Primary Source Document Exercise

Primary Source Document Exercise – 3rd Period Cold War

Joseph Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946

1. Joseph Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946

2. Joseph Stalin

3. Against Brittan, America, and Germany- against communist criticizers

4. Russia’s hate towards western English speaking nations

5. Stalin talks about how “only nations speaking English language are fully valuable nations, called upon to decide the destinies of the entire world.” He goes on talking about how the western superpowers need to let other countries make decisions for themselves involving how the govern themselves.

6. Political- because it debates how societies should govern who their leaders are and how they want their government to operate

Sociological- because this debates how societies want to structure themselves and what kind of society they want to become

Economic- because it debates the use and influence of different kinds of economic systems

Cultural- because it debates the different culture’s perspectives on what countries should control others

Primary Source: Lesson of Cuba

1. Modern History Sourcebook: John F. Kennedy: The Lesson of Cuba, 1961 2. President Kennedy 3. He is being anti-communist 4. Communist aggression is the cause that relates to this document 5. He is talking about the takeover of Cuba and how aggressive it was to gain land that close to America 6. Geographic- The war took place in the location called Cuba that is so close to the U.S. Political- Kennedy was saying how the government of the Soviets were being so aggressive

Economic- Not stated in the document but I am sure this had great costs on the Soviets and Cuba

Cultural- It shows how the culture may have been effected by such stressful situations

Sociological- The events of Cuba as well as Kennedy’s speeches were the “talk of the town” it was all that was being talked about for a while

Psychological- The fear from the Cuban events was probably high but Kennedy’s speech that called out everything the Soviets were doing probably calmed the Americans

The Truman Doctrine, 1947

1) The Truman Doctrine 2) Harry S. Truman 3) Pro- United States, president 4) Communism must not be spread. 5) The United States felt it was their duty to stop the spread of communism by giving financial aid to countries who may potentially fall to communism. 6) Politically, the United States wanted to take on a policy of foreign relations in which they would give economic relief and financial aid. This was because in their political system, the United States was a country with free elections, a representative government, and individual freedom. Economically, the United States felt they, along with the United Nations, could spare money to countries whose economy was failing. Psychologically, the United States thought that communism was detrimental to a country in all forms and that if a country became communist, it was because they were coerced by other countries and lost a major struggle.

The Marshall Plan; Secretary George Marshall Speaks at Harvard

General George C. Marshall

The author’s is saying that the United States will help any country’s economical state that requires help. Although counties that either take maneuvers to block the recovery of their own economy will not expect help from the U.S. and any government, political party, groups, or organizations that neglect human rights will be opposed by the U.S.A.

This document was written during the cold war, trying to keep countries from turning communist

Marshall is cementing the U.S.’s views on the communist movement and how many countries will lose much needed aid if they go towards communism

This document, politically, is a threat to other countries saying that switching to communism will lose all support from the U.S. From an economic and sociological stand point, this speech out lines that the switch to communism will cause economic crash and the people of that country will not like the lose of support from America, or America’s army walking through their streets.

Kennedy, David M. and Thomas A. Bailey. “Moscow’s Misrepresentations (1947)”.

1. Name of Document: Moscow’s Misrepresentations (c. 1947) 2. Authors of Document: David M. Kennedy and Thomas A. Bailey 3. Position Held: Anti-Marshall Plan 4. Cause of Conflict: “Americans want to use the Marshall Plan to overwhelm Europe and bring it into subjection to themselves. The government of the Soviet Union at once recognized the real meaning of the Marshall Plan, and definitely refused to take part in setting it up…” Americans are waiting for an economic crisis, and the Marshall Plan is meant to prevent it and give them control of other countries. American capitalists plan to restore all factories of West Germany, according to the Marshall Plan. America is also offering money for other European countries to abandon U.S.S.R. friendships. 5. Relation to Cause: The document is basically informing its readers about America’s intentions with the Marshall Plan. These intentions mainly include providing aid for European countries so that they will become dependant on America, providing money for countries who don’t involve themselves with the Soviet Union, avoiding American economic crisis, spreading capitalism, and containing communism. 6. Social Studies Perspectives: Geographically, this document targets the countries surrounding the Soviet Union because this keeps them from falling under communist rule while they are more susceptible to it. Culturally, the document doesn’t state this, but it could be assumed that America wants to spread is culture and limit Soviet culture. This includes the spread of capitalism. Economically, the document describes how America will help the economy of West Germany in order to benefit America’s economy. Politically, this document is trying to prevent countries from befriending the U.S.S.R. The document isn’t necessarily Social or Psychological.

