The Cold War topic is divided into six sections. The sections and the basic information required are set out below.

A study of superpower foreign policy after 1945, the growth of international tension, the development of the policy of detente, and the end of the Cold War Europe in 1989, illustrating the themes of ideology, conflict and diplomacy.
Mandatory content / Illustrative areas
1. An evaluation of the reasons for the emergence of the Cold War, up to 1955
2. An assessment of the effectiveness of Soviet policy in controlling Eastern Europe up to 1961
3. An evaluation of the reasons for the Cuban Crisis of 1962
4. An evaluation of the reasons why the US lost the war in Vietnam
5. An evaluation of the reasons why the superpowers attempted to manage the Cold War, 1962–85
6. An evaluation of the reasons for the end of the Cold War / Tensions within the wartime alliance; the US decision to use the atom bomb; the arms race; ideological differences; disagreements over the future of Germany; the crisis over Korea.
The desire for reform in Eastern Europe; differing Soviet reactions to events in Poland (1956), Hungary (1956) and Berlin (1961); domestic pressures; the international context; military and ideological factors.
Castro’s victory in Cuba; US foreign policy; Khrushchev’s domestic position; Kennedy’s domestic context; Khrushchev’s view of Kennedy; ideological differences; mistakes by the leaders.
Difficulties faced by US military; relative strengths of North and South Vietnam; failure of military methods; changing public opinion in the USA; international isolation of the USA.
The danger of Mutually Assured Destruction; dangers of military conflict as seen in the Cuban Missile crisis; economic cost of arms race; development of surveillance technology; softening of the ideological conflict through policies of co-existence and détente.
The defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan; the failure of Communism in Eastern Europe; Soviet economic weakness; the role of Gorbachev; Western economic strength; the role of Reagan.

The following essay titles are typical of the kind of essays you will get in the external exam.

In class you may choose a topic with which you feel comfortable to complete an essay. However you should ensure that by November 3rd, you have at least one essay from each of the six sections.

Reasons for the Emergence of the Cold War

  • “The main cause of the Cold War was the incompatible ideologies of the superpowers.” How far do you agree with this view?
  • How important were Stalin’s security concerns in the development of the Cold War?
  • To what extent did disagreement over the future of Germany cause the Cold War?

Effectiveness of Soviet control over Eastern Europe up to 1961

  • To what extent was ideology the determining factor of Soviet policy towards Eastern Europe up to 1961?
  • “The Treaties between the Soviet Union and the individual satellite states were used more as a means to keep the Soviet allies under a watchful eye than to actually make and enforce decisions.” How valid is this view as evidence of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?
  • How important was the Soviet Union’s global reputation in influencing their dealings with their satellite states?

Reasons for the Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

  • How important were the respective security concerns of the superpowers in creating the Cuban Missile Crisis?
  • To what extent was ideology a cause of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
  • “Kennedy laid the blame for the Cuban Crisis firmly at the Soviet Union’s door, saying that Chairman Khrushchev had to ‘halt this clandestine, reckless and provocative threat to world peace.’” How far do you agree with the view that Khrushchev and the Soviet Union were to blame for the Cuban Crisis?

Why did the USA lose the war in Vietnam?

  • To what extent were American military tactics responsible for their failure in Vietnam?
  • How important was negative public opinion in America as a reason for the USA’s loss in the Vietnam War?
  • To what extent did the American forces fail in Vietnam due to weaknesses in their South Vietnamese allies?

Why did the superpowers need to manage the Cold War 1963-1989?

  • How important was the economic cost of weapons manufacture in encouraging the superpowers to manage the Cold war after 1962?
  • How important were the ideas of ‘peaceful co-existence’ as reasons to manage the Cold War after 1963?

Why did the Cold War end?

  • To what extent did the failure of the communist governments in Eastern Europe during 1988/89 contribute to the end of the Cold War?
  • How important was the economic situation in the USSR as a factor in the end of the Cold War?
  • “Reagan won the Cold War.” How far does this view explain the end of the Cold War?

On the following pages there are some tips on how to set out essays for ‘To what extent’, ‘How important’ and ‘How valid/how far’.

How important/To what extent…?

Below are some examples of excerpts from essays.