Stalin is responsible : He ‘reneged’ on the Declaration on Liberated Europe, He expelled non-communists from the Polish Government , He created a crisis by blockading Berlin, Soviet actions between 45+48 were expansionist , The regime was a brutal totalitarian one, Communism had to expand to survive, The Red Army was an intimidating / provocative presence, The Czech ‘coup’ of 1948 was cynical , Cominform was evidence of a desire for global control, Stalin needed an 'enemy' to justify his dictatorship, Truman (+USA) is responsible : The Long Telegram encouraged a hardline policy, The 'A' bomb was used to gain political leverage over Stalin, Capitalist markets had to be robustly protected , Created a crisis over Berlin by introducing a new currency , Adopted very hostile post war rhetoric (Win, lose, draw, we must win!), NSC68 was inflammatory - building up US military, Marshall Aid was designed to undermine communism in Europe, He encouraged Churchill’s provocative’Iron Curtain’ speech, Marshall aid was ‘$ imperialism’, Truman did not appreciate fully the USSR's security needs, ….or…..: There was mutual hostility - both were culpable, Lack of clarity in post war diplomacy = division, Differing interpretations of the fate of Eastern Europe, Both leaders were stubborn , Differing ideological convictions made some ‘conflict’ likely, Lack of clarity over post war ‘spheres of influence’, Apportioning blame is too simplistic,

Who was to blame for the start of the Cold War?

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