Who was to Blame for the Start of the Cold War? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)

Exam Tip

Students often struggle to structure their own opinions about who was to blame for the Cold War. There is no ‘correct’ answer. Historians continue to debate the topic today. The Cambridge IGCSE assesses you on your ability to make judgements, using evidence. Look at the two sides of the argument and the evidence that they use. Consider which argument you find the most convincing.

Worked Example

Who was more to blame for the Cold War, the USA or the USSR? Explain your answer

10 marks

Partial answer:

On one hand, the USA was to blame for the start of the Cold War (1). One reason for this was Truman’s attitude towards Stalin (1). Truman did not trust Stalin. He did not disclose the USA’s possession of the atomic bomb in 1945, despite still being in the Grand Alliance with the USSR (1). This created a cold war because not only could the West not be trusted but now they possessed powerful weaponry. As a result, Stalin began to expand into Eastern Europe to create a buffer zone in case of war (1).

Exam Tip

A strong response for this Paper One question needs to examine both sides of the argument. The next paragraph would explain why the USSR could be blamed for the Cold War. You could use the Berlin Blockade as an example of Stalin’s aggressive actions towards the USA. Continue to use a clear PEE structure as shown above.

You would then need to write a conclusion explaining who was more to blame for the start of the Cold War. Remember to use phrases like ‘fully’ or ‘partially’ to proportion the blame for the Cold War.