John Lewis Gaddis

The Cold War

1. IDEA 1

   The Cold War shaped the world

   Gaddis tells the story of the long rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union after the Second World War. He explains how this conflict, fought mostly without direct war, shaped politics, economies and fears across the world.

2. IDEA 2

   Fear returned after victory

   Gaddis describes how the wartime alliance between the Soviet Union and the West quickly broke down. Mistrust and fear replaced cooperation. Gaddis shows that each side began to read the other's actions as a threat to itself.

3. IDEA 3

   Nuclear weapons changed war

   Gaddis argues that nuclear weapons made direct war between superpowers too dangerous. This helped keep the Cold War cold. Gaddis argues that leaders on both sides feared the destruction that a single mistake could bring.

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