The Cold War through Documents: A Global History

This comprehensive collection of carefully edited documents—speeches, treaties, statements, and articles—traces the rise and fall of the Cold War. The sources follow the Cold War from its roots in East–West tensions at the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Set in historical context by the editors’ concise introductions and followed by thoughtful discussion questions, the documents are arranged in chronological order, starting with the Yalta Conference and ending with Gorbachev’s resignation speech. Drawing on selections from a variety of countries and leaders involved in this prolonged global struggle, the editors treat the entire Cold War as an era in world history, not just U.S. history. Their judicious selection makes the great events of the time come alive through the words and phrases of those who were actively involved.

Table of Contents:
Part I: The Origins of the Cold War, 1945–1950 1 The Yalta Conference, February 1945 A. Declaration on Poland B. Agreement Regarding Soviet Entry into the War against Japan 2 The Potsdam Conference, July–August 1945 Excerpts from the Berlin (Potsdam) Conference Report, 2 August 1945 3 The Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima, August 1945 Statement by President Truman, 6 August 1945 4 Ho Chi Minh’s Declaration of Independence for Vietnam, 2 September 1945 Excerpts from Ho Chi Minh’s Speech Declaring Independence for Vietnam, 2 September 1945 5 Stalin’s Election Speech, February 1946 Highlights of Stalin’s Election Speech, 9 February 1946 6 Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech, March 1946 A. Highlights of Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech, 5 March 1946 B. Excerpts from Pravda’s Interview with Stalin, March 1946 7 The Baruch and Gromyko Plans for Control of Atomic Weapons, 1946 A. Speech by Bernard Baruch to the UN Atomic Energy Commission, 14 June 1946 B. Draft International Agreement to Forbid the Production and Use of Atomic Weapons, Proposed by Andrei Gromyko on 19 June 1946 8 The Truman Doctrine, 1947 President Truman’s Speech to the Nation, 12 March 1947 9 The Marshall Plan, 1947 Marshall’s Commencement Address at Harvard University, 5 June 1947 10 George F. Kennan, “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” 1947 The Sources of Soviet Conduct 11 The Rio Treaty, 1947 The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty), 2 September 1947 12 Zhdanov and the Cominform on the Imperialist and Anti- Imperialist Camps, 1947 A. Zhdanov’s Report on the International Situation, 22 September 1947 B. Manifesto Proclaiming the Cominform, 5 October 1947 C. Resolution of the Conference of Communist Parties on Establishing the Cominform, 5 October 1947 13 The Communist Coup in Czechoslovakia, February 1948 A. Letter from President Benes to the Czechoslovak Communist Party Presidium, 24 February 1948 B. Reply by the Czechoslovak Communist Party Presidium to the Letter of President Benes, 25 February 1948 14 The Treaty of Brussels, 1948 Excerpts from the Treaty of Brussels, 17 March 1948 15 The Expulsion of Tito from the Communist Bloc, 1948 Cominform Resolution on the Situation in Yugoslavia, 28 June 1948 16 The Berlin Blockade, 1948–1949 Note from Secretary of State Marshall to the Soviet Ambassador, 6 July 1948 17 The NATO Alliance, 1949 The Treaty of Washington (North Atlantic Treaty), 4 April 1949 18 Acheson on the Communist Triumph in China, 1949 Secretary of State Acheson’s Letter of Transmittal for US State Department “White Paper” on China, 30 July 1949 19 Mao Proclaims the People’s Republic of China, 1 October 1949 Mao’s Statement Proclaiming the People’s Republic of China, 1 October 1949 20 The Soviet-Chinese Friendship Treaty, February 1950 A. Communique Announcing the Soviet-Chinese Treaty, 14 February 1950 B. Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Aid between the USSR and the Chinese People’s Republic Part II: The Global Confrontation, 1950–1960 21 McCarthy on “Communists” in the US Government, 1950 Excerpts from a Speech by Senator McCarthy to the US Senate, 20 February 1950 22 Acheson on the American Defense Perimeter in Asia, 1950 Excerpts from Acheson’s Speech to the National Press Club, 12 January 1950 23 NSC-68: American Cold War Strategy, 1950 Excerpts from NSC-68 (Report to the President, 7 April 1950) 24 The Korean War, 1950–1953 A. Statement by President Truman, 27 June 1950 B. Resolution of the United Nations Security Council, 27 June 1950 C. Telegram from Mao Zedong to Joseph Stalin on Sending Chinese Troops into Korea, 2 October 1950 D. Telegram from Mao to Zhou Enlai in Moscow on Sending Chinese Troops into Korea, 13 October 1950 E. Excerpts from the Panmunjom Armistice Agreement, 27 July 1953 25 Dulles on “Massive Retaliation,” 1954 Highlights of Dulles’s Speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, 12 January 1954 26 The Geneva Accords Regarding Indochina, 1954 Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference, 21 July 1954 27 The SEATO Alliance, 1954 Highlights of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, 8 September 1954 28 The Bandung Asian-African Conference, 1955 A. Excerpts from Speech by Indonesian President Sukarno at the Opening of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, 18 April 1955 B. Excerpts from Speech by India’s Prime Minister Nehru to the Bandung Conference Political Committee, April 1955 C. Principles of the Bandung Conference’s “Declaration on the Promotion of World Peace and Cooperation,” 24 April 1955 29 The Warsaw Pact, 1955 The Warsaw Security Pact, 14 May 1955 30 Khrushchev on Peaceful Coexistence, 1956 Excerpts from Khrushchev’s Report to the Twentieth Party Congress, 14 February 1956 31 Khrushchev’s Secret Speech on Stalin and His Crimes, 1956 Highlights of Khrushchev’s Secret Speech to the Twentieth Party Congress, 25 February 1956 32 The Hungarian Rebellion, 1956 A. Excerpts from Soviet Government Statement, 30 October 1956 B. Hungarian Appeals for Help, 4 November 1956 C. Excerpts from the Proclamation of a New Hungarian Government, 4 November 1956 33 The Suez Crisis, 1956 A. Withdrawal of US Support for the Aswan Dam Project, 19 July 1956 B. President Nasser’s Speech Nationalizing the Suez Canal Company, 26 July 1956 C. Excerpts from President Eisenhower’s Address, 31 October 1956 34 The Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957 A. Excerpts from Eisenhower’s Message to Congress on the Middle East, 5 January 1957 B. Joint Congressional Resolution to Promote Peace and Stability in the Middle East, Approved by the President on 9 March 1957 35 Europe’s Common Market: The Treaty of Rome, 1957 Excerpts from the Treaty of Rome, 25 March 1957 36 China’s “Great Leap Forward,” 1958–1960 A. Liu Shaoqi on the Progress and Goals of the “Great Leap Forward,” 1958 B. Excerpts from “Hold High the Red Flag of People’s Communes,” 3 September 1958 37 Harold Macmillan’s “Wind of Change” Speech, 1960 Excerpts from the Speech of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to the Parliament of the Union of South Africa, 3 February 1960 38 The U-2 Affair and Collapse of the Paris Summit, May 1960 A. Statement by US Department of State, 5 May 1960 B. Statement by US Department of State, 7 May 1960 C. Soviet Note on the U-2 Incident, 10 May 1960 D. Excerpts from Khrushchev’s Statement at Paris, 16 May 1960 E. Excerpts from Eisenhower’s Broadcast Address, 25 May 1960 39 The Congo Crisis, 1960 A. Telegram from President Kasa-Vubu and Prime Minister Lumumba to Premier Khrushchev, 14 July 1960 B. Reply of Premier Khrushchev to President Kasa-Vubu and Prime Minister Lumumba, 15 July 1960 C. Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba’s Address to the Chamber of Deputies of the Congo, 15 July 1960 40 Castro on the Cuban Revolution, 1960 Excerpts from Castro’s Address to the UN General Assembly, 26 September 1960 Part III: Crisis and Conflict, 1961–1969 41 Khrushchev on “Wars of National Liberation,” January 1961 Excerpts from Address by Soviet Premier Khrushchev to a Meeting of Communist Party Organizations in Moscow, 6 January 1961 42 Kwame Nkrumah on the Need for African Unity, 1961 Excerpt from Kwame Nkrumah, I Speak of Freedom: A Statement of African Ideology, 1961 43 Eisenhower’s Farewell Address on the Military-Industrial Complex, 17 January 1961 Excerpts from President Eisenhower’s Televised Speech, 17 January 1961 44 Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, 1961 Excerpts from Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, 20 January 1961 45 The Berlin Crisis, 1961 A. Kennedy’s Report to the Nation on Berlin, 25 July 1961 B. US Note Protesting Closure of East Berlin Border, 17 August 1961 C. Soviet Response to the US Protest, 18 August 1961 46 The Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962 A. Highlights of Kennedy’s Address to the Nation and the World, 22 October 1962 B. Excerpts from Khrushchev’s Message to Kennedy, 26 October 1962 C. Excerpts from Khrushchev’s Message to Kennedy, 27 October 1962 D. Excerpt from Kennedy’s Response to Khrushchev, 27 October 1962 47 Kennedy’s “Peace Speech” at American University, June 1963 Excerpts from Kennedy’s Commencement Address at American University, 10 June 1963 48 Kennedy’s Berlin Speech, June 1963: “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” Excerpts from Kennedy’s Speech in Berlin, 26 June 1963 49 The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, August 1963 Excerpts from the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 5 August 1963 50 The Sino-Soviet Split, 1960–1964 A. Excerpts from Chinese Publication “Long Live Leninism,” April 1960 B. Excerpts from Khrushchev’s Closing Remarks at the 22nd Party Congress, 27 October 1961 C. Excerpts from Open Letter of the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party to All Soviet Communists, 14 July 1963 D. Excerpts from “On Khrushchev’s Phony Communism and Its Historical Lessons for the World,” 1964 51 The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1964 The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 10 August 1964 52 Lin Biao, “Long Live the Victory of People’s War,” 1965 Excerpts from “Long Live the Victory of People’s War,” 3 September 1965 53 Lyndon Johnson and the Vietnam War, 1965–1968 A. Johnson’s Speech at Johns Hopkins University, 7 April 1965 B. Johnson’s Address to the Nation, 31 March 1968 54 China’s Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 1966–1969 A. Decision of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Concerning the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 8 August 1966 B. Excerpts from the “Little Red Book,” Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung 55 The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, July 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, 1 July 1968 56 The Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia, August 1968 A. Statement of Czechoslovak Communist Party Presidium, 21 August 1968 B. Statement of Soviet News Agency (TASS), 21 August 1968 C. Excerpts from Zhou Enlai’s Speech at the Romanian Embassy, 23 August 1968 57 The Brezhnev Doctrine, 1968 A. Excerpt from “Sovereignty and the International Obligations of Socialist Countries,” Pravda, 26 September 1968 B. Excerpt from Brezhnev’s Remarks to the Polish Party Congress, 12 November 1968 58 The Soviet-Chinese Border Conflict, 1969 A. Note from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Soviet Embassy in China, 2 March 1969 B. Statement by Soviet Government, 29 March 1969 59 The Nixon Doctrine, 1969 A. Excerpts from Nixon’s Remarks at Guam, 25 July 1969 B. Excerpts from Nixon’s Address to the Nation, 3 November 1969 Part IV: The Era of Détente, 1969–1979 60 Salvador Allende’s Freely Elected Marxist Government in Chile, 1970–1973 A. Excerpts from Salvador Allende’s Inaugural Address, 5 November 1970 B. Address by Salvador Allende to UN General Assembly, 4 December 1972 C. Excerpts from Salvador Allende’s Last Words, Broadcast over Radio Magallanes, 11 September 1973 61 The Berlin Accords, September 1971 Quadripartite Agreement on Berlin, 3 September 1971 62 Nixon’s China Visit: The Shanghai Communique, February 1972 Excerpts from the Communique Issued at Shanghai, 27 February 1972 63 The ABM Treaty and SALT I, 1972 A. Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems, 26 May 1972 B. Interim Agreement on Certain Measures with Respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (SALT I), 26 May 1972 64 The US Withdrawal from Vietnam, January 1973 A. Nixon’s Address to the Nation, 23 January 1973 B. The Paris Peace Accords, 27 January 1973 65 The October War in the Middle East, 1973 A. UN Security Council Resolution 338, Passed on 22 October 1973 B. Israel Accepts the Cease-Fire, 22 October 1973 C. Egypt Accepts the Cease-Fire, 22 October 1973 66 Deng Xiaoping’s “Three Worlds” Speech, April 1974 252 Highlights of Speech by Chinese Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping to the UN General Assembly, 10 April 1974 67 The Vladivostok Summit, 1974 A. Agreement Concluded at Vladivostok, 24 November 1974 B. Excerpt from President Ford’s Statement, 2 December 1974 68 The Helsinki Final Act, 1975 Excerpts from Declaration Signed at Helsinki, 1 August 1975 69 The Cambodian Genocide, 1975–1979 263 Genocide in Cambodia: Judgment of the “People’s Tribunal,” 19 August 1979 70 Carter on Human Rights, 1977 Carter’s Address to the United Nations, 17 March 1977 71 Peace between Egypt and Israel, 1977–1979 A. Excerpt from Sadat’s Speech in Israel, 20 November 1977 B. Framework for Peace Agreed to at Camp David, 17 September 1978 C. Treaty between Egypt and Israel, 26 March 1979 72 The Normalization of US-Chinese Relations, 1978–1979 A. Carter’s Statement on Opening Ties with China, 15 December 1978 B. Statement by the People’s Republic of China 73 The SALT II Agreement, 1979 Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (SALT II), 18 June 1979 Part V: The Renewal of the Cold War, 1979–1985 74 The Creation of an Islamic Republic in Iran, 1979 Excerpts from Khomeini’s Letter to Gorbachev, 1989 75 The Euromissile Controversy, 1979 A. Brezhnev’s Condemnation of NATO’s Plans, 6 October 1979 B. NATO Communique on “Dual Track” Approach, 12 December 1979 76 The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, December 1979 A. Carter’s Statement on Iran and Afghanistan, 28 December 1979 B. Carter’s Interview Concerning the Soviet Response to His Protest Note on the Invasion of Afghanistan, 31 December 1979 C. Brezhnev’s Explanation of the Soviet Role in Afghanistan, 12 January 1980 77 The Carter Doctrine, January 1980 Excerpt from Carter’s State of the Union Address, 23 January 1980 78 Reagan’s Anti-Soviet Rhetoric, 1981–1983 A. Excerpt from President Reagan’s First Press Conference, 29 January 1981 B. Excerpt from Reagan’s “Evil Empire” Speech, 8 March 1983 79 Reagan’s Arms Control Proposals, November 1981 Excerpt from Reagan’s Address on Arms Reduction, 18 November 1981 80 The Polish Imposition of Martial Law, December 1981 A. General Jaruzelski’s Radio Address, 13 December 1981 B. Excerpts from the Decree Imposing Martial Law 81 Andropov’s Peace Offensive, 1982 Excerpts from Andropov’s Speech on Reductions in Nuclear Missiles, 21 December 1982 82 Reagan’s “Star Wars” Speech, 1983 Excerpts from Reagan’s Televised Speech, 23 March 1983 83 The Nuclear Freeze Resolution, 1983 Highlights of the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Resolution Passed by the House of Representatives, 4 May 1983 84 The KAL 007 Incident, 1983 Statement by Secretary of State George Shultz on Soviet Downing of Korean Jetliner, 1 September 1983 Part VI: The End of the Cold War, 1985–1991 85 The Geneva Summit, 1985 A. Excerpts from Joint Soviet-American Statement on the Geneva Summit, 21 November 1985 B. Remarks by General Secretary Gorbachev C. Remarks by President Reagan 86 The Reykjavik Summit, 1986 Excerpts from Gorbachev’s Statement in Reykjavik, 12 October 1986 87 Reagan’s 1987 Berlin Speech: “Tear Down This Wall” Highlights of Reagan’s Berlin Wall Speech, 12 June 1987 88 The INF Treaty, December 1987 Treaty on Intermediate and Shorter Range Nuclear Forces, 8 December 1987 89 The Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan, 1988–1989 Gorbachev’s Statement on Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan, 8 February 1988 90 Gorbachev’s UN Address, December 1988 Excerpts from Gorbachev’s Speech to the United Nations, 7 December 