. In 1941 Oppenheimer was brought into the atomic bomb project and his first task wasRead More The Historiography of the Origins of the Cold War Essay2691 Words   |  11 PagesThe Historiography of the Origins of the Cold War There have been many attempts to explain the origins of the Cold War that developed between the capitalist West and the communist East after the Second World War. Indeed, there is great disagreement in explaining the source for the Cold War; some explanations draw on events pre-1945; some draw only on issues of ideology; others look to economics; security concerns dominate some arguments; personalities are seen as the root cause for some historiansRead MoreThe Origins Of The Cold War2356 Words   |  10 PagesHI742/HI747- The Cold War, 1941-1991 How Important were individual figures in the origins of the Cold War? The Cold War refers to a period post World War II characterised by a state of political tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States both supported by their allies from the Eastern and Western blocs respectively. Despite this being such a pivotal point in modern history there is a lack of clarity stemming from much debate regarding the catalyst for the Cold War and the ‘start’Read MoreEssay on The Failure of The Berlin Blockade2179 Words   |  9 PagesWest.† C. EVALUATION OF SOURCES The purpose of The United States in Germany, 1944 - 1956 by Harold Zink, was to â€Å"present an overall account of the American role in the occupation of Germany.† It was published in 1957 during the height of the Cold War. McCarthyism was occurring in the US at this time where people were being accused of pro-Communist activities. Pressure was placed on American writers and journalists to promote the actions of the Americans. This source states that the blockade wasRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesRosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire