The Cold War

The Cold War
Superpower Tensions and Rivalries

Warm-Up Activity
On your own, or with a small group, make notes on each of the following issues/events of 1944 - 46. In
each case make sure you explain what happened or what the issue was and how it helped to raise
tension between the USA and the USSR:
● the Warsaw uprising

● the opening of a second front
● the dropping of the A bomb on Hiroshima
● the role of the Red Army in Eastern Europe
● Salami tactics
● the issue of Germany
● Soviet actions in Iran
● Kennan's 'Long Telegram'
● Churchill's Fulton Speech
● Greek civil war
● Growth of communist support in Italy and France
Why Did the USA and the USSR Emerge as Superpowers?
1. Read the extracts on the provided sheet on why USSR and USA emerged as
superpowers.
a. Decide what point each extract is making and whether it is giving a reason
linked to military,economic, or political factors.
b. Create a mind map to show the military, economic and political factors
which led the emergence of the superpowers; use the sources to give you
detailed evidence. Can you think of any other factors?
c. In pairs discuss whether the fact that two powers had emerged as
superpowers means that a clash was inevitable regardless of their differences
in ideology. In other words, to what extent was the growth in tension after
1945 more about traditional Great Power rivalry?
Discussion
To what extent was the growth in tension after
1945 more about traditional Great Power rivalry
than ideology?
How could you argue this in an essay?

What evidence would you use?
Europe Divided by 1949
● The years 1947 to 1949 saw a series of events that changed the face of
Europe;
● The Grand Alliance broke down and in its place Europe became divided
politically, militarily and economically.
● There were a series of key events that led to this breakdown.
● As you have seen, the war-time conferences and Stalin's actions in Eastern
Europe and in Iran laid the foundations for conflict and sent warning
signals to the West.
● These led to Kennan's telegram and to Churchill's Iron Curtain speech in
Fulton, Missouri.
● However, tension increased significantly with the the Truman Doctrine
and the Marshall Plan and it was the Berlin Blockade which led to the
political and military division of Europe.
The Truman Doctrine
● On March 12, 1947, US President
Harry Truman announced the
Truman Doctrine.
● This policy received a strong
negative reaction in the Soviet
Union. It is considered one of the
key short-term causes of the Cold
War.
Watch this video and make notes on the
specific fears the US administration had
regarding, western Europe and more detail
on events in Greece and Turkey.
The Truman Doctrine
Read through the Truman Doctrine transcript provided.
Then, answer the following questions:
1. Truman does not explicitly mention the Soviets here. However,
what events in Europe is he referring to in this speech?
2. What, according to this speech, is the role that the US is now
going to take in Europe?
3. With reference to origin, purpose and content, what is the value
of this speech for historians studying the origins of the Cold War?
In-Class Work
Work on the source analysis
questions and chart
provided. Answer the
questions digitally or by
hand.
You may work on your own
or with a group.
Homework
Listen to the podcast
about the Marshall Plan
linked in the QR code.
Read/review:
● Cambridge Text - pp.
13-67
Warm-Up Activity
Take a look at these Soviet
cartoons about the Marshall
Plan.
What is the overall message
that these cartoons give
regarding the Soviet view
of the Marshall Plan?
The Marshall Plan
Watch this video and answer the questions provided.
Revision Questions
Complete the revision
questions about the causes of
the Cold War. Try to do it
completely on your own,
without the help of your
textbook.
The Berlin Blockade
Watch this video
and answer the
provided questions.
Homework
Read and take notes:
● Cambridge Text -- pp.
68-87
● Marshall Plan podcast
Warm-Up Activity
Take a look at each of the
cartoons provided. On your
own or in pairs/small groups,
answer the questions below
each cartoon.
Increased Tension, 1946-49
Using background knowledge,
your textbooks and appropriate
outside sources, fill in the
provided chart about how
global developments in the
years 1946-49 contributed to
increased tensions between the
USA and the USSR.
Who’s To Blame?
Consider the grid which summarises
the impact of ideological and
economic factors on causing tension,
as well as the fear and aggression of
each power.
Which country do you consider
is more to blame for the
growth in tension? Why?
The Historiography of Cold War Origins
Let’s read through the

information together about the
different historiographical
views on the Cold War origins.
Then, read through the sources
below and identify the view
being expressed.
Why Did the Cold War Spread to Asia?
'Had it not been for the fall of China and the Korean war, the Cold
War as a fifty-year phenomenon involving the expenditure of billions
of dollars and the destruction of millions of lives might never have
happened'
Randall B Woods
By 1949, it appeared that the US had been successful in containing
communism; the USSR had been stopped in Berlin so the Truman Doctrine
was working and was now supported by NATO. However two events
shifted the balance in favour of the USSR: the USSR got the bomb and
China fell to the Communist forces of Mao Zedong.
Why Did the Cold War Spread to Asia?
Both of these events had a profound effect on America in raising
the government's fear of communism; simultaneously a Red Scare
was taking place in the US which was heightened by these events
and was to help shape the US response. The Red Scare heightened
into a hysteria when Senator McCarthy accused members of the
government as being Communist and triggered a witch hunt.
One response of the US government was to draw up National
Security Document 68 which set a new agenda for US foreign
policy in the light of the new global threat.
National Security Council Paper 68 (NSC-68)
Read through the conclusion of the NSC-68 in the
article linked to the QR code. Then, answer these
questions:
1. What does this report identify as the threats
facing the US?
2. What does it see as the aims of the USSR?
3. What solutions does it put forward to deal
with the threats facing the USA?
4. How is this document both similar and
different to that of the Truman Doctrine?
Read through the article
linked to this QR code. Then,
we will watch the video
below as a group. Answer
this question:
What are the criticisms of
NSC 68 which are made in
this video by historian
Andrew Bacevich?
● NSC 68 was not immediately implemented. Truman was
reluctant to support a programme that would involve a
massive increase of spending on defense; indeed the report
called for 'annual appropriations of $50 billion, or not much
below the former wartime levels'.
● However, the outbreak of the Korean War prompted action
leading one state department official to comment 'Thank God
Korea came along' - as this was the event that convinced the US
public of the need for increased military spending.
● NSC 68 remained the basis of US foreign policy until the 1970s.
The Korean War: Korea After World War II
● Japan had officially annexed Korea in 1910
and was still in occupation of Korea when
World War Two ended. Korean nationalists,
who had led a revolution in 1945 and who
included many Communists, were not
allowed to decide the fate of Korea in 1945
and it was agreed by the USA and the USSR
that the two superpowers would take joint
responsibility for repatriating the Japanese
forces there.
● The 38th parallel line of latitude was taken
as the dividing point, with the USSR
occupying Korea north of the line and the
USA occupying Korea south of the line.
● This was originally intended to
be a temporary arrangement
and at the Council of Foreign
Ministers’ Moscow Conference
in December 1945 the United
States and the Soviet Union
agreed on the creation of a
Korean provisional
government, followed by a
short period of international
trusteeship or supervision,
leading eventually to
independence.
This was difficult to achieve, however, because:
● As the Cold War developed, the USA and the USSR became less willing to co-operate.
● Despite the Moscow Agreement, separate administrations emerged on either side of
the 38th parallel. In the South, the U.S. military government put forward as leader the
elderly Synghman Rhee, a rebel who had fought against the Japanese and spent much
of his life in exile. The Soviets supported the Communists and backed a faction headed
by Kim Il Sung, a young Russian-trained Korean Communist who had been a guerrilla
fighter against the Japanese. Although the two men were very different, they had much
in common: both were Korean nationalists, both wanted to end the division of Korea
and each saw himself as the leader of a united Korea.
● In the increasingly tense atmosphere of the Cold War, the division of Korea was confirmed in
1947.
● The Americans persuaded the UN to establish a commission to supervise Korean elections. This
commission was refused entry into the North, but observed a separate election in the South in
May 1948.
● Although most Koreans opposed partition, the Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the South
under Synghman Rhee.
● It was an undemocratic and strongly anti-Communist administration, which was recognized as
legitimate by the UN General Assembly.
● In response, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was founded in the North under
Kim Il Sung in September 1948 and was immediately recognized by the Communist bloc. ‘The
Cold War had thus institutionalized a Korean civil war in two hostile states, each claiming to
represent all Koreans’ (Callum MacDonald in Korea: The War Before Vietnam, Free Press, 1987).
● Although the USA supported Synghman Rhee with economic and military aid,
they did not intend to station troops there, and the U.S. military had left South
Korea by mid-1949. Soviet troops left the North in 1948.
● The United States made it clear that they still saw Europe as the most
important area in the Cold War, but decided to maintain a line of offshore
strong points stretching from Japan to the Philippines rather than involve
themselves in expensive military commitments on the mainland.
● This was made clear in Dean Acheson’s ‘perimeter’ speech of January 1950, in
which both South Korea and Taiwan were publicly excluded from the
American defensive perimeter in the Western Pacific.
The Korean War: The Actions of Kim Il Sung
● Kim Il Sung’s role is key to explaining this war. It is clear that both
Synghman Rhee and Kim Il Sung wanted to unify the country. Thus a
civil war would have existed here in any case, regardless of the
involvement of the superpowers.
● However, neither side could unify the country on its own, and thus
the involvement of the Soviets in support of Kim Il Sung or the
Americans in support of Synghman Rhee was essential for success.
