Publication

This report analyzes the situation of the Cold War in 1953, between 5 March, Stalin's death, and the East Berlin uprising on 17 June. The author investigates why the momentum to overcome the strategic military struggle and the chance to tone down the arms race was missed. If a window of historic opportunity opened partially on Stalin's death neither of the opponents were able to use it for effective communication. Rhetorical constraints, largely of expression on the Soviet side and of perception on the American, closed the window before anyone had a chance to see the view, the author concludes.