Cold War flashpoints

Aims

This course aims to: 

• introduce students to the main reasons for the Cold War’s beginning
   
• foster an understanding of the causes and consequences of the Cold War
   
• examine and explain the main events of the Cold War 

Content

This course will take you through the second half of the 20th century and examine how the world was shaped by the Cold War. You will consider how the wartime Grand Alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union broke down, and you will explore how this influenced the development of international relations in the early post-Second World War years. You will examine why the Cold War began, discuss who was most responsible for its beginning, and assess when it started. You will learn about the main flashpoints that defined the Cold War as it stretched outside of its original European theatre and became a global conflict. These flashpoints include the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. You will also discuss specifically Soviet foreign policy concerns in Eastern Europe and China. After these crises, the Cold War calmed down a little, and you will consider the changes to international politics during the détente era. From here, you will examine why these improved relations ended and the dangerous consequences that followed, and then you will consider the turn back to dialogue and negotiation after Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet leader. This will then lead into a discussion about when and why the Cold War ended.

Presentation of the course 

This course will be taught through a mixture of lectures and seminar discussions.

Course sessions

1. From World War to Cold War: early flashpoint
    
2. The 1950s: ‘peaceful co-existence’?
    
3. The Cuban Missile Crisis
    
4. The Vietnam War
    
5. From détente to the end of the Cold War

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• an understanding of the origins of the Cold War
   
• an ability to assess critically the historiographical debates in Cold War history
   
• an appreciation of the course and consequences of Cold War events
   
• an understanding of how the key themes of the Cold War shaped global history

Required reading

Please read at least one of the following:

LaFeber, W, America, Russia and the Cold War: 1945-2006 (McGraw-Hill 
Higher Education 2006)

McCauley, M, Russia, America and the Cold War (Pearson Longman 2004)

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.