Page Structure
The syllabus requires study of the three main phases of the Cold War. At appropriate times, we will 'step out' of this narrative in order to case study the significance of particular leaders and crises in depth:
1. The breakdown of the grand alliance and the emergence of superpower rivalry in Europe and Asia (1943–1949): role of ideology; fear and aggression; economic interests; a comparison of the roles of the US and the USSR
2. The US, USSR and China—superpower relations (1947–1979): containment; peaceful co-existence; Sino-Soviet and Sino-US relations; detente
3. Confrontation and reconciliation; reasons for the end of the Cold War (1980–1991): ideological challenges and dissent; economic problems; arms race
Introduction to Key Concepts / Events / Historiography
a) Getting to know your key terms, concepts, timeline, historiography: (keep this and add key words / definitions as the course continues)
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b) Getting to know the key issues and events: (create a general timeline)
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Watch and write down reminder prompts - you will then try to reconstruct the main points afterwards. Split your page into: - Key events - Key concepts |
c) Historiography
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Significance of WW2:
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General historiography:
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Long Term Tension between USSR and USA
WHEN DID THE COLD WAR START???
1) What were the key events?
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The most common answer would probably be around 1947 - however, this is based on the fact that the US and the USSR were allied during WW2 and therefore the first evidence of semi-open conflict.
BUUUUT.... one could interpret things differently. Perhaps there is evidence that there was a Cold War BEFORE 1941 and that it is the WW2 years that are the aberration (i.e. simply a 'break' in the Cold War, rather than the period before it). |
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i) What tensions existed before WW2? Use the resources below to find out.
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A) Watch this CNN documentary up to 30 minutes and complete the questions as you go:
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B) Download this summary document on the 1917-1945 Causes of the Cold War. Complete the reading below in the first table - you will need to work in groups on this to speed up the task.
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ii) Deepen your understanding: what role did ideology play? Current historiography
a) Watch and discuss the presentation below.
b) Make a copy of the note taking frame and listen to the lecture by Elena Hore by clicking on the icons below.
a) Watch and discuss the presentation below.
b) Make a copy of the note taking frame and listen to the lecture by Elena Hore by clicking on the icons below.
Resources:
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1. The breakdown of the grand alliance and the emergence of superpower rivalry in Europe and Asia (1943–1949)
Role of ideology; fear and aggression; economic interests; a comparison of the roles of the US and the USSR
a) What were the main events during World War 2 that caused tension?
i) Events during WW2: (find a date with cut up cards)
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ii) The Wartime Conferences (Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam)
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You will be assigned one of the conferences to read up on using a resource allocated to you. You will annotate / make notes to identify the essentials. Through discussion, you will then complete the whole class Google Doc (click on icon)
Word Doc Version Mamaux p.g. 17-28, Todd 54-57, Rogers/Tomas 11-18 - scanned packs here |
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b) 1946 - 49: Steps to Cold War
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Download this frame - you will use it to structure your learning for this whole section |
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BACKGROUND: WHAT WAS THE SITUATION IN EUROPE AT THE END OF WW2?
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i) STEP 1: THE LONG TELEGRAM (KENNAN) AND CHURCHILL'S IRON CURTAIN SPEECH
Kennan Long Telegram: http://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/videoplayer/index.php?id=754295051
Iron Curtain Speech: http://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/videoplayer/index.php?id=654295051
Additional reading from Textbooks available here.
Iron Curtain Speech: http://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/videoplayer/index.php?id=654295051
Additional reading from Textbooks available here.
ii) STEP 2: THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE, MARSHALL PLAN AND SOVIET RESPONSE
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What was the effect of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan on the Cold War?
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Alternative:
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iii) STEP 3: 'SALAMI TACTICS' IN EASTERN EUROPE TO 1948
In pairs you will research the experience of one Eastern European country 1945-48. You will then present to the rest of the class by creating no more than two slides in the presentation below. You will record evidence from at least two case studies in your note taking frame.
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Overview video:
http://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/videoplayer/index.php?id=459295051 |
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iv) STEP 4: THE BERLIN CRISIS OF 1948 / THE BERLIN BLOCKADE
As this event is one of our case study 'Cold War Crises', click on the button below to go to the case study page to explore this event in depth.
v) STEP 5: 1949 SOVIET ATOM BOMB
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LINK TO PODCAST BY MATHEW GRANT OF TEESIDE UNIVERSITY ON THE HUGE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS ON THE COLD WAR GENERALLY |
REVIEW: SO, WHEN DID THE COLD WAR START? WHO WAS TO BLAME FOR THE START OF THE COLD WAR?
There is no clear cut 'start' to the Cold War - as we have seen, some historians place it as early as the 1920s. However, the Berlin Airlift is probably the latest date, which may be useful for you as IB historians. However, when 'origins' does not mean the same as 'start'... we are not talking about a single event here.
a) When did the Cold War Start?
Complete activity on page 51 of Mamaux.
a) When did the Cold War Start?
Complete activity on page 51 of Mamaux.
b) Who was to blame?
Read one of the articles below and use it to add your thoughts to the historiography document.
Read one of the articles below and use it to add your thoughts to the historiography document.
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c) ESSAY
Now you have completed your timed essay, check out this marked example fro the the IB.
Now you have completed your timed essay, check out this marked example fro the the IB.
