Learning about Interpretations of the Cold War

Well done.

2006-06-19T20:42:00.000+01:00

So, that was it!

Well done for your hard word across the year, and fingers crossed for the results. I'll see you for the history social.

I've had a lovely year working with you and I wish you all the best of luck in the future.

Ed.

Homework!

2006-05-15T11:04:00.000+01:00

Here's a link to the factors in the thaw that we discussed today. Your homework is to use the Phillips textbook page 148-152 to note down some facts that back up the points made in your earlier notes, or in the notes that I made today.

Here's a link about writing Essay Question Answers

2006-03-27T12:51:00.001+01:00

Take a look at this for help with your essay.

2006-03-21T14:56:00.000Z

Here's a link about writing document answers for the A2 course

Best Comment!

2006-03-02T08:41:00.000Z

leanne said...

"It was no coincidence that Marxism, which had smoldered ineffectively for half a century in Western Europe, caught hold and blazed for first time in Russia."

In his Long Telegram, I think that Kennan was striving to make the Soviets look as unstable as he possibly could in order to evoke fear and mistrust of them in the US. By likening Marxism to fire, how it 'smouldered ineffectively' in the West and 'blazed' in the USSR, he is highlighting the danger of the idealism and how it may easily become uncontrollable (like fire) and spread to the West. Kennan has utilised this metaphor as a warning of communist influences for the American govt.

2006-02-09T09:37:00.000Z

Lesson 4 and 5 - Why did Kennan's interpretation take hold in Washington?

In these lessons we read a lot!

Firstly we looked at an extract from Kennan's long telegram. We discussed and made s notes on the tricks or techniques that Kennan used in order to make his interpretation more convincing. We did this by looking at the language that Kennan used. We also considered other factors why this interpretation took hold:

Domestic Pressures on Truman
Truman's lack of foreign policy experience
Truman's own opinion of communism
The atomic bomb.

Look carefully at this excerpt from the telegram you've been given for today's lesson and post a comment that illustrates a linguistic technique you've found in Kennan's interpretation that makes this view a more convincing one.

You'll find more information at the following sites:

John D Clare's Website on the Long Telegram;
Wikipedia Article on the Mr X article and the Long Telegram
Guardian Obituary about George Kennan; and
Google Websearch about "Long Telegram".

Have fun, and a good holiday.

Mr P.

2006-01-30T09:33:00.000Z

Lesson 2 and 3 - Domestic Pressures on American Policy makers

We've looked very carefully at the attitudes of Truman and the shift in policy after the death of Roosevelt. Truman's changes didn't come about in a vacuum though. We therefore need to understand the social factors that affected this change of views.

To this end we've been making notes and discussing the following factors:

House Un-American Activites Committee (HUAC)
McCarthyism
Loyalt Oaths
The Red Scare; and
Right wing pressure groups

And you've made some links between these factors and some of the other things we've already discussed.

2006-01-26T13:23:00.000Z

Truman's Personality and, how can we tell what an interpretation is?

Today we looked at the difference in approach between Roosevelt and Truman, and we tried to describe the reasons for this.

We started by filling in some blanks about Roosevelt and Truman, and then made some notes about Truman's background.

We looked at the relative power and popularity of both men, the difference in their relationship with Stalin and the lack of experience that Truman had in foreign policy affairs.

Finally we took a page from a textbooks from the 70's. Our hoemwork was to assess what different interpretations of the causes of the Cold War were present in this text, and the tricks that the writer used to get those interpretations across to his readers.

What factors influenced American policy towards the USSR in the period 1945 ~ 1948 ?

2006-01-26T13:02:00.000Z

During this Unit we'll be looking at the following topics:

Truman's Personality and, how can we tell what an interpretation is?

British Decline and the Greek Civil War.

USA - Fears and Opportunities (including the Iron Curtain speech).

Truman's Foreign Policy (including the Long Telegram and the Atomic Bomb).

Containment and The Marshall Plan.

NATO and the Formation of Germany.

List of Stuff in Our Files Jan 6th 2005

2006-01-06T12:10:00.000Z

Unit 1 -

17 - Conflict over Germany during WWII
18 - Table about Orthodox, Revisionist and Post Revisionist views on WW2 tensions
19 - Essay - was Second Front the most important factor?
20 - The percentages agreement
21 - Yalta and Potsdam conferences
22 - See Saw about Yalta and Potsdam
23 - Sources about Yalta and Potsdam
24 - Report from American perspective about Yalta and Potsdam
25 - Answer for practice paper
26 - How to answer Cold War paper questions.