Kennedy, David M. and Thomas A. Bailey. “The World Through Soviet Eyes (1946)”.

1. Name of Document: The World Through Soviet Eyes 2. Authors of Document: David M. Kennedy and Thomas A. Bailey 3. Position Held: Anti-United States 4. Cause of Conflict: The goal of America is world supremacy. America claims it deserves to “lead the world.” 5. Relation to Cause: The Soviet Union views America as a country who essentially wants to dictate the world. 6. Social Studies Perspectives: The document doesn’t necessarily cover geographic aspects. Culturally, America wants to spread its culture so that the whole world is basically American (or that’s how the Soviets view America). Politically, Soviets fear Americans plan to spread their political ideas (capitalism) rather than their own (communism). The document doesn’t relate to social, economic, or psychological perspectives.

George Kennan’s “Long Telegram”:

1) George Kennan Proposes Containment (1946)

2) David M. Kennedy & Thomas A. Bailey

3) Pro-America/ Pro-Communist Containment

4) Spread vs. Containment of Communism

5) The document is explaining the policy of ‘containment’ that the US held towards communism.

6) This document is definitely political because it is talking about governmental decisions. It also has to do with cultural because it shows the views of American’s towards communism. Sociological and psychological because, again, it pertains to how the people of America, individually and as a nation, viewed communism and it’s spread around the world. There isn’t much to do with geographic, except perhaps if you take into account the space between the USSR and the US. It also isn’t really economic, other than the fact that all trade would have been cut off between the US and USSR.

Krushchev’s Speech to the United Nations:

1) Nikita Krushchev: Address to the UN General Assembly, Sept. 23, 1960

2) Modern History Sourcebook/ Nikita Krushchev 3) Pro-USSR/ Anti-US

4) Rivalry between USSR & US

5) This is a speech from Krushchev about his views of his own nation versus his views of the US.

6) This is political because it is a speech from the leader of the USSR at the time and he is sending a message out to America. It isn’t really economic, except maybe for the fact that the USSR and US wouldn’t trade with each other. It is cultural because it shows the views of a communist society towards how they view themselves and a capitalist democracy. It is sociological and psychological because it would have had an impact on any American who heard it, making them want to compete with the USSR, while it would boost the morale of a citizen of the USSR. It isn’t really geographic, though, except perhaps in regards to the distance between the two nations.

Iron Curtain Speech/Cold War

1. Modern History Sourcebook: Winston S. Churchill: “Iron Curtain Speech”, March 5, 1946 2. Winston Churchill 3. Prime Minister of England 4. The document discusses the need for both the United states and the Soviet Union to keep up with each other and not let one have more power than the other, and the separation of the two contries from Britian’s perspective. 5. In this document, Churchill gives his speech, using the term “Iron Curtain” to describe the Soviet Union and the United States. He talks of how they feel they must prove themselves equal to the Soviets. He also stated the Britian should guide the Americans in peace as in war. “We must, and I believe we shall, prove ourselves equal to this severe requierement”. This document does not really have a possision, it is discussing the conflicts from another’s perspective. 6. This document is political in that the Soviet Union and the United States are in a competition, as Churchill describes them as. The leaders did not trust one another. It is phycological in that Britian wanted to guide the United States’ thinking and keep them in peace.

USA and USSR: Exchange of Notes on the Berlin Wall, 1961.

1. USA and USSR: Exchange of Notes on the Berlin Wall, 1961. 2. U.S. state department and Russian state department. 3. State department workers 4. This document relates to the cause of increasing tensions between the U.S. and the USSR. 5. This document relates to this cause because it shows discussions between the U.S. and the USSR about the Berlin Wall. The U.S. and the USSR had opposing views about the Berlin Wall and it’s affects on the people it contains. This increased the dislike and distrust between them. 6. This article can be seen from a geological perspective because it deals with the tensions between the allies and the USSR in Berlin and the surrounding geographical area. This can also be seen from a political perspective because the U.S. and the USSR were mostly fighting over their political ideals. Finally, this document can be seen from a cultural perspective because the U.S. and the USSR were influencing how the people of Berlin acted and where they went.