Frank Peter Slotkus John H. Hamline Elementary School

One of the most interesting features of Melvyn P. Leffler's The Specter of Communism is its ability to analyze the origins of the Cold War without placing blame on either of the two superpowers or their political ideologies. Leffler's thesis is that both the Soviets and the Americans were at fault for the conditions that caused the former WWII allies to become enemies. This fascinating book was a breath of fresh air for an American student who grew up with the notion that both the USSR and its citizens were "evil".

The greatest aspect of this book is not always what it answers, but rather, the questions that it elicits from the reader. This historical account is not for the passive reader. In other words, Leffler presents his readers with facts that they may already have known, but he goes the extra mile when he offers prompts to take a closer look at the information that is being put forth. The three major questions that came to mind when reading this account concerning the origins of the Cold War were as follows: First, what political conditions caused the USSR not to occupy all of Germany after WWII? Due to the losses of life and resources that they suffered, the Soviets certainly could have presented a convincing argument as to why they should have been in absolute control of defeated Germany. On that same note, reading this book led me to wonder why the Americans were allowed to occupy Germany. The United States were never formally attacked by Germany as Great Britain, France, and Russia had been. Another issue that sparked my curiosity was the American monopoly of the atomic bomb. It is common knowledge that the Americans were in sole possession of nuclear technology from 1945-1949, but a new question began to develop upon the completion of this book. Why didn't the Americans flaunt their military might and use fear of this new invention to their utmost advantage? The last question that materialized was whether or not the ordinary Soviet citizens were as inundated with anti-American propaganda as previous generations of Americans had been concerning the Soviets.

Central to Leffler's research is that both the USSR and the USA were responsible for the Cold War. He often blames individuals, rather than ideologies for the establishment of the two opposing camps. For example, the author points out that the stalemate known as Korea was at the time, an American escalation of the Cold War. Simply put, Truman, an ardent anti-communist comparable to his contemporary Churchill, was as forceful as he was with the Korean situation because he had already lost China to communism. On the other hand, Leffler clearly blames Stalin's fear of American economic superiority for the blockade of Berlin. This nonbiased view of events relating to the origins of the Cold War is a reoccurring theme within the work.

In conclusion, Leffler's book is concise and to the point. It is written in a way that is informative, but never dull. Even the most novice students of history can appreciate this type of writing. Not only can this work further serve to aid the students' understanding of the Cold War, but it can also teach them about the dangerous effects of an uncompromising attitude or philosophy. The study of history gives us lessons for the present and this book reinforces this theory. With knowledge of the pitfalls concerning the Cold War, one can learn to better understand those who don't necessarily share their own beliefs, culture, religion, etc. Lastly, it is extremely interesting to note that Leffler often refers to the fact that the United States saw communism as an ideology that would ultimately lead to the abandonment of American freedoms and principles because of the need to set up a garrison state in America. Strangely, the conditions found within this theoretical garrison state are not unlike those found in post-September 11th America. Hopefully, we as a people can apply the lessons learned during the Cold War to this new political, economic and social landscape.

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