Kim Il Sung put a huge amount of effort into persuading Stalin that he
should back an attack on the South.
The Korean War: The Actions of Kim Il Sung
● Stalin initially had no interest in these plans
and Kim Il Sung obtained Stalin’s approval
only after persistent appeals.
● Thus it is clear that the impetus for war came
from Pyongyang and not from Moscow.
● The Truman administration’s assumption in
June 1950, and of many scholars writing since
then, that the war was Stalin’s initiative is
therefore false, though his support for Kim Il
Sung was key in allowing the war to go ahead.
The Korean War: The Roles of Stalin and Mao
● Stalin initially refused to help and only agreed after many appeals from
Kim Il-Sung.
● Historians are unsure as the exact reason why Stalin changed his mind
and agreed to help.
● Possibly it was because he was feeling more confident now that the
Chinese had become Communist or he may have been worried about the
US' new determination to turn Japan into a strong anti-Communist state;
gaining influence over Korea would help to secure the Soviet position in
northeast Asia.
● He may also have been working on the assumption that the US would not
intervene as Acheson had not mentioned Korea in his 'perimeter speech'.
Historian Gaddis sees this 'opportunism' of Stalin as an important factor.
The Korean War: The Roles of Stalin and Mao
● Meanwhile, Mao supported the invasion partly because Kim,
on a visit to Mao, gave the impression that Stalin was more
enthusiastic than he actually was, and also because he needed
Stalin's support over his plans to invade Taiwan.
● Thus both Stalin and Mao misjudged the situation; indeed
historian Warren Cohen describes Stalin's actions in agreeing
to support Kim as his 'most disastrous Cold War gamble'.
● Truman's response to the invasion was swift and resulted in a
large UN force being sent to Korea to push back the North
Korean forces.
Battlefields: Korean War
Watch this video and take notes.
Homework
● Cambridge Text: pp. 88-105
Warm-Up Activity
Answer the following questions in point form:
1. How did Korea become divided into North and South?
2. Who were the leaders of North and South Korea in 1950?
3. What is legal/diplomatic status of North and South Korea today?
4. What were the causes of the Korean War?
5. Why did Kim Il Sung seek Stalin’s approval for an invasion of South
Korea?
6. Why was Stalin at first reluctant, but then supportive of Kim Il Sung’s
invasion plan?
7. How did the UN become involved in the Korean War?
The Hot War in the East
Read through the article linked
in the QR code. Then, answer this
question:
What evidence does Reynolds
provide to support John Lewis
Gaddis' conclusion that the
Korean War was 'A comedy of
errors'?
Why Did the USA Get Involved?
Fill in the chart outlining
how and why the USA got
involved in the Korean War.
Military Develoments in the Korean War
These maps show Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Korean War.
Military Developments in the Korean War
There were several dramatic changes in the course of the war over
the first few months, followed by a stalemate situation which
lasted until the armistice in 1953:
● The initial push by the North Koreans took them deep into
South Korea, leaving only a corner of the peninsula out of their
control. South Korean and American troops were pushed back
into this small area around Pusan.
● General MacArthur led the UN forces in an amphibious landing
at Inchon in order to bypass the Korean troops and cut them
off. Within a month he had retaken Seoul and driven the North
Koreans back to the 38th parallel
● Encouraged by this success, the United States then redefined its war aims and,
rather than just concentrating on ‘containment’, now decided on a policy of
‘rollback’. This would mean liberating the North Koreans from Communist
rule and reuniting Korea. UN forces crossed the 38th parallel into North
Korean territory and began a rapid advance northwards, capturing
Pyongyang, the capital of the North, in October.
● The march towards the Yalu River, however, made China concerned about its
own security. On 27 November 1950, a force of 200,000 Chinese joined 150,000
North Koreans and sent the UN troops into a rapid retreat. Pyongyang was
recaptured in December and by the end of 1950, the North Koreans and their
allies had retaken all land up to the 38th parallel. There were heavy American
casualties in the bitter cold, and many were taken prisoner.
● A stalemate then developed around the 38th parallel.
● Truman now realized that the United States needed to go
back to the original aim of containing Communism above
the 38th Parallel. MacArthur disagreed, claiming, ‘Here in
Asia is where the Communist conspirators have elected to
make their play for global conquest. Here we fight Europe’s
war with arms while the diplomats there still fight it with
words’. He was subsequently relieved of his command.
● Peace talks started in 1951 with a focus on the
repatriation of prisoners of war (POWs).
● The war continued for another two years, during
which time fighting continued, causing serious
casualties (over 40 per cent of American casualties
were in this period). The United States put pressure on
China by threatening to use the atom bomb.
● A military armistice was finally signed at Panmunjom
in July 1953.
Cold War Source Analysis
Go through the sources on the
sheet provided. Then, answer
the questions below.
CNN Series: Korean War
Watch the following clip and
answer the questions
provided.
Homework
● Read: Pearson Text -- pp. 43-56
● Build a timeline/poster/infographic about the Korean War. Include dates, details, statistics
and key events including:
● North Korea invades South Korea
● UN forces land at Inchon
● North Korean forces pushed back across 38th parallel
● The PRC send forces over the border into Korea
● US led UN forces are routed.
● PRC forces retake Seoul
● Truman dismisses General Douglas MacArthur
● Peace talks stall
● President Eisenhower becomes President
● Stalin dies
● Ceasefire agreed.
Homework
● Read: Pearson Text -- pp. 43-56
Pre-Warm-Up Activity
Warm-Up Activity
I will divide you into four groups. In your group, you will
make a short slide show profiling one of the contenders for
leadership of the USSR after Stalin died:
● Khrushchev
● Malenkov
● Bulganin
● Beria
Warm-Up Activity
For your assigned contender, make sure your profile includes:
● a photo
● a brief outline of previous jobs in the party
● their position after Stalin's death
● their policies after Stalin's death
● reasons why they were or were not successful
Share your slide show with me so that we I can show the rest of
the class and post the slides!
Why did Khrushchev become Leader after Stalin?
Several factors helped Khrushchev secure his position as leader of the
Party:
● Khrushchev was a Secretary of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party which was an important power base. Between
1953 and 1956, over half of the secretaries of the republic and
regional party committees were replaced; the new members all
owed their positions to Khrushchev
● Because Beria was seen as a threat to many in the party, the party
and the army moved against him. He was arrested and shot
Why did Khrushchev become Leader after Stalin?
● In debates on the future direction of the country, Khrushchev's ideas gained
the most credibility; his policy of planting the 'virgin lands' of Kazakhstan
and western Siberia seemed to be successful due to good harvests in 1954
and 1955
● Malenkov's promise of a 'New course' that would bring with it an increased
supply of cheap consumer goods failed to materialise and many attacked
him for moving away from the priority of focusing on heavy industry. In Feb
1955, he was removed from office and replaced by Bulganin
● Khrushchev strengthened his position after the 1956 'secret' speech
● Khrushchev survived a challenge by Bulganin in 1957
The SECRET Speech
Read the extract on the next slide from
Khrushchev's 'secret' speech to the 20th
Party Congress.
What is the message of this
speech and why would it have
been shocking to the delegates
who were listening?
(If you want to read the full speech, go
here)
The SECRET Speech
Stalin acted not through persuasion, explanation and patient co-operation with
people, but by imposing his concepts and demanding absolute submission to his
opinion. Whoever opposed this concept or tried to prove his viewpoint, and the
correctness of his position, was doomed to removal from the leading collective
and to subsequent moral and physical annihilation. This was especially true
during the period following the 17th Party Congress, when many prominent
Party leaders and rank-and-file Party workers, honest and dedicated to the cause
of communism, fell victim to Stalin's despotism.
Stalin originated the concept "enemy of the people". This term automatically
rendered it unnecessary that the ideological errors of a man or men engaged in a
controversy be proven; this term made possible the usage of the most cruel
repression, violating all norms of revolutionary legality, against anyone who in
any way disagreed with Stalin, against those who were only suspected of hostile
intent, against those who had bad reputations.
The Impact of the Secret Speech
According to this video clip, what was the impact of Khrushchev's speech
on other Party members, on the Soviet relationship with the Chinese and
on his own position?
Khrushchev’s Policies
Read through the document
and answer the three
questions below.
After Stalin
Watch the film and answer the questions provided.
Why was Khrushchev Removed from Office?
● On 14 October 1964 the Central
Committee of the CPSU 'freed'
Khrushchev from his position as
Prime Minister of the USSR and
General Secretary of the CPSU.
● The public reason given was that of
'deteriorating health' but in reality
there was dissatisfaction with his
policies and his one-man style of
government.
Homework
The newspaper Pravda accused Khrushchev
of 'harebrained scheming, hasty conclusions,
rash decisions and actions based on wishful
thinking'. Answer the following questions
with short form notes:
1. What evidence can you provide to
support such accusations?
2. How far do you think that Khrushchev
was responsible for his own downfall?
Warm-Up Activity
In pairs discuss the following comments by historians on Khrushchev.
What evidence can you find to support each one?
● 'for every improvement there was one setback' . Jonathan Davis
● '..he decided complicated problems on impulse without having made a
thorough preliminary study of the pros and cons. For him it was results
that mattered' . John Keep in Last of Empires, 1995
● 'He deserves to be remembered for ..his return to comparatively
civilised politics and for the improved living standards of the masses' . N
Lowe
How Successful was Peaceful Coexistence?
