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The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century

Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Curt-Engelhorn Chair in American History Prof. Dr. Manfred Berg Winter Term 2008/2009. The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century. Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg. 1. The Origins of the Cold War.

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The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century

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  1. Ruprecht-Karls-Universität HeidelbergCurt-Engelhorn Chair in American History Prof. Dr. Manfred BergWinter Term 2008/2009 The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg 1

  2. The Origins of the Cold War • Containment and the Division of Europe • The “Loss of China” and the Soviet Bomb • The Cold War at Home • The Historiographical Debate Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  3. George F. Kennan, 1904-2005 • Deputy head of the U.S. mission in Moscow, 1944-1946 • Director of the State Department Policy Planning Staff, 1947-1949 • U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1952 • U.S. Ambassador to Yugoslavia, 1961-1963 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  4. Kennan’s “Long Telegram,” Feb. 1946 • “In summary we have here a political foe committed fanatically to the belief that with U.S. there can be no permanent modus vivendi, that it is desirable and necessary that the internal harmony of our society be disrupted, our traditional way of life be destroyed, the international authority of our state be broken, if Soviet power is to be secure.” Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  5. Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech,” March 5, 1946 • “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.” Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  6. The Truman Doctrine, March 1947 • “It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures.” • President Truman and newly appointed Sec.of Def., James Forrestal, 1947 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  7. George C. Marshall, 1880-1959 • US Army General, Chief of Staff, 1939-1945 • US Sec. of State, 1947-1949 • US Sec. of Defense, 1950-1951 • Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1953 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  8. Lucius D. Clay, 1897-1978 • Deputy Governor of Germany, 1945-1947 • Theater Commander and Governor of Germany, 1947-1949 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  9. The Berlin Air Lift, 1948/49 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  10. Founding of NATO, 1949 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  11. Chiang Kai-shek, 1887-1975 • Assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT), 1925 • Generalissimo of all Chinese forces & Chairman of the National Government, 1928-1932/1943-1948 • President of the ROC (Taiwan), 1950-1975 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  12. Mao Zedong, 1893-1976 • Chairman of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, 1943-1976 • Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, 1945-1976. Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  13. NSC 68, 1950 • Militarization of Containment • Global definition of U.S. security interests • Call for tripling U.S. military budget Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  14. House Un-American Activities Committee, 1947 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  15. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, (J.)1917-1953 (E.)1916-1953 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  16. Joseph S. McCarthy, 1908-1957 • U.S. Senator 1947-1957 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  17. The Historiographical Debate • Who was responsible for the Cold War? • What were the key motives and interests driving U.S. and Soviet policy, respectively? • Was the Cold War inevitable or were there alternatives, and if so, why were they not taken? Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  18. The “Traditionalists” • Soviet aggression started the Cold War! • U.S. action was defensive and largely appropriate! • It was an inevitable conflict of systems and ideologies which began in 1917/18! Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  19. The “Revisionists” • The driving force of the Cold War was the expansion of American capitalism! • The Soviet Union wanted most of all security! • Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first salvos of the Cold War! Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  20. Post-revisionism • The Cold War was a process shaped by mutual misperceptions and the security dilemma! Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

  21. Post-Cold War Approaches • The National Security State in the U.S. • The Soviet Perspective • Allies, client states, neutrals Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

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