Evolution of J. L. Gaddiss views on the origins of the Cold War

John Lewis Gaddis, Professor of the Yale University, is one of the leaders of the Cold War Studiesin the West. He has published nine books on the history of this phenomenon, as well as numerous articles. A.M. Philitov, N.I. Yegorovaand others made a significant contribution to the study of his works in Russia. The evolution of the views on the origin of the bipolarityof this author is one of the most important components of western historiography of the Cold War. All Gaddiss work can be dividedinto three phases, if we take his views on the causes of the Cold War as a basis of the periodization. The first phase can be dated to thefirst half of 1970s with the release of one of his first major monographs (1). We can attribute this period to the then developing postrevisionism.A characteristic feature of this course is about the causes of the Cold War as a complex of the political, ideological, economicand personal factors. Also this course raises the question of the Soviet responsibility for the outbreak of the Cold War. The turn ofGaddiss views occurs in connection with the collapse of the USSR and the end of the Cold War. It is the start of the second period ofthe authors creativity. In 1997(2) at the peak of the debate about the Cold War Gaddis offers to consider the similarities and differencesin the nature and interests of two countries - the USSR and the USA as drivers and causes of the Cold War. At the same time Gaddiscontinues to speak about Stalin and the Stalinist system as a significant factor in the occurrence of bipolarity, that led to a lot of criticismfrom Western and Russian researchers. The final formulation and systematisation of Gaddiss views on the emergence and developmentof the Cold War is going on at the beginning of the 21st century. The third stage of the scientists activity is associated with the release ofthe monograph on philosophical themes (3). Today Gaddiss study of the Cold War is closely connected with his views on the drivingforces of history. In the monograph of 2005 (4) responding to a question about internal strife springs, the author says that the Cold Warwas not simply a geopolitical confrontation between nuclear superpowers, it was a competition in answering the question: How to organizea human society best?"

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