Unit 2 - Why did Stalin take control of Eastern Europe 1944-48?

1 - Map of Eastern Europe
2 - Spider Diagram - motives for USSR's take over in Eastern Europe.
3 - Table explaining HOW USSR took over Eastern Europe.
4 - Timeline showing actions by USSR and USA 1945 - 50
5 - Cominform Note taking exercise
6 - Map of divided Germany
7 - Notes on the creation of a West German State.
8 - Notes on Historical Interpretations - with extracts from the textbook.

2005-12-19T10:49:00.000Z

Lesson 5, 6 and 7

Sorry that illness has interrupted our lessons. Whilst I've been away you should have been completing the timeline that we started in lesson 5. This timeline is designed to make you think about how the soviets took over Eastern Europe and why.

The timeline should help you decide which of the schools of historians is nearest to the truth when discusssing the reasons that the USSR took over eastern europe.

Next term we'll look in more detail at the creation of the West German state, and the Soviet reaction.

Before we do however, your homework over the Christmas holidays is as follows.

You must post a comment on this blog - a write a couple of sentences about one of the schools of historians. How would the school you have chosen explain the USSR's take over of eastern europe? Which events would then like to emphasise in this take over?

You must make a comment by the 3rd of January 2006

Have a lovely Christmas!

Mr. P.

2005-12-08T13:11:00.000Z

Lesson 4 When did the USSR take over Eastern Europe?

After finishing off the work we started last lesson, we made a large A3 time line of the years 1944, 45, 46, etc until 1950 and looked at when the USSR started to take concrete action (other than having the Red Army there) to take over the states in the "buffer zone".

It looks like its all coming down to 1947.
. Next lesson we're going to ask ourselves why this was such an important year, and look at American and British Actions on the timeline.

Volunteers Needed!

2005-12-06T08:11:00.000Z

I need volunteers!

Next Year, I'm going to get my Cold War Class to use a wiki, which is a collaborative online encyclopedia, which makes use of a special kind of software that allows people to write encyclopedia entries.

Basically I need three or four people to volunteer to log-in and write some definitions of Cold War Key words. I want to test the system, and to find out how useful and easy to use the wiki software is, so that when I introduce it next year, any problems will be ironed out.

You don't need to download anything, all you need to do is visit a webpage, and do a little historical research. I'm hoping that this will become a kind of revision for those of you who volunteer, and in adittion you'll pick up a few IT skills.

What do you think?

You can take a look at the wiki by going to http://www.podesta.org.uk/wiki.

If you're interested, send me an email and I'll send you a username and password to log in.

thank you

Mr P.

Iron Curtain Speech!

2005-12-05T21:09:00.000Z

If you have a few minutes, then why not immerse youself in one of the most influential speeches of the 20th Century. I am of course referring to Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech.

Practice Paper

2005-12-04T20:39:00.000Z

The practice paper we discussed for the lesson on Monday 5th December (I'll be away) is on my desk and waiting for you. I would like you to do this essay in timed conditions. You should work in the lesson and set aside any time that remains for your homework, when you should finish the pape.

Good luck!

Mr. P.

2005-12-04T20:34:00.000Z

Lesson 3 - How did the USSR take over the different parts of Eastern Europe?

Today's lesson was you working, me watching!

I gave you several textbooks, and a piece of A3 and asked you to make notes in 5 columnbs, describing how the Stalin gained control (if at all) of Poland, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

We didn't quite finish this work, and you will have some time in the lesson after next, and after that lesson you'll have a homework, based on the following questions.

Using your knowledge from lesson 2 and 3, (why and how), what was the most important reason for the USSR to control Eastern Europe? Which reason would be emphasised by which school of historians?

2005-12-04T20:30:00.000Z

Unit 2 - Lesson 2 - Why did the USSR take over Eastern Europe?

This lesson was design to give us an overview of the USSR's competing motives in taking over Eastern Europe between 1944 and 1949.

We looked through one particular textbook and, practising our skim reading techniques, came up with a list of around 10 possible reasons, which we whittled down to the ones on the attached spider diagram. We spent the rest of this lesson making the diagram.

Collaborative Learning?

2005-11-28T10:02:00.000Z

How useful has this blog been to you so far? Has it made a difference to your learning? Has it made a difference to my teaching?

if you have a spare moment, please make a sharply honest comment.

thank you

Mr P.

New Unit!!! Why did Stalin Take Control of Eastern Europe 1944-48?

2005-11-24T12:13:00.000Z

Today we coloured in a map!

We did this so that we start to understand where the different countries were (and indeed are) that we're going to be discussing over the next few weeks.

We also did it so that we can work out which countries became communist after the second world war, and how different countries had different routes to that outcome.

2005-11-16T12:07:00.000Z

Lesson 12, 13 and 14 - Yalta and Potsdam.

In these lessons we looked at Yalta and Potsdam, firstly from the point of view of "cooperation -v- conflict" and then from the point of view of the Americans.

In the first and second lessons we read some notes about the two conferences and made "see - saws" about whether there was more conflict or co-operation betweeen the western allies and the soviets.

In the third lesson we looked at some documents from the Traynor book and considered the conferences from the point of view of the Americans. We should be seeing how much the relationship changed from the appointment of Truman and the actions of the Soviets in Eastern Europe.

It is crucial to get the chronology right here, so finally we had a look at the way this early part of the cold war fits together from a chronological point of view.

2005-10-20T15:03:00.000+01:00

Lesson 11 - Conflict between the wartime Allies over Germany

In todays lesson we discussed some of the main reasons why the allies found it difficult to agree about aGermany.

The Soviets had a clear plan for Germany after the war: Disarmament, Dismemberment (if possible) and reparations. The soviets were afraid of a future re-invigorated Germany invading the USSR again (after three recent invasions). However the Soviets wanted to put off agreement about Germany because they thought they might have a stronger bargaining position after the Red Army had occupied Eastern Europe and a great deal of Germany. (They were right - this was "practical maths" as opposed to "theoretical algebra).

The USA and Britain did not have a clear plan. They feared making Germany pay high reparations because they didn't want to repeat the failings of Versailles. Churchill was also anxious (like Lloyd George at Versailles) to enable a strong Germany to be a bulwark agains Soviet expansionism.

The Soviets didn't know how powerful they (USSR) would be after Germany's defeat. They (Soviets) thought that the USSR would be in a more powerful position to bargain after Germany was defeated. They were right - after 1945 the Red Army (USSR's army) occupied Eastern Europe.

Both sides therefore wanted to put off a final agreement over Germany - the soviets didn't want to be forced to agree to a strong Germany and the Western Allies didn't have clear plan. For instance the USA's negotiator didn't have authorization to make a final agreement about Germany.

The Allies agreed to create the European Advisory Commission, which gave them a way of putting off making decisions about Germany. The EAC was suggested in 1943 by Anthony Eden (Foreign Minister) but didn't actually meet until January 1944.

The USSR demanded from the Allies £20,000 million in reparations from Germany. The USA refused to discuss this before the Yalta conference, and even here would only accept the sum demanded "as the basis for future disucssions". Chuchill opposed the payment of reparations to Russia, he was worried that Reparations would produce a rapid growth in the USSR's economy, and weaken Germany.

The possibility of splitting Germany was left open, and never excluded. In fact the Allies agreed to split the occupation of Germany up into four Occupation Zones, French, British, Soviet and American.

How would the different schools of historian use the disputes about Germany to illustrate their interpretation of the Cold War? Post a comment with some ideas.

Homework

2005-10-17T15:04:00.000+01:00

You have an essay to do over half term, to be handed in on the first lesson back - I'll hand back your Poland work then. There is some guidance here, and more will follow - keep watching this space.

The most important factor in the causes of tension between the members of the Grand Alliance during world war two was the delay by the Western Powers of the opening of a second front. How far do you agree with this interpretation?

You also have to read through the work on the Riga Axioms, which I'll give you next lesson, and highlight the parts which you think should be in the final piece that we'll put in the wikipedia article.

2005-10-17T14:56:00.000+01:00

Lesson 10 - Folder check and how to write an essay.