● 1953 saw a change in the international situation with the leaders of both
superpowers changing.
● Following the death of Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev became premier and
the Republican Eisenhower was elected in to office. Eisenhower was
elected with the promise of bringing peace in the Korean War and an
armistice was signed in 1953 also removing this as a major source of
cold war conflict.
● Known as ‘Ike’, Eisenhower had a considerable military record in the
Second World War and had become Commander-in-Chief of NATO when
it was established in 1949. His background meant that, unlike Truman,
he was less likely to be accused of being ‘soft on communism.’
● Ike also had a staunchly anti-communist Secretary of State, John Foster
Dulles, who during the election campaign had suggested that containment
was insufficient and that the US should consider ‘roll back’ – implying that
the Soviets should be pushed back from the countries it dominated
particularly in Eastern Europe.
● The ‘New Look’ defense policy, as outlined in January 1954 by Dulles,
suggested that the US would respond to Soviet aggression with ‘massive
nuclear retaliation’.
● Eisenhower had three key aims for his policy; firstly to build up the US
nuclear capability to facilitate a ‘massive nuclear response’ to Soviet
expansion, secondly to use covert operations to undermine threats posed
by communist forces and finally, to strengthen US alliances.
Eisenhower’s New Look Policy
Read through the document
and answer the four
questions at the bottom.
● Initially Khrushchev ruled as part of a triumvirate with Malenkov and
Bulganin. Malenkov formulated the idea of 'a new course' with the West which
was later picked up by Khrushchev who renamed it 'peaceful co-existence'.
● This new course was a move away from the Leninist doctrine of the
inevitability of war between capitalism and communism. Khrushchev's
'Peaceful Co-existence' meant that Capitalism and Communism should accept
the continuing existence of one another rather than using force to destroy
each other.
● This did not mean that the USSR now accepted capitalism; rather that they had
no need to risk nuclear war as capitalism would die out from its own
weaknesses. Nor did it mean that Khrushchev intended to be any less
confrontational towards the USA when the interests of the USSR were at stake -
as you will see in his actions between 1956 to 1963.
● There were some signs of improved relations with the new leaders when an
agreement was made over Austria.
● In April 1955, the Soviet Union proposed a formal peace agreement with Austria.
The Austrian State Treaty ended the four-power occupation of Austria and created
an independent and neutral country.
● Following on from this, the Geneva Summit took place in July 1955. This was the
first meeting of the heads of government of the power since 1945.
● However, little was achieved regarding disarmament
● Nevertheless, the summit was a breakthrough due to the fact that the two leaders
were actually meeting. In addition scientific and cultural exchanges took place
leading to the phrase 'spirit of Geneva' being applied to the events of 1955.
● However, events in 1956 - the Hungarian Uprising and the Suez crisis, along with an
increase of tension in the arms and space race helped to dissipate this good feeling.
The Arms and Space Race up to 1959
Watch the video and answer the questions provided.
Homework
● Cambridge Text: pp.
107-119
War reparations to the Soviet Union from its zone of occupation in Germany were agreed upon. In
addition to the reparations, the Soviet Union would also receive reparations from the western zones of
occupation, but it had to give up all claims on German industries in the western zones. Specifically,
15% of usable industrial capital equipment, consisting of metallurgical, chemical, and machine
manufacturing industries, was to be removed from the western zones in exchange for food, coal,
potash, zinc, timber, clay, and petroleum products from the eastern zones. The Soviet Union bore the
responsibility of transferring the products from the eastern zone within five years. Moreover, 10% of
the industrial capacity of the western zones unnecessary for the German peace economy were to be
transferred to the Soviet Union within two years, without any obligation of further payment of any kind
in return. The Soviet Union promised to settle the reparation claims of Poland from its own share of
reparations.[27] Stalin successfully proposed for Poland to be excluded from the division of German
compensation and to be later granted 15% of the compensation given to the Soviet Union.[28][29] The
Soviet Union did not make any claims on gold captured by Allied troops in Germany.[30]
As a result, the diplomatic history between the two powers was extremely bitter and
acrimonious up to World War I. However, in the early 1920s, as a result of the Bolshevik
Russian government's assistance to Turkish revolutionaries during the Turkish War of
Independence, the governments' relations warmed. Relations again turned sour at the end of
WWII as the Soviet government laid territorial claims and demanded other concessions from
Turkey. Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and placed itself within the Western alliance against the
Warsaw Pact during the Cold War, when relations between the two countries were at their
lowest level. Relations began to improve the following year, when the Soviet Union renounced
its territorial claims after the death of Stalin.
Warm-Up Activity
Read through the sources
provided and answer the
questions. You may do this
with a partner or small
group.
QUIZ: Cold War Origins
Do the quiz provided, to
prepare for tomorrow’s
exam. We will go through
the answers together.
The Suez Crisis - Guiding Questions
What were the causes and consequences of the Suez Crisis?
What were the causes of the Six Day War?
What were the results of the Six Day War?
What were the causes of the Yom Kippur War?
What were the results of the Yom Kippur war?
Read through the preliminary information in the link from the QR

code.
The Suez Crisis - Origins
In 1956, the Egyptian President Gamal
Abdel Nasser rose to power after General
Neguib had dethroned the Egyptian
monarch in a military coup.
Supported by Soviet arms and funds, and
furious with the USA for withdrawing their
promised financing for construction of the
Aswan Dam on the Nile River, Nasser
ordered that the Suez Canal be seized and
then nationalized.
Watch 15 minutes of the clip and answer
the questions provided.
The Suez Crisis - Source Analysis
Read the source below:
From a Speech delivered by Gamal Abdel Nasser in Alexandria, July 26 1956:
Our rights in the Suez Canal have been restored to us after 100 years. Today, we actually
achieve true sovereignty, true dignity and true pride. The Suez Canal Company was a state
within a state. It was an Egyptian Joint Stock Company, relying on imperialism and its stooges.
The Suez Canal was built for the sake of Egypt and for its benefit. But it was a source of
exploitation and the draining of wealth . . .
Questions:
1] What is the message of this source? (think about Egyptian sovereignty, colonialism, regional power,
profits, and the Bandung Conference).
2] Research the Bandung Conference. What significance does this have to Nasser’s nationalisation of the
Suez Canal?
3. Discuss in pairs: Following Nasser's nationalisation of the canal, what actions could the British now
take?
Preparing for Paper 2 Tomorrow
You will write one essay in 45 minutes. You will have three
options to choose from. They will all focus on the
origins/causes of the Cold War. To prepare:
● Read through your Paper 2 guide (on purple paper)
● Consider everything you have learned about the origins
of the Cold War, and consider what kind of Paper 2
questions might be asked. Then, review the content!
Homework
● Prepare for Paper 2
tomorrow.
● Go over and complete and
reading/notes you haven’t
done up until now.
Paper 2
Get out a pen (blue or black ink) and some blank lined
paper.
You have 45 minutes to write this paper. Choose ONE of the
THREE prompts.
Good luck!
When you finish, self-assess on the rubric provided.
Warm-Up Activity
This political cartoon was
entitled: “Nasser - Bloated
Bullfrog of the Nile.”

political cartoon?
The Suez Crisis - Source Analysis
Read the source below and answer the questions which follow.
From a letter sent by British Prime Minister Eden to US President Eisenhower on 5
August 1956:
Nasser has embarked on a course which is unpleasantly familiar. His seizure of
the Canal was undoubtedly designed to impress opinion not only in Egypt but in
the Arab world and in all Africa too . . . I have never thought Nasser a Hitler, he
has no warlike people behind him. But the parallel with Mussolini is close . . . The
removal of Nasser and the installation in Egypt of a regime less hostile to the West,
must therefore also rank high among our objectives
1] What does this source indicate to you about Eden’s motives for taking action against
Nasser?
2] What might this source suggest to you about British foreign policy in the region?
The Plan to Attack Egypt
President Eisenhower
had not been part of the
secret plan agreed
between Britain, Israel
and France and was
taken by surprise when
the Israeli forces
invaded Egypt and then
the military intervention
of Britain and France.
Suez - “A Very British Crisis”
Watch the docu-drama and answer the questions provided.
Homework
● Pearson Text -- pp. 57-80
● Cambridge Text: pp. 107-119
Warm-Up Activity
Complete the Source Analysis
activity about the Suez Crisis.
You can do this individually
or in pairs/with a small
group.
The Consequences of the Suez Crisis
The consequences of the Suez crisis were far reaching.
For Egypt:
Although arguably it was the American and UN intervention that had forced
the Anglo-French withdrawal from the Suez the Egyptian newspapers, and
especially the radio, gave the credit to Nasser and the Egypt resistance. Nasser
was seen as the great hero of the Arab world. His defiance was interpreted as
courageous and anti-colonialist. The Canal was cleared and eventually
reopened in April 1957. Although Egypt lost territory when the Israelis
captured the Sinai, the Israelis were persuaded by the Americans to withdraw
early in 1957.
For Israel:
The outcome of the Suez crisis was positive for Israel. They were
strengthened by the events. Their raid on the Sinai had been a huge
success and when they withdrew from the Sinai, the UN moved in to
control the buffer zone on the Israeli–Egyptian border; this gave the
Israelis increased security and significantly curtailed the activities of the
fedayeen in the area. Furthermore, Nasser had to reopen the Gulf of
Aqaba which meant that shipping could once again operate from the port
of Eilat which is the only Israeli port on the Red Sea that is located on the
northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. However, Egypt did close the Suez Canal
to Israeli shipping activity.
