starter activity

Test your knowledge of Cold War key words by playing Cold War bingo!
Check your glossary is up-to-date by using the key words hand-out your teacher
provides.

What were the

achievements of
the Thaw?

Learning
objectives

To analyse the contribution of

John Foster Dulles to Cold War
politics
To evaluate the success or failure
of the Thaw

 Your task

Read the obituary of John

Foster Dulles. What qualities
made him a good / weak
secretary of state?
Analyse sources D-F on p.83.
How effective was Dulles
influence on US foreign
policy under Eisenhower?

John Foster Dulles,

Sec of State, 1953-9

 Your task

If necessary, re-read you timeline of the

events of the Thaw based on p.85-6 in your
textbooks.
Complete the timeline task your teacher
gives you.
Which event was the most significant sign
of improving / worsening relations?
Overall, do you think Thaw was an
accurate term to describe the period 195362?

 Your task

Watch the film clip about the Thaw.

Note down the positive
achievements and failures of the
period
To what extent was the Thaw the
The Kitchen
result of the new personalities
in
Debate between
then U.S. Vice
place?

President Richard
Nixon and Soviet
Premier Nikita
Khrushchev at
the opening of
the American
National
Exhibition in

 Your task

Study the sources on p.87. Break into

teams and answer the following
questions:
Team 1 answer Qs 1 &2
Team 2 answer Q3
Team 3 answer Q4
Team 4 write a judgement paragraph in
answer to Q5
Team 5 write a judgement paragraph in
answer to Q6

 Extension task

Read Isaacs p.140160 on key events of

the Thaw Supplement
your notes with
evidence relating to
achievements and
failures of the period.

 Homework

Complete the glossary task set

during the starter activity.
Complete gaps in your notes or work
on targets set, e.g. producing a bank
of juicy quotes

 Plenary

Dulles contribution to US foreign

policy
Thaw key events
Thaw achievements / failures
Extension: on balance did the
Thaw fail to achieve anything of
substance?