Here's a link to the folder check document we made, for convenience sake I've included a list of what should be in your folder below:

14th October Cold War File Contents List

1. Key Question Sheet (also written on dividers)
2. Summary of the views of the different Historiographical Schools (exam board's sheet). and list of books
3. Two sides of the Cold War Cartoon. (Capitalism v Communism)
4. Definitions homework - capitalism democracy etc.
5. Photocopied Sheets - Long Term Causes from two different points of view - USA and USSR
6. Long Term causes (pdf file from the blog)
7. Background on Kennan (wikipedia).
8. Lesson notes about the Riga Axioms.
9. Table with spaces to fill in about Riga Axioms.
10. Stalin's view of the World (notes on pages from Textbook).
11. Fill in the gaps (Tensions in WW2)
12. Causes of Strain in the Grand Alliance.
13. Causes of Tension in World War 2 (mind map - copy on the blog). (timeline)
14. Different Historians interpretations of WW2 tensions - which School says which factor is most important.
15. Detailed notes on the Second Front
16. Detailed notes on Poland

2005-10-12T11:45:00.000+01:00

Lesson 9 - The Question of Poland

In today's lesson we talked through pages 10-12 of Phillips - to pick up some facts and further information about how Poland created problems between the members of the Alliance in WW2.

We looked at how Britain entered the war to protect Poland's independence.

We looked at the Nazi Soviet pact, the dividing up of Poland between the Nazi Germans and the Soviet Russians in 1939 and discussed how that would affect how the Western Allies would see Stalin. Furthermore, we looked at the execution of 10,000 polish officers by the KGB (Soviet secret police) during the Soviet Occupation of Poland in 1939.

We also looked at the Warsaw Rising (see the picture of a couple of Polish freeedom fighters during the Rising). We found out how "London" Poles organised the Rising to try to liberate Warsaw before the Soviet Red Army arrived. The allegation against the Soviets is that they waited outside Warsaw until the Germans defeated the Warsaw Rising. Stalin supposedly gained from this because it meant that the "London Poles" in Warsaw were killed, and therefore there was no resistance to a government by his fellow Communistss. We learned how some commentators feel that Stalin could not have helped without endangering his troops by stretching their supply lines.

Finally we reminded ourselves about the Soviet point of view over Poland. Russia (Pre Soviet Russia) had been invaded three times in recent history and each time through Poland. The Soviets were therefore concerned to see that there was a "friendly" government in Poland. What's more they actually controlled Poland on the ground by the end of the war, because Poland was occupied by the Red Army.

Now you have read this post, write a short comment setting out a few sentences that describe how the three different schools of historian would see the issue of Poland.

Mr P.

2005-10-06T20:30:00.000+01:00

Lesson 8 - Looking in detail at the Second Front

We read MacCauley pp49-50 today and made notes about the need for the Second Front.

We saw how both sides saw the need for a second front but especially how hard the second world war was on the Soviets. For example, we saw how in 1943 Stalin had sent messages to the Germans that he was willing to discuss peace.

We read how Roosevelt had promised that there would be a second front in 1942, but that his military advisers convinced him that this was impossible at least before 1943. In the event the second front was not opened until 1944. This delay fuelled Stalin's suspicion that the "Western" Allies were merely bleeding the Soviets dry and may even come to a separate peace with Germany themselves.

We also looked at North Africa and discussed why it was that the British and the Americans might (1) find it easier and (2) think it was important to defend Britain's position in Egypt and the Suez Canal. Conversely we saw how it would look to the Russians that Britain was keen to defend its "imperial posessions" in North Africa at the expense of the promised second front.

Finally we read how after D Day and the opening of the second front in 1944 the US army faced only 90 German divisions in Western Europe. The USSR on the other hand was facing and beating 250 German divisions. These figures show how the weight of Germany's forces were pressed against the Red Army. When taken into account along with the startling statistic that 30 million Russians died in world war two, this information explains how Stalin and the Soviet Leadership felt that Russia's sacrifice was out of proportion to that of the West.

Homework title and deadlines

2005-10-06T10:00:00.000+01:00

Your homework about the Riga Axioms is now due in on the 11th of October.

Poland Homework

You must write a piece on "Why was Poland an issue of dispute for the wartime allies?". Argue this question from the viewpoint of all three schools of historian. Write no more than two sides for this homework.