For Britain:
For Britain, the Suez Crisis marked the end of British military and
political influence in Egypt. It was a disastrous failure which
destroyed the Prime Minister Anthony Eden’s moral reputation
and his political career and, unsurprisingly in January 1957, he
resigned. Britain and France had underestimated the Egyptians
and Nasser as a leader and tactician. They had believed that there
would be a popular uprising against Nasser once the fighting and
intervention had started. The reverse, in fact, was the case.
Nasser’s popularity soared.
For the Middle East
The Suez Crisis increased an already simmering distrust of the West in the Arab
world. It also hardened opposition to the West and brought about greater Arab
unity and nationalism. There were anti-West demonstrations and riots in many
Arab cities and towns, with Saudi Arabia and Syria breaking off diplomatic
relations with Britain and France. In addition, Jordan signed a military pact with
Syria and Egypt. This Arab unity reached its height in 1958, when Syria and Egypt
merged to form the United Arab Republic (UAR). The war also strengthened the
perception that Israel was an outpost of Western imperialism. The Arabs became
more willing to seek Soviet Aid and the Soviet Union now began to supply most of
Egypt's weapons. The Soviets also paid for the building of the Aswan dam and other
projects. (However Nasser resisted becoming a pawn of the Soviets).
For the Cold War
The Suez Crisis brought both the US and the
USSR more directly into the Middle East thus
further globalising the Cold War. 1957 saw
the Eisenhower Doctrine which committed
the US to helping any countries in the Middle
East that were fighting Communism.
Meanwhile, the Soviets now became more
involved in funding and supporting Arab
countries in the region.
The Impact of the Suez Crisis
Add to the chart provided
about the impact of the Suez
Crisis. Do this on your own or
as a group.
The Eisenhower Doctrine
Read through the Eisenhower Doctrine and
answer the following questions:
1. What dangers does Eisenhower say threaten
the Middle East?
2. What actions does he propose to deal with
these threats?
3. What message does this Doctrine send to (a)
the Soviet Union and (b) Arab States about
American intentions in the Middle East?
The Berlin Crisis 1958 - 1961
As you have read Germany had, by
1949, become two countries. It was
this division of Germany that did
much to fuel the Cold War in the years
up to 1961.
Significant economic and political
differences existed between West
Germany and East Germany: Berlin
also remained a divided city within
East Germany and these factors were
to lead to another crisis in 1961.
Differences in East and West Germany by 1961
Economic differences
Economically, West Germany was larger than East Germany with a larger population
and greater industrial output. It had also received Marshall Aid. In fact, West Germany
in the 1950s and 1960s experienced what became known as the ‘economic miracle’ and,
thus the standard of living of most West Germans rapidly increased.
Meanwhile in East Germany, leader Walter Ulbricht’s economic reforms were disastrous
for the economy. With the hardships and drop in living standards that this entailed,
along with the loss of political freedoms, many East Germans fled to the West via Berlin
as it was still easy to cross the city at this point. Indeed many people daily crossed from
one side of the city to the other to work or visit relatives or friends.
Differences in East and West Germany by 1961
Political differences
Politically, West Germany had democracy. In East Germany there had been no free
elections since 1946 and, by the 1950s, it was a rigidly Stalinist, authoritarian state.
In 1953, East Germany workers in East Berlin had revolted in 1953 to protest
against this situation. However these riots had been quickly put down with the
help of Soviet tanks.
As a result of these economic and political differences, there were no further
efforts by either side to reunite as one country. Changing the situation seemed
more risky than maintaining the status quo. However, the potential for conflict
remained, and particularly in the increasingly tense situation of Berlin, which
Khrushchev described as ‘a fishbone in East Germany’s gullet’.
Why did a Crisis Develop in 1961?
● After the Berlin Blockade, Berlin remained divided under joint
American–British–French–Soviet occupation and the economic and political
inequalities of the two Germanys could be clearly seen in the differences
between West Berlin and East Berlin.
● West Berlin appeared to be a glittering, dynamic example of what capitalism
could achieve.
● This factor, along with the political freedoms and open lifestyle of the West
Berliners, encouraged East Germans to escape from the hardships of the East
to the prosperity and freedom of the West through the open frontier in Berlin.
● All East Berliners had to do was to travel from East Berlin to West Berlin,
which could be done by train or subway, and from there emigration to West
Germany was easy.
Why did a Crisis Develop in 1961?
● Those who were defecting were very often
highly killed workers or well-qualified
managers; the East German government could
not afford to lose such people from their
country.
● Between 1945 and 1961 about one-sixth of the
whole German population took the
opportunity to move to the West via Berlin.
● In addition, the divided city of Berlin allowed
the West to maintain a unique propaganda and
espionage base 186 kilometres (110 miles) deep
into East German territory.
The Berlin Wall
Watch the following video

and answer the provided
questions.
When the film is over, go
over your answers with a
partner.
Homework
● Pearson Text -- pp. 81-89
Warm-Up Activity
Do your best to fill in the Cold
War crossword provided. We
have not covered everything,
but it will introduce you to
some new terms.
Khrushchev’s Reaction to the Berlin Crisis
● In 1958, Khrushchev proposed a peace treaty that would recognize the existence of
the two Germanys.
● On 27 November 1958, he then demanded that Berlin should be demilitarized,
Western troops withdrawn and Berlin changed into a ‘free city’.
● If the West did not agree to these changes within six months, Khrushchev
threatened that he would turn over control of access routes to the Western sectors
of Berlin to the GDR (East Germany).
● This was clever diplomacy; it would allow the GDR to interfere at will with traffic
using land corridors from the FRG (West Germany).
● The Western allies would then have to negotiate with the GDR, which would force
them to recognize the existence and sovereignty of the GDR (which it had so far
refused to do).
● It was a dangerous situation. The West could not contemplate losing face over
Berlin or giving up its propaganda and intelligence base, but to resist Khrushchev
could mean the possibility of war.
● In the face of Western outrage at his proposal, Khrushchev dropped his ultimatum. He was
successful, however, in forcing the Allies to discuss the German question.
● In February 1959, they agreed that a foreign ministers’ conference should meet in Geneva in the
summer. At Geneva both sides put forward proposals for German unity, but no agreement was
secured.
● Khrushchev then met in the United States with Eisenhower in September 1959, but again no
agreement was reached. A follow-up summit to be held in Paris in May 1960 was called off at the
last minute after the shooting down over the Soviet Union of an American U-2 spy plane.
● As the numbers of refugees fleeing from East Germany via Berlin continued to grow, the leader
of East Germany, Walter Ulbricht grew increasingly frustrated with Khrushchev’s failure to solve
this problem.
● He wanted Khrushchev to sort out the Berlin problem immediately and not wait for a broader
German peace settlement with the West.
● Khrushchev, however, hoped that he would have more luck in getting concessions over Berlin
with the new American president, John F. Kennedy who he regarded as young and
inexperienced.
● Kennedy and Khrushchev met in Vienna in June 1961.
Khrushchev tried to bully Kennedy over Berlin
renewing his ultimatum for the West to withdraw from
Berlin.
● However, Kennedy, was determined to appear tough
with the Soviets and was not prepared to give any
concessions to them. Calling Berlin ‘… an island of
freedom in a Communist sea …’ and ‘… a beacon of hope
behind the Iron Curtain …’, (see above) he announced in
a television broadcast that ‘We cannot and will not
permit the Soviets to drive us out of Berlin, either
gradually or by force’.
● Kennedy also responded with an increase in military
spending and a civil defence programme to build more
nuclear fallout shelters.
The Building of the Wall
● With the tension growing over the situation in Berlin, the number of
refugees moving from East to West increased.
● On 12 August 1961 alone, 40,000 refugees fled to the West. Khrushchev
had no intention of starting a nuclear war over Berlin, and so following
Kennedy’s threat to defend Berlin ‘by any means’ and the growing crisis in
East Germany, he bowed to Ulbricht’s pressure and agreed to the closure
of the East German border in Berlin.
● On the morning of 13 August 1961, barbed wire was erected between East
and West Berlin.
● This was followed by a more permanent concrete wall which ultimately
would surround the whole of West Berlin preventing any escape via
Berlin to the West.
What Were the Results of the Wall?
The Berlin Wall became a key moment in Cold War developments in Europe:
● The Wall was a visible admission that the Communist propaganda message had failed
● Families and friends were split with no hope of reunion
● Khrushchev was now able to regain control over the situation; there was no longer a danger of
Ulbricht acting independently
● Ulbricht was able to consolidate control over East Germany
● The drain of skilled workers from East to West ended
● The GDR did not obtain control over access routes to Berlin despite promises from Khrushchev to
Ulbricht that this would happen
● Over the next three decades, hundreds of people were killed trying to defect to the West
● The Wall became a powerful symbol of the division between East and West; Churchill's 'iron
curtain' became a reality
● The Berlin Wall removed Berlin as an issue in the Cold War
● The focus of the Cold War moved from Europe
● The Americans were able to use it as a propaganda weapon against the Soviets e.g, Kennedy's Ich
bin ein Berliner speech
Kennedy’s Speech, Berlin 1961
In what ways does Kennedy use the building of the Berlin Wall as a
propaganda weapon against the USSR? How successful is he in doing this?
