The in America Complete Unit Guide Packet

Overview Almost immediately after World War 2 ended, the Cold War ​ began, and it would last another 45 years. There were no direct military conflicts between the two main antagonists, the and the . The United States was the leader of the capitalist and democratic world and struggled to keep the communist, totalitarian Soviet Union from expanding. Korea, ​ ​ Vietnam, , and Cuba became battlegrounds ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ between the two ideologies.

In America, a second emerged with paranoia about ​ ​ communist spies infiltrating the US government. Fear of a nuclear holocaust also characterized life for many Americans. Each side had a nuclear strategy that discouraged an attack by the other side, on the basis that any attack would lead to the total destruction of both sides—the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD). However, in 1962, during the , the two sides came perilously to a ​ full-scale nuclear war. Instead, proxy wars took place around the globe, as well as massive propaganda campaigns and espionage, rivalry at sporting events, and technological competitions such as the .

The Cold War neared its end in the 1980’s as the Soviet Union struggled to keep up with American military spending. Last-ditch reforms like and slowed the Soviet Union’s collapse. However, the tearing ​ ​ down of the Wall in 1989 is often seen as the beginning of the end. Finally, in 1991, the world watched in amazement as the Soviet Union disintegrated into 15 separate countries. ​ ​ Essential Questions

a) How and why did America and the Soviet Union emerge as the two leading military powers after WW2? b) What impact did the and formation of the United Nations have on the post-WW2 world? c) How do clashes of ideology impact governments and how people live? d) How did the origins and early development of the Cold War change American foreign policy? e) What role did the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have the of ? f) What military conflicts did the US engage in its effort to contain communism and how did those impact the US and the world? g) How did America’s domestic policies during the Cold War affect life in the US? h) What factors caused the collapse of communism in Europe and how did that change American foreign policy? Vocabulary Directions: Write the definition for each word listed in your own words. ​

Iron Curtain

Berlin Wall

NATO

Warsaw Pact

Truman Doctrine

McCarthyism

th​ 38​ Parallel

Sputnik

Brinkmanship

Tet Offensive

Glasnost

Perestroika

Geography Directions: Use the map of NATO and ​ ​ ​ countries to complete ​ each of the questions below. Note: The US, Canada, and Iceland were also NATO members during the Cold War but not shown on this map.

Which countries belonged to NATO?

Which countries belonged to the Warsaw Pact?

Why do you think nations joined these alliances?

What impact did these alliances have on the Cold War?

People to Know Directions: Use the bank of names below to identify the appropriate category for each person. For each Cold War ​ ​ leader, identify the significant contributions that person made in history. ​ ​ ​ Harry Truman Richard Nixon Joseph McCarthy Lyndon Johnson John F. Kennedy Nikita Khrushchev

Name: Name: Name: ​ ​ ​ Contributions: Contributions: Contributions: ​ ​ ​

American Leaders Name: Name: Name: ​ ​ ​ Contributions: Contributions: Contributions: ​ ​ ​

Name: Name: Name: ​ ​ ​ Country: Country: Country: ​ ​ ​ Contributions: Contributions: Contributions: ​ ​ ​

Communist Leaders

Timeline of the Cold War Directions: Place the following Cold War events of the on the timeline in the correct order and type the date in the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ green column. Some events may take place in the same year. Answer the questions after completing the timeline. ​ ​ Apollo 11 Lands in the Moon Berlin Airlift Built SALT Agreement Signed Begins Cuban Missile Crisis Fall of the Berlin Wall Army-McCarthy Hearings Peak of the Sputnik Launched into Space

Year 1945

1989

Which year do you feel is the peak of Cold War tension During which event on the timeline do you feel the US and why? and Soviet Union were most close to peace? Why?

Key Concepts Directions: For each section, either takes notes on the required topics or answer the questions in complete ​ sentences.

Comparing Economic Systems… Communism

US Birth Rate and the Baby Boom The chart shows births per 1,000 people each year in the US f​rom 1909-2009.

What years mark the “baby boom”?

Why did this boom occur?

What effect did this boom have on the US?

“A vital element in keeping the peace is our military According to Eisenhower, why is the military vital? establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction... This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence—economic, political, even spiritual—is felt in every city, every statehouse, every What does Eisenhower mean by a “military-industrial office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative complex” and why does he warn against it? need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” - President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961 ​

What are some of the characteristics Kennedy lists of the new “Let the word go forth from this time and generation that a torch was passed to? place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of What do you think he means with the final line in this excerpt? those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” - John F. Kennedy, 1961 ​

Comparing the Korean War and Vietnam War Use the Venn Cha​ rt table below​ to c​ompare the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Vietnam War Both Korean War

Additional Cold War Concepts Match the terms from the 3rd column to the description by typing each in the first column. Term for the plan to turn the Vietnam War over to the Vietnamese. Lavender Scare

Writers from here were blacklisted for refusing to answer questions about communism. Marshall Plan

HUAC Witch hunt and mass firings of homosexuals in government during the 1950s. Hollywood Theory that the threat of massive retaliation would prevent an enemy attack. Vietnamization Provided $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western Europe. Deterrence House investigative committee into alleged disloyalty and subversive activities.

Visual Literacy Directions: Use the included images and captions to answer each of question. ​ A truck passes over a bridge at the 38th Parallel during the ​ ​ Korean War.

Why did the US go to war in Korea & what was the result?

th What is the area around the 38 ​ Parallel like today? ​

Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite. The Soviet Union ​ launched it into an elliptical low Earth orbit in October 1957 and its beeps could be heard anywhere in the word with a short-wave radio.

What effect do you think hearing the “beeps” had on Americans?

Kennedy and Khrushchev are atop a box labelled “Nuclear War” in this 1962 cartoon titled, “Let's get a lock for this thing.”. How would you describe the relationship between the 2 men?

How does that compare to the US & USSR’s relationship at the time?

Surface-to-air missiles on display during a military parade in Moscow, USSR in 1967.

Why do you think the Soviets had parades like this while the US generally did not?

A Vietnam War protester offers a flower to military ​ ​ police at a demonstration at the Pentagon in ​ ​ October 1967.

Why were many Americans against the Vietnam War?

Germans climb atop the Berlin Wall to celebrate in ​ ​ front of the in 1989. ​ ​

Why did the Berlin Wall finally “fall”?