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2. The US, USSR and China—superpower relations (1947–1979): containment; peaceful co-existence; Sino-Soviet and Sino-US relations; detente
Between 1945 and 1950, devleopments in the Cold War had been affected by events in Europe. After 1950, the course of the Cold War was influenced by other factors, including:
- EVENTS IN ASIA
- THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE
- CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP OF BOTH THE USSR AND THE USA AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS - WITH LIMITED SUCCESS.
- EVENTS IN ASIA
- THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE
- CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP OF BOTH THE USSR AND THE USA AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS - WITH LIMITED SUCCESS.
a) Why did the Cold War Spread to Asia: The Korean War 1950-53
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In this lesson we will look at how the US policy moved from:
Containment in Europe... to Containment in Korea... to Rollback in Korea... to Containment in the world. Download note taking frame:
Resources: 1. ACTIVE HISTORY NEWSFEED 2. LECTURE BY DR SHIN (University of Cambridge) - FOR USE IN FINAL PART OF TASK SHEET Extension articles:
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b) How did the policy of containment devleop in Asia up to 1960?
c) How did change in leadership affect the Cold War up to 1960?
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Make a copy of the document below:
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d) What were the key features of the Second Berlin Crisis/Berlin Wall?
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Using a different extract each.
Highlight in different colours: Causes. Key Features, Consequences Any further division? Create a Google doc in a group - appoint one editor as you go to reduce. It must not go over one side in total Berlin Wall 1, Berlin Wall 2, Berlin Wall 3 |
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e) What were the key features of the Cuban Missile Crisis? How did it impact the Cold War?
f) What were the key features of 'Detente'? Why did it occur? Why did it decline?
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Detente was a period of 'relaxation of tension' that lasted from appoximately 1969 to 1980.
Context: What were the key events/people of the 1960s? 1. Listen to Vietnam War presentation. You can download all the notes in the 'vietnam_summary' file opposite. Remember, the purpose of this is only to understand how tension devleoped (the Vietnam War is not one of your case studies) and therefore impacted detente. 2. Open the 'detente_note_frame' opposite for today's lesson structure. Resources are below. 3. Complete the detente essay plan below:
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RESOURCES:
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g) How did Sino-Soviet and Sino-US relations develop 1947-79?
In this lesson, you will use the Mamaux textbook to research either the Sino-Soviet Split or Sino-US relations over the period.
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Listen to this podcast from 2:00 - 8:00
How do they explain the Sino-Soviet Split? What do their ideas reflect about the 1950s-60s US view of monolithic communism? |
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3. Confrontation and reconciliation; reasons for the end of the Cold War (1980–1991): ideological challenges and dissent; economic problems; arms race
a) What was the impact of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?
Brezhnev's invasion of Afghanistan is very significant for two reasons:
1. It ends detente
2. It opens up what is known as the second Cold War
The combination of the expense of the invasion of Afghanistan, it's huge unpopularity at home, the economic burden of attempting to compete in the 'Second Cold War' = reforming leader (Gorbachev). These reforms will (unintentionally) shatter the communist bloc and ultimately lead to the collapse of the USSR itself.
Don't get bogged down in the conflict itself - always keep an eye on its implications for the USSR and the Cold War in general. Click the icons below - make your own copy of the frame and the teacher presentation is also available.
1. It ends detente
2. It opens up what is known as the second Cold War
The combination of the expense of the invasion of Afghanistan, it's huge unpopularity at home, the economic burden of attempting to compete in the 'Second Cold War' = reforming leader (Gorbachev). These reforms will (unintentionally) shatter the communist bloc and ultimately lead to the collapse of the USSR itself.
Don't get bogged down in the conflict itself - always keep an eye on its implications for the USSR and the Cold War in general. Click the icons below - make your own copy of the frame and the teacher presentation is also available.
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Resources
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b) How can we explain the end of the Cold War?
Things for you to decide during this sequence of learning:
1. When did the Cold War end?
2. Did the USSR lose the Cold War or did the US win it?
3. How important was the 'law of unintentional consequences' relative to deliberate actions in ending the Cold War?
1. When did the Cold War end?
2. Did the USSR lose the Cold War or did the US win it?
3. How important was the 'law of unintentional consequences' relative to deliberate actions in ending the Cold War?
Your Learning in this unit will follow the following sequence:
1) SEQUENCE OF EVENTS: Use the teacher presentation, the video, and the textbook pages as a class to place the key events in Eastern Europe and the USSR which led to the end of the Cold War in a timeline
2) THEMATIC ANALYSIS: Use source material to identify the key thematic arguments for the end of the Cold War and read an article to elaborate them as a group
3) CURRENT HISTORIOGRAPHY: Use the Lecture from Dr Pravda of Oxford University to get the most up to date view on this on your own
4) PLAN AND WRITE AN ESSAY: Use the essay planning frame to plan an answer to one of the essays below. You will select and write one of these for homework
1) SEQUENCE OF EVENTS: Use the teacher presentation, the video, and the textbook pages as a class to place the key events in Eastern Europe and the USSR which led to the end of the Cold War in a timeline
2) THEMATIC ANALYSIS: Use source material to identify the key thematic arguments for the end of the Cold War and read an article to elaborate them as a group
3) CURRENT HISTORIOGRAPHY: Use the Lecture from Dr Pravda of Oxford University to get the most up to date view on this on your own
4) PLAN AND WRITE AN ESSAY: Use the essay planning frame to plan an answer to one of the essays below. You will select and write one of these for homework
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1. KEY EVENTS RESOURCES
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2. ANALYSING BY THEME RESOURCES
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3. A HISTORIANS VIEW RESOURCES
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4. ESSAY PLANNING
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| reagan_main_cause.pdf |