What Did the Wall Actually Mean?
Berlin Crisis Source Analysis
Read through the sources
provided. For each source,
identify the point each
historian is making regarding
the significance of the Berlin
Crisis.
Homework
Look over your notes about the
Berlin Crisis. Also look through the
link in the QR code for some
interesting photos of the Berlin Wall.
Then, make a succinct set of notes
that outlines the CAUSES, IMPACT
and SIGNIFICANCE of the Berlin
Crisis.
Warm-Up
Warm-Up Activity #2
You will draw an event from a “hat.” For this event, you will
fill out the provided “Event Profile” sheet. Then you will
come and stick it on the timeline on the board.
Consider whether the event was a SOVIET action or an
AMERICAN action, and place your event on the timeline
accordingly.
Warm-Up Activity #2
Looking at the timeline:
● Are there any years where there was a definite reduction in
tension?
● Where is there an increase in tension?
● What factors undermined any chances of improved
relations in this period?
● What conclusions can your draw regarding the extent to
which there was an overall 'thaw' in hostility during this
period?
Impact of the Nuclear Arms Race
Watch this video. What does it indicate about the nuclear
arms race?
Impact of the Nuclear Arms Race
Watch this video. What is McNamara's message in the
documentary 'Fog of War' regarding nuclear weapons?
Impact of the
Nuclear Arms Race
What is the
message of each
of the following
tables with
regard to the
arms race
between the
superpowers?
The Impact of the Nuclear Arms Race
Match the terms with their definitions on the sheet
provided.
CNN: Cold War China 1949-1972
Watch the video and
answer the questions
provided. Then, go over
your answers with a
peer.
Homework
Reading and notes:
● Pearson: pp. 112-149
Warm-Up Activity
cartoon from David Low in
1961?
Increase in Tension 1958-62
● The origins of the Cuban Missile Crisis can be traced back to
the overthrow of the pro-USA Cuban government of
General Fulgencio Batista by Fidel Castro in 1959.
● The proximity of Cuba to mainland America, and the
suspicion of the US that Castro was a Communist, meant
growing tension between Cuba and the US.
● This resulted in the botched Bay of Pigs invasion by the US
in an attempt to overthrow Castro and, as relations
worsened between Cuba and the US, increased friendship
between the USSR and Cuba.
Increase in Tension 1958-62
● It is not totally clear why Khrushchev put missiles in Cuba. Khrushchev wrote
in his memoirs that the reason was to protect Cuba and also because 'it was
high time America learned what it feels like to have her own land and her own
people threatened'.
● The United States had missiles in Turkey, which bordered the Soviet Union
and putting missiles a similar distance away from the United States was seen
as a way of redressing the balance.
● Equally important was Khrushchev's aim to seize a propaganda advantage
after the humiliation of the Berlin Wall and to acquire a bargaining chip
against the stationing of US nuclear missiles in Europe.
● John Lewis Gaddis, however, believes that Khrushchev put the missiles into
Cuba mainly because he feared another invasion of Cuba - that he was
determined to save the Cuban revolution.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Read the timeline provided, and answer the following
questions:
1. What actions would have convinced the US that Castro was a
Communist?
2. What actions taken by Castro indicated that he might not have
been a Communist in 1959?
3. What evidence is there to suggest that the US helped to push
Castro into a relationship with the USSR?
Another Timeline
What do you notice about the timeline provided here:
Impact of Berlin on Cuban Crisis
Read the following extract which comes from Tony Judt's Post War Europe.
1. What point is Judt making regarding the impact of Berlin on Cuba?
2. How do you think this might have affected the actions of the Americans
with regard to the Cuban crisis?
Just as Truman and Acheson had seen the Korean incursion as a possible prelude to
a Soviet probe across the divided frontier of Germany, so Kennedy and his colleagues
saw in the missile emplacements in Cuba a Soviet device to blackmail a vulnerable
America into giving way over Berlin. Hardly an hour passed during the first ten
days of the Cuba crisis without American leaders reverting to the subject of West
Berlin, and the need to 'neutralise' Khrushchev's anticipated countermove in the
divided city. As Kennedy explained on October 22nd 1962 to British Prime Minister
Harold Macmillan: 'I need not point out to you the possible relation of this secret
and dangerous move on the part of Khrushchev to Berlin'.
The Soviet “Problem” in Cuba
● ExComm considered several options in dealing with the Soviets and
Cuba. Kennedy rejected calls from the military for an immediate air
strike followed by an invasion of Cuba and ordered instead a naval
blockade of the island.
● The President went on television to announce the establishment of the
'quarantine' around Cuba to prevent the delivery of any nuclear
warheads to the island.
● Although the Soviet ships initially continued to head to Cuba, on 24
October, six ships turned back.
● At this point Dean Rusk, the US Secretary of State, commented, 'We're
eyeball to eyeball and I think the other fellow just blinked.'
Nevertheless the crisis continued as the missiles sites still remained
on Cuba.
Consequences for Khrushchev and Kennedy
The Cuban missile crisis had significant consequences for both Kennedy and
Khrushchev. It can also be seen as a turning point in the relations between the USSR and
Cuba and between the USSR and the USA:
● The outcome was a personal triumph for Kennedy; his prestige soared nationally
and internationally
● The crisis was a humiliation for Khrushchev; he was deposed in 1964 and this
was a key factor in his removal
● Both sides realised the danger of nuclear war; the Limited Test-Ban Treaty was
signed in August 1963 and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed in
1968
● Cuba no longer faced the threat of an invasion as the USA had promised it would
not invade Cuba as part of the final deal
Consequences for Khrushchev and Kennedy
● The arms race continued unabated as the Soviets attempted to reach parity
with the USA - but it was carried out within an increasingly precise set of
rules.
● Neither side would challenge each other's sphere of influence
● Castro was furious that he had not been consulted in the negotiations; Cuba
now pursued a more independent foreign policy
● China saw the outcome as a sign that the Soviet Union had ceased to be a
revolutionary state; its relationship with the USSR worsened considerably
● A hotline was established between the USA and USSR to make immediate
communication easier and avoid another confrontation such as this
happening again
The Significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis
According to Mike Sewell, what was the signficance of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The significance of the crisis lies in the fact that the world has never been closer to a
nuclear exchange. It was also a hinge, or a turning point, in the history of the Cold War.
Among the experiences that shaped policy makers’ approaches to any issue in the post
-1962 period was a memory of the way in which crisis management was not crucial to the
very survival of life on earth. As Defence Secretary McNamara later put it, the very idea of
crisis management was shown to be a dangerous misperception. Crises, by their nature are
unmanageable.... the outcome of the crisis, cemented the position of Cuba and West Berlin
as outposts of their respective blocs and changed both sides’ negotiating styles..the crisis
bred new perspectives in both superpower capitals and helped contribute to the rise of
détente. Although it changed the cold war confrontation, it did not end it…’.
Sewell, The Cold war, CUP, 2002, pg 88
Defying Uncle Sam
Watch the film and answer these questions:
1. What was USA's relationship with Cuba before Castro
took power?
2. What were Castro's aims for Cuba when he took power?
3. What did Castro that so upset the Americans?
4. Why did the USA believe that he was a communist?
5. Are there factors that indicate that he was not a
communist?
6. What was significant about the Bay of Pigs?
7. In what other ways did the USA attempt to
undermine/destroy the Castro regime?
CNN: Cuban Missile Crisis
Homework
Reading and notes:
Warm-Up Activity
Read the following extract from a US Department of State Bulletin issued in 1953 at the end of the
Korean War.
1. According to this source, what are the characteristics of the Chinese regime?
2. According to this source, why is China so dangerous?
3. What actions, according to this source, has the US government taken against China?
On the Chinese mainland 600 million people are ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. that party came
to power by violence, and. so far, has lived by violence. It retains power not by the will of the Chinese
people but by massive, forcible repression. It fought the United Nations in Korea; it supported the
Communist War in Indochina; it took Tibet by force. It fermented the Communist Huk rebellion in the
Philippines and the Communist insurrection in Malaya. It does not disguise its expansionist ambitions. it
is bitterly hateful of the United States, which it considers a principal obstacle in the way of its path of
conquest. As regards China, we have abstained from any act to encourage the communist regime -
morally, politically or materially. Thus, we have not extended diplomatic recognition to the Chinese
Communist regime. We have opposed seating in the United Nations. We have not traded with Communist
China or sanctioned cultural exchanges with it.
Sino-US Relations
● During the Second World War, the United states had given some
aid to the CCP to help it fight against the Japanese.
● However, most aid went to the GMD. During the civil war that
followed the defeat of the Japanese, the USA continued to aid the
GMD and following the victory of the CCP, it refused to recognize
the People’s Republic of China as a legitimate state.
● Rather they continued their support of Jiang Jieshi and the Chinese
Nationalists who had fled to the island of Taiwan.
● The Americans then ensured that it was Taiwan rather than the
PRC that was given a seat on the security council of the United
Nations
Sino-US Relations
● Following the end of the Korean conflict, hostility between the Chinese
and Americans became a key factor in international relations.
● The USA now pledged themselves to the defense of Taiwan. Prior to the
war, they had been reluctant to do this but now they were determined to
thwart Chinese aims in every sphere and to keep them diplomatically
isolated.
● This included keeping the PRC out of the UN, instigating a regional
containment bloc, SEATO and instigating a trade embargo with the PRC.