Your homework about Poland is due in on the 20th of October, I will then mark it over half term.

Homework!

2005-10-05T19:22:00.000+01:00

Sorry for the delay, but here are the instructions for your homework. You need to type me an entry on the Riga Axioms for the online encyclopedia www.wikipedia.org .

You should use the following questions (thought up by you lot!) as a guide.

Mr P said.
So, a general introduction is necessary, for which I think we can use

Jenny and Carron and Sophie and Debbie said:
What’s the background to their writing?
Where were they written?
When were they written?
Why were they written?

Simon said...
What was in them? How did they advise the US Government to deal with the Soviets?

Mr P said.
I think we need to look in detail at the things that affected Kennan’s view of the Soviets.

Who wrote them? (Kennan & Co.)
What factors in his background and up-brining may have affected their interpretation?

Mr P said.
Finally I think we need to set out how different historians have regarded the Riga Axioms

Leanne and Naz said...
How does each school of historians assess their contribution to the cause of the Cold War? How far did they contribute to the tense relations between the USA and the Soviet Union?

So broadly there are three parts: - Intro - Context - and Effects of the Riga Axioms. Any questions then please do comment, or email me at epodesta@westberks.org. Can you please email me the text of your finished articles.

Good Luck - and have fun!

Mr P.

COURSEWORK!!!

2005-10-04T09:27:00.000+01:00

Mike Wells, an examiner from OCR (the exam board) is visiting the school this Wednesday (5th October). He will be giving a short talk about how to achieve a good grade with your History Coursework. This will take place in the year 13 Common Room during afternoon registration.

This talk has proved to be very useful for previous students and you will undertake work in lessons to follow up from it. Attendance is obligatory for all year 13 history students!

Meet at the beginning of PM registration in the 6th form Common Room, this Wednesday 5th October. If you have any questions post here or ask me or Miss Vignali.

Mr. P.

2005-10-03T15:01:00.000+01:00

Lesson 6 and 7 - Causes of Tension in WW2

The first time we tried this lesson I was pleased and at the same time a little frustrated.

I was really pleased because you had obviously worked hard at understanding the reading that I had asked you to. I was also pleased because you asked lots of questions about where this knowledge should fit in to the work we've covered so far.

My frustration came because I'd obviously not taught you enough about the chronology of the cold war. Do you think it would help if we got more of an overeview of when and where things happened throughout our part of the cold war?

The lesson involved us using our homework reading in order to come up with a mind map (using cmap software) to set out the different causes of tension between the members of the alliance. We managed this in the second lesson, after clearing up the questions you had the lesson before.

We finished the second lesson by thinking about which tensions would tend to be emphasised by each school of historian. Your brief homework was to make three different lists of factors, one for each school, which shows and explains which factors are most and least important for those schools.

How did you get on in these lessons, do you think they were useful to you? What part of todays lesson did you understand the most or least? Is there any factor that you are most happy with, or one that you need help with understanding?

2005-09-26T14:54:00.000+01:00

Lesson 5 - Filling in the blanks

Today we started by having a brief discussion to remind ourselves about the long term causes of the cold war. We clarified where we should put the notes that we made previously.

Long term causes of the cold war are part of the first question, because they help us to understand why Stalin there were tensions between the USSR and their allies.

Then we filled in the blanks of a piece of text from Edwards textbook and used that piece of text to make a guess about the different factors that caused tension.

Can anyone remember the different factors that we got out of the text? Post some comments to let me know that some of it has gone in!

Mr. P.

P.S. there's now a more handy version of the notes on the Long Term Causes of the Cold War here.

Homework!

2005-09-22T11:46:00.000+01:00

We need to understand the Riga Axioms and their effect on the origins of the Cold War.

Matt has asked for further clarifications, and in one of the comments I posted a couple of places you might look for information about the axioms.

Often a good place to look is wikipedia, which is a free encyclopaedia, written, edited and maintained by volunteers. Suprisingly, there's no entry there about the Riga Axioms.

We are going to write an entry for this online encycolpaedia, which will be published, and available for the world to read.

We must make an entry in Wikipedia that will be useful to students of our Course.

Your first task is to decide which questions you want or need to answer with your article.

What do we want to know about the Riga Axioms? Your homework this week is to post comments containing suggestions of the kind of things you will cover in your article.