1988 91 The Tiananmen Square Massacre, June 1989 A. Li Peng’s Speech on Behalf of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and State Council, 19 May 1989 B. Deng Xiaoping’s Speech to Martial Law Units, 9 June 1989 92 The Opening of the Berlin Wall, November 1989 Statement Allowing East Germans to Travel Abroad or Emigrate, 9 November 1989 93 NATO’s London Declaration on the End of the Cold War, July 1990 The London Declaration on a Transformed North Atlantic Alliance, 6 July 1990 94 The Kohl-Gorbachev Agreement on German Unification, July 1990 A. Statement by Helmut Kohl, 16 July 1990 B. Statement by Mikhail Gorbachev, 16 July 1990 95 The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), July 1991 Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, 31 July 1991 96 The Attempted Coup in the USSR, August 1991 A. Announcement on Gorbachev’s Removal and Formation of Emergency Committee, 19 August 1991 B. Yeltsin’s Call to Resist the Coup Attempt, 19 August 1991 C. President Bush’s Statement on the Soviet Coup, 19 August 1991 D. Excerpts from Soviet Television Report, 21 August 1991 97 Gorbachev’s Resignation Speech, December 1991 Highlights of Gorbachev’s Resignation Speech, 25 December 1991

About the Author :
Edward H. Judge is professor of history and John W. Langdon is professor emeritus of history at Le Moyne College. Their books include Connections: A World History and A Hard and Bitter Peace: A Global History of the Cold War.

Review :
The first Cold War between the United Sates and its allies and the former Soviet Union and its allies lasted from World War II's concluding days in 1945 until approximately 1991. This historical epoch saw many significant military confrontations and near confrontations including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet interventions in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan, and eventually the collapse of the Soviet bloc and German reunification. This compendium of documents includes excerpts from significant documents during the first Cold War along with contextual introductions to the background and policy developments resulting in the production of these documents. . . . This compilation is a useful introduction to some Cold War documents for undergraduate students, and the study questions presented at the end of each document are very beneficial. This newly expanded collection of historical documents is intelligently chosen, balanced, and genuinely global in its reach. Students of the Cold War will find ample opportunities to develop their skills in close reading and analysis, thereby deepening their engagement with a conflict that shaped the world we inhabit today. An invaluable resource for teaching undergraduates. The reader offers an excellent selection of the most significant primary sources for studying the major periods and events of the Cold War. Instructors will especially appreciate the dual chronological and thematic organization of the documents, the broader global context, the lucid introductions that provide insightful context, and discussion questions that help students master the content while also encouraging them to apply their understanding of the source to larger Cold War interpretative and comparative inquiries. This volume includes classic documents such as the Truman Doctrine, Eisenhower Doctrine, and the Iron Curtain speech, as well as translations of sources that illuminate policies and perspectives of Soviet, Chinese, Vietnamese, and other non-Western state leaders at key moments in the Cold War. This superb collection of documents covers the entire period of the Cold War, from the closing months of World War II in 1945 to the disintegration of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. The book is a truly international survey covering all aspects of the Cold War, not just the U.S.-Soviet standoff. The editors have chosen their sources extremely well and have provided valuable, even-handed prefatory comments for each topic. Highly recommended as a text for classes on twentieth-century history, international relations, and the history of the Cold War.