The fact that Mao was now less in awe of the power of the USA and,
indeed, had increased both his prestige internationally and domestically
through standing up to the US in the war further deepened the conflict.
Sino-US Relations
Do some research into the following events and take notes, identifying
China’s actions in each case and the impact on relations with the US:
1. Shelling of the islands of Quemoy and Matsu, 1954
2. Shelling of the islands of Quemoy and Matsu, 1958
3. China’s support of North Vietnam in the Vietnam War
4. China’s attacks on the US during the Cultural Revolution
5. China’s support of decolonization movements in developing
countries
Sino-US Relations
1. What does the following report by Nixon tell us about why the US changed its attitude
towards China?
2. How accurate is the US’s assessment of the Communist World being ‘a monolithic
challenge’ up to the 1960s?
China exemplified the great changes that had occurred in the Communist world. For years,
our guiding principle was containment of what we considered a monolithic challenge. In
the 1960s the forces of nationalism dissolved Communist unity into divergent centers of
power and doctrine, and our foreign policy began to differentiate among the Communist
capitals. We would deal with countries on the basis of their actions not abstract ideological
formulas..[The US and China] seemed to have no fundamental interests that need collide in
the eager sweep of history
(President Nixon’s Foreign Policy Report to Congress, 1973)
Sino-Soviet Relations
● There was a basic ideological difference between Soviet and Chinese
Communism.
● Stalin never endorsed Mao’s method of revolution: he believed that Mao’s
interpretation of Marxism which used peasants as the basis for revolution
could not be genuine revolutionary Marxism; this should feature workers
leading an urban-based warfare.
● During the Civil war, Stalin had not given aid to the CCP. This was partly
because of ideological differences but also because he feared Mao as a rival for
the leadership of the Communist world and he knew that Jiang’s GMD would
recognise Soviet claims to the disputed border territory along frontiers in
Manchuria and Xinjiang.
● Crucially, he also underestimated the CCP believing that the GMD was bound to
be the victorious party in any conflict with the CCP.
Sino-Soviet Relations
● However, once the CCP had won the civil war, Mao was invited to the
Soviet Union where the Sino-Soviet Treaty was signed.
● The Treaty offered the Chinese Soviet expertise and low-interest aid
and, as a result the First Five Year Plan was modeled on Soviet
planning.
● However, the Chinese felt that they were poorly treated when in
Moscow and the fact that Soviet ‘aid’ was to be loans, paid back with
interest, indicated that the USSR was going to exploit the Treaty in its
own interest.
● Indeed, following this brief period of ‘friendship’, relations started to
decline, particularly when Khrushchev came to power in 1953.
China 1949-1976
Watch the following video and take notes.
Note-Taking
Make notes on how each of the following contributed Which of these issues were mainly
to the breakdown in Sino-Soviet relations about:
● Khrushchev’s Secret Speech
1. Personal relations between
● Khrushchev’s policy of ‘peaceful co-existence’
Mao and Khrushchev
● Conference of Communist Parties 1957
2. Territorial/strategic rivalry
● Khrushchev’s visit to Beijing, 1958
● US threats over Taiwan 3. Ideological conflict
● The Great Leap Forward 4. Rivalry for leadership of the
● Albania communist world
● Sino-Indian War, 1962
● Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
● The Cultural Revolution, 1967 – 1976
● Nuclear technology
Homework
Reading and notes:
Warm-Up Activity
Preparation for Paper 2
To start preparing for tomorrow’s paper, do the provided
quiz. Look up any answers that you don’t know. We will go
over answers together.
Preparing for Paper 2
To prepare for tomorrow:
● Read through your Paper 2 guide
(on purple paper)
● Review all of your notes
● Bring a pen (in blue or black ink)
Sample Paper 1
Look through the Sample Papers and mark them using the
markbands provided.
Paper 1 = 14/15
Sample Paper 2
It got into the top markband: 14/15.
The examiner's comments were:
● Essay is clearly focused, and shows a good awareness of implications of the

question. The essay is well structured and effectively organized.
● Knowledge of the impact of the Cold War on two nations is accurate and
relevant [to the original guide in 2017]. The examples are appropriate and
relevant, and are used effectively to support the analysis/evaluation.
● The essay contains clear and coherent critical analysis. All main points are
substantiated, and the response argues to a consistent conclusion.
Sample Paper 3
The essay is clearly focused and shows a high degree of awareness of the demands
and implications of the question. The essay is generally well structured and
effectively organized. Knowledge of Sino-US relations is accurate and relevant.
Events are placed in their historical context, and there is a clear understanding of
historical concepts such as change, significance, cause and consequence. The
examples are appropriate and relevant, and are used effectively to support the
analysis. The essay includes clear and coherent critical analysis. Most of the main
points are substantiated, and the essay argues to a consistent conclusion.
The essay should more effectively address the specifics of the set question in the
paragraph openers and offer more evaluation of perspectives.
13/15 marks
Homework
Prepare for Paper 2 tomorrow!
Paper 2
Get out a pen (blue or black ink) and some blank lined
paper.
You have 45 minutes to write this paper. Choose ONE of the
THREE prompts.
Good luck!
When you finish, self-assess on the rubric provided.
Warm-Up Activity
What is the key message of the following video?
The Vietnam War - Long Term Causes
● American involvement in Vietnam started in 1950 when the US gave aid to
the French government to help resist the forces of Ho Chi Minh, a
Vietnamese nationalist who had been fighting for Vietnamese
independence since before World War Two.
● In fact, the Americans had actually given aid to Ho during World War Two
to assist in his resistance against the Japanese who had taken over the
region.
● But in the growing hostility of the Cold War after the Second World War,
Ho Chi Minh's credentials as a communist were emphasised far more than
his nationalist credentials and so when the French refused to relinquish
its hold over its ex-colony, Truman decided to help them defeat the
Vietnamese forces.
● Key to explaining US actions in Vietnam are the events going on in the Cold War in
Europe after 1947 and in Asia from 1949 with China's successful Communist revolution
and then the invasion of South Korea by North Korea in 1950.
● In addition, the 'Red Scare' inside the US, which was intensified from 1950 by
'McCarthyism', meant that Communists could not be tolerated.
● In this situation any US President would be expected to be 'tough' on Communism
overseas.
● Indeed, following the Korean War, all US presidents accepted the idea encapsulated in
NSC 68, and also in the concept of the Domino Theory articulated by Eisenhower, that
the Soviet Union was a danger and that there was a real threat of communism
spreading globally.
● This severely limited the course of action open to the US and meant that they had to
support the French against what they saw as the spread of 'imperialistic communism'.
By 1954, the US was funding 80% of the French war against the Vietnamese.
What is Eisenhower's justification here for US' involvement in the Vietnam
conflict?
You have the specific value of a locality in its production of materials [rice, rubber,
coal, iron ore] that the world needs. You have the possibility that many human beings
pass under a dictatorship that is inimical to the free world. You have the broader
considerations that might follow what you would call the 'falling domino'
principle...You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what
will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly'.
Eisenhower's speech above gave rise to the idea of 'The Domino Theory' which
came to dominate US thinking in the context of the Cold War. The domino effect
identified Vietnam as a key domino which must not be allowed to fall if Laos,
Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia and even possibly Singapore and Japan
were to remain safe from Communism.
Watch the following video and make
notes on the following:
1. The French aims in setting up a base in
enemy territory at Dien Bien Phu
2. The ways in which the French
underestimated the Vietminh
3. The ways in which the French plan went
dreadfully wrong and why it went so wrong
4. The American response
5. The results of the battle
Following the defeat of the French,
an international conference was
held in Geneva to draw up a peace
agreement. Significantly the US did
not attend this conference.
Read throug the Geneva Accords
provided and answer the
questions/prompts that follow.
The Vietnam War - Short Term Causes
● The man that the US backed to lead the
government in the South was Ngo Dinh Diem,
a Catholic who had been educated in the US.
● In October 1955, Diem proclaimed the
establishment of the Republic of Vietnam
(also known as South Vietnam) with himself
as president.
● US aid worth millions of dollars was sent to
Diem and the US also began its military
involvement in the South with the
commencement of training of the South
Vietnamese army.
● By 1960 almost 1000 Americans were serving
in South Vietnam as military 'advisers'.
The Vietnam War
Homework
Reading and notes:
● Cambridge notes: pp. 120-132
Warm-Up Activity
According to the source below, in what ways did Kennedy widen US involvement in
Vietnam?
Kennedy's policy towards containing communism was known as 'flexible response'
which involved expanding the available means of fighting Communism.This
expansion included increasing the number of military advisers in the South to 17,000
by 1963 and starting counter-insurgency operations against Communist guerillas in
the South. These included 'search-and destroy' missions and using defoliants such as
Agent Orange to destroy the jungle where they were hiding. His government also
supported the Strategic Hamlets programme which consisted of the resettlement of
the villagers into fortified villages were they could be kept 'safe' from Communists.
Kennedy also set up a military counterinsurgency group called the 'Green Berets' who
were trained in guerilla fighting.
Vietnam Wars - Short Term Causes
Kennedy resisted in sending troops to Vietnam
and there is much speculation as to whether in
fact he would have withdraw US support
entirely from Vietnam had he not been
assassinated in 1963.
1. In pairs, discuss the extent to which the US
would have been able to withdrawn from
Vietnam in 1963.
