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Who was to Blame for the Start of the Cold War?

Exam code: 2147
Written by: Ashika|Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll|Updated 2 July 2026

Arguments for the USSR

Arguments for the USSR

  • Orthodox historians argue that Stalin’s actions caused the Cold War

Title: “The Soviet Union was to blame for the start of the Cold War” appears above a large USA flag. Left box (Evidence): The USSR broke the Yalta Agreement. The Red Army stayed in Eastern Europe and used terror to install communist governments. After Cominform, satellite states followed USSR orders. The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to take full control. Stalin was a dictator who ignored human rights. Centre box (Labelled “However…”) links to right-hand explanations suggesting alternative views. Right column (Contextual points): The USSR had been devastated by WWII; Stalin wanted to rebuild. Eastern Europe had historically been part of Russia. The USA’s atomic bomb made Stalin distrustful. Truman would never have cooperated with Stalin.
An illustration showing the orthodox, or the US, opinion on who started the Cold War and the key counter-arguments

Arguments for the USA

Arguments for the USA

  • Revisionist historians insist that the USA were to blame for the Cold War

Title: “The United States was to blame for the start of the Cold War” appears above a large Soviet flag. Left box (Evidence): US–USSR relations had been strong under Roosevelt. Truman hid atomic bomb development from Stalin. Containment aimed to push the USSR away. The US interfered in places like the Greek Civil War. The Marshall Plan was about gaining control of markets. Bizonia was created to isolate the USSR with a new currency. Centre box (“However…”) links to counterpoints on the right. Right column (Alternative views): Containment was a response to Soviet expansion. The USSR also interfered in other countries. The Marshall Plan was offered to all nations. Stalin broke agreements by blocking free elections in Poland.
An illustration showing the revisionist, or the Soviet, opinion on who started the Cold War and the key counter-arguments
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