The Origins of the Cold War Prof. Jeremi Suri

The Origins of the Cold WarProf. Jeremi Suri

http://jeremisuri.net

Key points:

1. Total War and the Atomic Bomb

2. International Threats

3. George Kennan and Cold War Containment

Hiroshima, late 1945 and today

Los Alamos, 1942-1945

Robert Oppenheimer

Henry Stimson

Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech, 5 March 1946

What were the key elements of the Cold War?

• Fear

• Continuous mobilization

• Bipolar alliances

Key Cold War institutions:

• National Security Council (NSC)

• Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

• KGB

George F. Kennan

Key elements of Kennan’s containment strategy

• Control 4 of the 5 “core areas” of military-industrial power;

• Use a diversity of means to keep the “core” military-industrial areas out of Soviet hands, and foster their democratic development;

• Appeal to the particular national interests of different areas.