I will answer comments and queries about this homework online and on Friday 30th September I'll use your comments to issue guidance for the homework. The final article is due on 6th October.

Mr P.

2005-09-22T11:08:00.000+01:00

Lesson 4 - Today we had a much more traditional lesson.

We started with a short question and answer session, so that I could gauge where you lot were with your understanding of the long term causes of the Cold War, and the different views held by each “school” of historian. In other words, the things we'd covered so far.

The main focus of our lesson was the Soviet View of the world in 1945. We have covered America’s View (set out in the Riga Axioms) and thus turned to the other side of the argument.

We read through a chapter from McCauley "The Origins of the Cold War 1941-1949" and stopped periodically to discuss the meaning and importance of McCauley's arguments. Briefly, we covered the following areas:

Home Influences
historical experience of Imperial Russia as a regional power;
The bitter experiences of Soviet Russia since 1917 – Civil War; and Intervention and Germany’s invasion in 1942.

Ideological Influences:
Inevitable Conflict;
Capitalism being “doomed”;
Inevitable Change; and
Soviet need to seize the initiative.

Control by Stalin of the analysis of information about the USA’s intentions
The effect this had in re-inforcing the “Riga Axioms” in the USA.

Impact of WW2
Damage and destruction
Loss of life
Loss of power by Stalin
Need for reparations
Need to avoid military confrontation.

You can pick up a photocopy of a set of notes on this from me next time. We were interrupted by Mr Ross twice, and learned some fascinating things about Marxism and Darwinism.

2005-09-22T11:05:00.000+01:00

You can now leave a message without logging in. All I ask is that you use your first name when posting.

thanks

Ed.

2005-09-20T11:13:00.000+01:00

Take a look at this "Cmap" of the stuff we have been studying so far. You can download a copy of it from here . (right click on this link and click "save as")

Cmaps are mind maps generated using a computer. It is possible to make mind maps using this software that people can work on together.

I made this using Cmap Software, which you can download from here.

2005-09-18T12:24:00.000+01:00

Lesson 3 - Arguing about long term causes.

Todays lesson was designed to introduce you further to the three competeing views about the Cold War, to give you some practice and experience of arguing a point of view andto get you to talk to each other freely about history.

Today we split into groups to recap and discuss what we have learned so far - different views of the long term causes of the Cold War. We split up into three groups - one Orthodox, one Revisionist and one Post - Revisionist.

Each group had 20 minutes to prepare a set of notes to best explain their view of the origins of the cold War, using the material we used in the earlier lesson, and similar topic headings, namely

Russian Civil War,
Russian Revolution and Marxism,
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
The American Political system,
Differences in Ideology.
The Riga Axioms
Stalin’s behaviour.

We then changed to discussion groups - in which we presented our different points of view to the others, and they took notes.

At the end of the lesson we got back to our home groups, and decided which of these factors was the most important for our particular interpretation.

2005-09-18T08:03:00.000+01:00

Lesson 2 - How are interpretations formed?

The idea behind this lesson was: to introduce you to the wide range of things that can influence an interpretation; and to start to get to grips with the a basic outline of the views of the different historical schools - orthodox, revisionist and post-revisionist.

We started by looking at the life of George Kennan, the expert whose interpretation affected the course of the Cold War to a great extent. We extracted events, views, experiences, and family connections that might have affected his view.

We reminded ourselves of the different schools of historian and their and took a guess about where Kennan would have put himself in those schools.

Finally we looked at "the Riga Axioms" a series of views and beliefs formed by the American diplomats serving in Riga, where they met and came under the influence of middle and upper class Russian refugees who were opposed to the Soviet Regieme.

The new perspectives website is at www.history-ontheweb.co.uk

email me at epodesta@westberks.org for the password and user name.

2005-09-12T09:37:00.000+01:00

Lesson 1 - Looking at the causes of the Cold War from both sides.

Today I asked my students to try to look at the causes of the Cold War from two perspectives. I gave them the same textbooks and split them into two groups. One group represented Soviet historians, the other American ones. They were to construct two spider diagrams, on the same factors, to explain the long term causes of the cold war. They were to try and push the interpretation that they thought each side would push.

This lesson was designed to get my students thinking about how such interpretations were constructed and to begin thinking in the frame of mind of different sets of historians.