2. Do you agree with General Westmoreland
who argued that Diem's assassination 'morally
locked' the US into Vietnam'?
Vietnam War - Short Term Causes
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was the trigger for
starting direct US military intervention in the
Vietnam War.
Listen to the following clip and answer these
questions:
1. What was the issue concerning the second
attack in the Gulf of Tonkin?
2. What was the result of this second attack
for escalating US involvement in Vietnam?
3. What is McNamara's conclusions about this
attack?
The Factors Leading to USA Involvement
Discuss the following factors:
Ideological: consider the anti-Communist speeches of the Presidents, the domestic
red-scare within the, USA, the impact of the cold war in Europe and previous
events in Asia - all of which affected how the US saw Ho Chi Minh and blinded the
US to the nationalist aims of Ho Chi Minh
Economic: consider the point made by Eisenhower in his Domino Theory speech
Strategic; consider the idea of the Domino Theory - that all US Presidents believed
that if Vietnam fell to Communism so would other countries within Asia
What are your overall conclusions as to which factor/s were most important for
explaining why the US got involved in the Vietnam war?
Causes of USA Involvement
Watch this clip from
McNamara.
● How does he explain the US
involvement in Vietnam?
● What were the
misunderstandings that the
US' decision was based on?
Chronology of Main Events
In groups of 4, build a timeline of the main events that
occurred during the Vietnam War, 1965-1973. Use the
poster paper provided.
Warm-Up Activity
In groups of 2 or 3, prepare a handout to give the rest of the
class. You will be given a topic. Your hand out must cover the
following topics:
● The aims of the military action/battle/campaign
● The impact on the Vietnamese
● The impact on the Americans
● What your topic reveals about the nature of the fighting and the difficulties
faced by the Americans in trying to win this war
Please upload to ManageBac by tomorrow at 8pm so that I can

copy them for the class.
How was the Vietnam War Fought?
Watch the following video and take notes:
Warm-Up Activity
Work on your hand out assignment (due tonight on
ManageBac so that I can get the copies made).
How Was the War Fought?
Using the information in the videos and your own research, complete the grid
below comparing the different armies that were fighting in the Vietnam War (the
South Vietnamese Army - the ARVN, the US army, the Viet Cong and the North
Vietnamese Army).
These two websites may be helpful:

Why Were VC Tactics Successful?
● They seized weapons in small scale engagements where their superior position and
superior numbers would give the assurance of easy victories (90% o f their weapons
seized from Saigon or US forces up to 1964)
● They relied on surprise attacks and lethal booby traps
● They cut most of the roads leading to Saigon so that political liaison between the capital
and the villages was effectively broken
● There was a tight organization; new recruits joined a 3 person cell attached in turn to a 3
cell squad which worked tightly together on military operations
● They followed a 12 point code to show respect to local communities
● Every soldier was encourage to know what his/her role was; they were given political
training and self-criticism was encouraged
Why Were VC Tactics Successful?
● Even when they were supported with weapons from the North down the Ho Chi Minh Trail allowing them to do
more large scale attacks, guerilla tactics continued throughout
● The guerillas could always choose targets and accept or reject combat at will
● They used the tunnel system extensively
● Their knowledge of the terrain and the support of the local people remained essential to their strength and
success
● They carried out political education in the villages
● They were ruthless against opponents assassinating or kidnapping officials who were working for the Saigon
government
● In much of South Vietnam, the NLF became the only government operating its own schools, hospitals etc
● The VC maintained a viable economy in the areas they controlled; they collected taxes and revenues from
commerce
● They reorganised the villages economically; they encouraged villages to set up village organisations which
controlled taxes and planned defense
Why was the USA unable to defeat the Vietcong?
The bombing of North Vietnam meant that the North got increasingly involved in the
fight against the US so that by 1967 virtually all first line combat troops of the VC were
provided with modern Chinese and Soviet weaponry
The bombing raids in the North also failed to have any serious impact on the rural
economy and failed to break the morale of the North
Search and destroy tactics alienated the local population but were also ineffective in
allowing the Americans to hold land; they could clear land of VC in the day but when
they returned to their bases at night the VC could return
Defoliation through Agent Orange further alienated the local population; thousands of
refugees were created through US tactics. As Tabor writes, 'to oppose the guerilla tactics,
the American tactics were compelled to destroy the very country they were fighting
for...every battle meant the attrition of native support and the creation of a new VC'.
(Tabor: The War of the Flea)
The US faced the problems of fighting an enemy who knew the territory, had the support
of the local population and was mostly indistinguishable from the local population
The US also faced the problem of supporting a government in the south which was
ineffective and corrupt. Diem's nine successors were all corrupt and oppressive and
failed to improve public support or to improve the fighting quality of the AVRN which
was very poor.
Time was on the side of the Vietnamese; the American government could only maintain
public and Congress support for a limited time for a war that they were clearly not
winning.
The Vietnamese were fighting a total war mobilising all their resources to fight the US;
the US was trying to fight a limited war and so was never put on a war footing. There
was a lack of unity and co-ordination within the American military machine
The extent of public opposition at home further made it difficult for the US
to continue the war. There had been no declaration of war by the US on
North Vietnam and there was a lack of unity within the country. There
was no media censorship and the images on TV about the suffering of the
Vietnamese further eroded public support for the war
The US never understood the nature of the Vietnamese conflict. The
Americans were involving themselves in a civil war in a country that had
fought against foreign domination for centuries; the Americans were
portrayed as foreign aggressors and the Vietcong were able to portray
themselves as liberators from foreign rule
Homework
Complete the grid on the various decisions made by
American presidents during the Vietnam War.
Decide whom you think was most responsible for the
American failure in Vietnam.
Warm-Up Activity
Watch this video on America’s secret war in Laos.
The Impact on Cambodia and Laos
Research US actions in Cambodia and Laos
and make notes on the following:
1. What was the impact of the fighting
in Vietnam on Laos and Cambodia?
2. What direct interventions in these
countries were made by the US?
3. What was the overall impact of US
intervention in Vietnam on the whole
region?
The Impact on the USA
In June 1969, Nixon issued the Nixon Doctrine:
The nations of Asia can and must increasingly shoulder the responsibility for
achieving peace and progress in the area with whatever cooperation we can
provide. Asian countries must seed their own destiny for if domination by the
aggressor can destroy the freedom of a nation, too much dependence on a
protector can eventually erode its dignity. But it is not just a matter of dignity,
for ht dependence of foreign aid destroys the incentive to mobilize domestic
resources - human, financial and material - in the absence of which no
government is capable of dealing effectively with its problems and adversaries.
1. What does The Nixon Doctrine indicate about the impact of Vietnam on US's
global policy?
● The Vietnam War had a profound impact on the US. Not
only did 58,000 Americans die in the war, but it left a
divided country and a determination not to get involved in
any other wars - 'the Vietnam Syndrome'.
● Meanwhile, Johnson's domestic programme of improving
society for all, The Great Society, was seriously curtailed.
● In addition the American economy faced inflation, a
weakened dollar and increased federal deficits as a result of
the war
Read through the political
cartoons provided and the
information provided.
Historiography of the Vietnam War
Debate the evidence that supports each one and how far you agree.
'Defeat only came when Congress refused to provide military aid to Vietnam
equal to what the Soviet Union provided for Hanoi' . Nixon
'America was not only right about Vietnam, but the sacrifices it made there, far
from being in vain, accomplished in a spectacular way the broader aims of Asian
stability and prosperity that the intervention was intended to serve' Jim Rohwer
in Asia Rising.
(In this quote, Jim Rohwer is commenting on the fragility of other South East
Asian countries after World War Two such as Malaysia and Thailand and
arguing that by putting all the focus on Vietnam, these countries were given a
breathing space in which to establish political stability).
Homework
Read Derek Schidler’s article “Vietnam’s Changing
Historiography: Ngo Dinh Diem and America’s Leadership”
Film: 13 Days
Watch the film and answer the questions provided.
Homework for Spring Break
❏ Revise all that you have done on the Cold War (up to and
including the Vietnam War) - use the source booklet I created to
help you with activites/sources (send me anything you want me
to provide feedback for)
❏ Read ahead in your textbooks for the Cold War:
❏ Detente
❏ Second Cold War
❏ Non-Aligned States
❏ Changes to Soviet Control
❏ The Collapse of the USSR
❏ The End of the Cold War
❏ Revise all that you did in Year 1 to prepare for our exam
revision in April
Review
Do the review questions provided. We will go over the
answers together.
Warm-Up Activity I
Read through the provided
information on the Prague
Spring, and watch the video
shown. Answer the questions
posed on the document.
The Prague Spring 1968
Note-Taking
Make detailed notes on the following:
● SALT I
● SALT II
● The Moscow Treaty (1970)
● The Final Quadripartite Protocol
(1972)
● The Basic Treaty (1972)
● Helsinki Agreement (1973)
Homework
● Reading: Pearson pp.
150-162
● Complete notes on treaties
(previous slide)
Relaxation of Tensions in the 1970s
● The growing danger of nuclear war and the Berlin and Cuba
crises helped push the USA and the USSR into a period of
more relaxed tensions; this was known as détente.
● It was also made possible by the fact that now the USSR had
reached nuclear parity with the USA and so could negotiate
from a position of equality.
● In addition each power had its own reasons for wanting a
relaxation of tensions and there was also pressure from
Europe for wanting a relaxation of tensions.
