US & SU scrambles for spheres of inlfuence as if the scramble for colonies by the European powers in the 19th century

    invasion of SU 22 June 1941

    • SU on the brinsk of defeat -> heightened the fear of insecurity (if US & UK had atepped in earlier, maybe the SU could have avoided this fear)

    3 lessons of the US from WW2

    1. appeasement won’t work
    2. totalitarian domestic policy produces a totalitarian foreign policy
    3. need to extend the benefits of the open American society resting on a market economy without protectionism

    US isolasionist pre-1941 + idealism

    • Wilsonian ethics

    FDR

    • overly realist and pragmatic to recognize the goals of the SU
      • unlike Europe, US safe with Mexico and Canada (not military threats)
      • SU invaded several times -> FDR believe it reasonable for SU to influence the buffer zones -> west Europe simply to cope with the Russians
    • Yalta -> to Stalin of his distrusts in Churchill
      • UN need SU’s join to not become an anti-communist forum
    • realpolitik in foreign diplomacy + Wilsonianism appearance at home

    FDR & Stalin

    • SU much more pragmatic and wanting security & $ for anything
    • Stalin appreciated FDR for his respect and treatment of SU as equal:
      • recognition of SU spheres of influence in eastern Europe
      • acceptance of SU demand for reparations from ex-enemies
      • US help in reconstructing the SU economy
    • FDR unable to openly accept SU spheres of influence in EE
      • minority pressure groups in US
        • 7 million Polish voters

    SU mistrust in the westerners due to civil war interventions

    Conventional - non-nuclear superiority

    EE’s hostile relationships to SU

    • except Czechoslovakia & kind of Bulgaria

    Truman -> firstly gave Byrnes considerable amount of power

    Byrnes

    • SU cooperation but only when US recognized as the stronger partner

    SU rapid development of own atomic weapons + calculation that US won’t usually use the bombs -> hardened attitudes

    Byrnes’ attempt

    • SU concessions in EE for US aid on credits + tech.
      • SU chose security over money

    US unable to stand in SU POV

    • lack of info.
    • Stalin’s pretense of forced by higher communist politburo for aggressions

    SU refused US cooperation / concession to prevent US economic domination

    Western fear of the SU

    Germany - pressing problem

    • UK & US desperate to settle it: UK unable & US unwilling to sustain the collapsing economy
    • SU: reparations
    • France: dismembered, divided Germany with reparations

    Stalin’s all efforts to prevent the Cold War

    possible explanation by Mastny 1996

    1. SU striving for power and influence excess of its reasonable security requirements
    2. West’s failure to resist soon enough
    3. Stalin’s lack of trust

    economic problems of Europe

    • particularly France and Great Britain
      • UK: to involve the US more and more into European affairs

    Asia also inviting more and more US involvements

    Geir Lundestad: ‘empire by invitation’

    SU expectation for capitalist (most prominently US and UK) struggle for market

    • but UK weaker and unable to

    SU demands for Iran and Turkey -> viewed as expansionists

    • drawed them closer to the US

    cultural conflict

    • Russians don’t bargain but negotiate
      • not working -> threats
    • US to achieve win-win situation & seek exchange of information
      • business mind
      • paradox: Russians no trust due to US lack of respect and equal bases
    • SU debating methods
      • they are always the good guys while opponents the bad guys
    • Russians assume small states have to make concessions to large states
      • tsardom
    • Russians don’t tend to smile
      • deemed as uncommunicative
      • Russians view constant polite smile as ‘duty smile’ and insincere
      • Russians don’t smile at strangers
      • Russians need a reason to smile
    • US self-serving bias
      • believed its triumph in personal qualities and blamed external factors for losses
      • itself as the only hero of the history and all other powers will soon fade
      • unable to recognize rising SU power
      • losing self-confidence after 1945
        • McCarthyism
        • insecurity