Students will ​create a chart ​where they will name the most important events of the Cold War

according to:
Ø Importance in a bipolar scheme of world politics, devastating outcomes,
- It has long been discussed whether a bipolar world is more stable compared to others
and for many historians it is, indeed, as a study from the Old Dominion University
clarifies. In the work, it is pointed out a quote which states that it is easier for the
Superpowers to make one move at a time (Alvin, 1991). He also comments that in this
system both nations counterbalance each other so not one of them becomes
unrestrained. However, as all other world schemes, it is temporary and does not
"guarantee the stability both at domestic vis-à-vis at international level." Along the
same lines, "bipolarity can only be a short-lived moment of geopolitical transition
during which one of the two preponderant powers surpasses the other on grounds of
capabilities (...) unless they first reach an arrangement (...) or confrontation".

Øsituation in balance of USA vs. USSR,

- Ideology, military and economic power, direct confrontation would have been fatal.
It’s own confrontation, first referred as Cold War by George Orwell due to the allies
of each power fighting instead of the country itself.

Øand world influence. There should be a minimum of five events.

Afterwards, they should ​create a conceptual map ​of the evolution of the world powers, first
from a multipolar (before world wars), then a bipolar (Cold War), and finally a unipolar
world (New World Order). They should ​explain how this last step was achieved with the
new international system created after the Cold War.
If you need further references, you can find them in the Resources section.

Berlin Blockade and Airlift   This was a turning point in post World War 2 
June 26, 1948  Europe. The Berlin Blockade was an attempt in 
  1948 by the Soviet Union to limit the ability of 
  the United States, Great Britain and France to 
  travel to their sectors of Berlin, which lay 
  within Russian-occupied East Germany. 
 

Korean War  It began when some soldiers from the North 

June 1950  Korean People’s Army poured across the 38th 
parallel, the boundary between the 
Soviet-backed Democratic People’s Republic of 
Korea to the north and the pro-Western 
 Republic of Korea to the south. By July, 
American troops had entered the war on South 
Korea’s behalf. As far as American officials 
were concerned, it was a war against the forces 
of international communism itself. It finally 
ends in 1953, some 5 million soldiers and 
civilians lost their life. 

Space Race  This is where the US and Soviets had an intense 

October 4, 1957   rivalry about space and who can get the farthest 
  first. Soviets started with the lead with Sputnik 
1, however when the kept competing it actually 
brought them together and made the 
International Space Station. 

U-2 Reconnaissance Plane  This is where the US's CIA had a plane trying to 
May 1, 1960   spy on the Soviets and the Soviets shot it down 
  and this lead to an embarrassing conference 
between US and Soviets. (Embarrassing for the 
US) 
 

Bay of Pigs  This where the US tried to invade Cuba but 

April 17, 1961   failed miserably, this embarrassed the US. 

Reagan visits the Wall  This when Reagan visited the Berlin Wall, this 
August 12, 1961  showed continued commitment to the people of 
West Berlin. 

Cuban Missile Crisis  Conflict between US and USSR in Cuban 

October 1962  territory in which the US found out that The 
USSR had several misiles in Cuba, a country 
adjacent to the US.  

Strategic Arms Limitation  Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), 

Talks  negotiations between the United States and the 
November 1969  Soviet Union that were aimed at curtailing the 
manufacture of strategic missiles capable of 
carrying nuclear weapons. 

Soviets Invade Afghanistan  In the midst of the Cold War, the Soviet 40th 
December 1979  Army invaded Afghanistan in order to prop up 
the communist government of the People's 
Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) 
against a growing insurgency. The Soviet Union 
feared the loss of its communist proxy in 
Afghanistan. 
 
 The US and the Soviets each back a different 
side and this led to the US boycotting the 1980 
Olympics. 

Reunited Germany  This where East and west Germany reunited, 

November 9, 1989  East Germany was no longer Communist, and 
this was evidence that the War Saw Pact's days 
were numbered. 
 
1

Ss

Sources:
● Wiskary, W. (April 3, 1958)”US Embargo Sets on Arms to Cuba, Shipment Hailed”
The New York Times R ​ etrieved on April 21, 2020
● Berglund, JB. “The Top 10 Events of the Cold War” ​Preceden ​Retrieved on April
21st 2020 from:
https://www.preceden.com/timelines/46853-the-top-10-events-of-the-cold-war
● https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-blockade
● History.com editors ( November 9, 2019) “Korean War” History.com. Retrieved on
April 21, 2020, From: www.history.com/topics/korea/korean-war
● Institute for the Study of War (2020) “Russia and Afghanistan” Retrieved on April 21,
2020, From: ​http://www.understandingwar.org/russia-and-afghanistan
● (2020). Retrieved 21 April 2020, from
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.culturaldiplo
macy.org/academy/content/pdf/participant-papers/2013-acdusa/Is-Bipolarity-a-sound-
recipe-for-world-order-Shiwei-Jiang.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwipiPyM2vnoAhVDeawKHd
E8DwIQFjAOegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1ZIFw2OyY9P1KQ4umUif56