In Stalin’s Shadow: The Origins of the Cold War, 1917-1953

There are many analysts who believe Russia and the West are engaged in a new version of the Cold War. In that light, this set of 4 lectures (As part of a larger series on the Cold War and out “History in the Making” series) looks back at the origins of the 20th century’s longest war, one that in scale and scope surpassed all previous wars in human history. Beginning with the West’s intervention in the Russian Revolution and through World War II and the immediate post-war era, we will explore such diverse topics as the Russian Civil War, the Berlin Air lift, the Marshall Plan, Russia’s development of the atomic bomb, and America’s evolving strategy of containment. Key figures will include Lenin, Stalin, Harry Truman, Joseph Kennan, Paul Nitze, Edward Teller, and Mao Tse-Tung.