● The USSR needed relaxation of
tensions in order to take the pressure
off its economy and improve the
standard of living for Soviet citizens.
It also hoped to import new
technologies from the West.
● In addition, its relationship with
China was deteriorating and it was
now crucial for the USSR to keep
China isolated from the West by
seeking for itself an improved
relationship with the West.
● The USA needed a way of ending the Vietnam War, and Henry
Kissinger, Nixon's National Security Advisor, was keen for the US to
follow a more realistic foreign policy which would take account of the
changing international situation.
● This was known as 'realpolitik'; Kissinger argued that the Kennedy's
and Johnson's administrations had focused too much on victory in one
isolated area - Vietnam - at the expense of the global balance of
power.
● Thus Nixon hoped to use détente to get the USSR and China to put
pressure on North Vietnam to end the war, and at the same time to
retain and 'deepen' the US' global role through negotiation rather than
confrontation.
● There was also pressure for détente from Europe. Events in 1968 -
the invasion of Czechoslovakia and student riots and strikes in
France - had shown political instability in both Eastern and Western
Europe.
● The new chancellor of West Germany, Willy Brandt, took the
initiative to improve relations between the two Germanys.
● His policy of encouraging greater dialogue and reduction of tension
became known as Ostpolitik.
● From the Soviet side there was also impetus for improved relations
in Europe; the Soviets wanted to win Western acceptance of the
division of Germany and formalise the existing territorial situation
in Eastern Europe.
Helsinki Agreement of 1973
The 'high-point' of détente was the Helsinki Agreement of 1973. This took the form
of three so-called baskets:
Basket 1: This was the security basket. It followed Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik
negotiations with the Soviet Union and recognized that Europe's frontiers were
'inviolable': that is, they could not be altered by force. Thus both East Germany and
West Germany were now recognised by both sides of the Cold War divide.
Basket 2: This was the co-operation basket. It called for closer ties and
collaboration in economic, scientific, and cultural fields.
Basket 3: This was the human rights basket. All of the signatories agreed to respect
human rights and individual freedoms, such as freedom of thought, conscience, or
religion, and freedom of travel.
Helsinki Agreement of 1973
● Given the Soviet attitude towards human rights,
Basket 3 was clearly the most controversial of
the agreement.
● The West hoped that it would undermine Soviet
control in the satellite states, and organisations
were set up to monitor Soviet action against the
principles set up in the Helsinki Agreement.
● However, as you will have seen from the CNN
video, the Soviets considered Baskets 1 and 2 as
the most important aspects of the Agreement and
believed that Basket 3 would be of little
significance. This was a miscalculation.
Détente Comes Under Pressure
Détente came under pressure for a number of reasons:
● Many in the US felt that the arms agreements were benefiting the Soviets as the USSR was continuing
to build up ICBMS
● The Soviet Union was continuing to support left-wing revolutionary groups in Africa such as the
MPLA in Angola
● The Soviets and Cubans were also involved in supporting Ethiopia against Somalia in 1977. To the
Americans it seems as though the Soviets were involved in a grand scheme of global expansion
(though this was in fact not the case)
● There was also disillusionment with the Soviet Union's attitude towards the Helsinki Agreement. The
Soviets had believed that Basket 3 of the agreement was meaningless as the US could not enforce
human rights within the USSR. However, increasingly the US under Jimmy Carter tried to link
economic deals to improved human rights; for example for allowing new trading agreements only if
the Soviet Union would allow Soviet Jews to emigrate. Such 'linkage' was deeply resented by the
USSR.
Détente Comes Under Pressure
● On the Soviet side, there was a realisation that the US still believed that it could do as it
pleased on the world stage despite détente. This was clear when the Israelis ignored a
ceasefire in the 1973 Yom Kippur War that had been agreed at the UN and the USA did
nothing to get the Israelis to obey the ceasefire.
● The Soviets were concerned that the US was still supporting anti-Communist governments
in the 'Third World' such as the Chilean government
● The economic benefits that the US had originally sought from détente no longer seemed
relevant as it's economy started to recover in the late 1970s; the USSR however was still
struggling and with the economic position of each superpower so different and with the
imbalance benefiting the US, Americans had less incentive to pursue a policy of détente
● The final collapse of detente came when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979; the US
saw this as a serious threat to world peace and Carter refused to approve SALT II, stopped
all electronic exports to the US and forbade US athletes to participate in the Olympic
Games. The Carter Doctrine committed the US to intervene if the Soviets threatened
Western interests in the Persian Gulf.
Source Analysis
Complete the source analysis
package provided.
Détente: Success or Failure?
Historians have disagreed as to whether detente can be considered a success or a failure:
● Writers in the mid 1970s, and of course the biographies of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger,
stress the positive achievements of détente in reducing tension and the threat of nuclear war.
● Post-revisionist historians such as Mike Bowker and Phil Williams in Superpower Détente: A
Reappraisal support this positive view arguing that détente allowed competition to be managed
in a such a way as to prevent war
● John Lewis Gaddis argues that to call détente a failure is to misunderstand what détente was
about in the first place; it was not intended to end the arms race or to reform the Soviet Union or
prevent US-Soviet rivalry in the developing world but that it was intended to turn 'a dangerous
situation into a predictable system'.
● Right-wing historians see détente as a weak policy that allowed the Soviet union to continue to
strengthen itself and gain access to Western technology at the expense of American interests.
Homework
● Reading: Pearson pp.
150-162
● Complete Source Analysis
document
● “Soviet Invasion of
Czechoslovakia” Press
Release (upload to
ManageBac)
Warm-Up Activity
Read through the package on
Afghanistan and complete the tasks
involved. You can work through
this with a partner or small group.
After about 30 minutes, we will
watch the CNN video and then
continue working on the package
together.
Homework
● Listen to the podcast (BBC
History Extra) - in QR code
● Finish Afghanistan booklet
● Reading and notes: Cambridge:
pp. 150-187
Why did a Second Cold War Develop in the 1980s?
Ronald Reagan was elected to power on a wave of anti-Communist feeling and a believe that the US needed to reassert
its power in the world. Reagan believed that détente had been 'a one-way street'. This led Reagan to pursuing several
policies:
● Defence spending was increased by 13 per cent in 1982 and over 8 per cent in each of the following two years
- this was the largest peacetime build-up in US history
● New nuclear weapons were developed, including the stealth bomber and Trident submarines
● A new Strategic Defense Initiative was announced in 1983 (Star Wars). This was a research programme for
setting up a space based laser system that would intercept and strike Soviet missiles. This undermined the
concept of MAD (mutually assured destruction) which had acted as a deterrence against either side using
nuclear weapons
● The Reagan Doctrine gave assistance to anti-Communist insurgents as well as anti-Communist governments
● the US deployed Intermediate Range Missiles (IRMs) in Western Europe to counter the Soviet SS-20s
● Trade was restricted with the USSR
● Reagan's language towards the USSR was aggressive; he called them 'an evil empire' and 'the focus of evil in
the modern world'
Warm-Up Activity
Watch this video and take notes on the key
factors causing tension in 1983. Make sure
you include the following:
● Reagan; his policies, his rhetoric
● The impact of the neo-Conservatives in
the USA
● The gerontocracy in the USSR
● key flash points: the shooting down of
the Korean airliner and Abel Archer,
1983
American Involvement in Central America
Read through the following article
and take notes on Reagan’s
involvement in Central America.
Why did the Cold War End?
'The encounters that began in frosty Geneva in November 1985 helped unsure
that the Cold War ended not with a bang, or a whimper, but a handshake'.
David Reynolds, Summits: Six Meetings that Shaped the Twentieth Century pg
369
The Role of Gorbachev
● A turning point in East-West relations came in 1985 when
Mikhail Gorbachev became President of the USSR.
● Gorbachev took over a country which faced an economic crisis;
he is reported to have said 'We can't go on living like this' and
he introduced two key reforming ideas - perestroika and
glasnost.
● Perestroika or restructuring was aimed to restructuring the
economy and glasnost or openness was the principle that every
area of the regime should be open to public scrutiny.
● This was clearly a radical change in politics in the Soviet Union.
The Role of Gorbachev
● Gorbachev aimed through these policies to make the Soviet system
more productive; but he also realised that he had to reduce
military spending; he knew that the Soviets could not match
Reagan's SDI system and wanted to abandon the arms race.
● The disaster at Chernobyl only heightened Gorbachev's awareness
of nuclear power.
● Reagan was also interested in disarmament and had previously
put forward to the Soviets an arms race proposal known as 'zero
option' which would eliminate all intermediate -range missiles in
Europe.
● Gorbachev, unlike his predecessors, was prepared to discuss this
option. This resulted in the two leaders meeting together in four
summits to discuss arms control.
Homework
Read and take notes about:
● The non-aligned states
● The impact on the United
Nations
● Challenges to Soviet control
(Pearson: pp. 163-208)
Warm-Up Activity
Watch the following video from 20
minutes and answer the following
questions:
1. Watch and make notes on each of the
summits held between Reagan and
Gorbachev. What was the outcome of each
summit?
2. What are your reactions - do you think
that Gorbachev or Reagan was more
important in bringing about the success of
the summits?
The Role of Gorbachev (continued)
● Gorbachev also reassured the West by announcing that the Soviets
would withdraw from Afghanistan and by stopping Soviet aid to its
'allies' in the developing world.
● The 'thawing' of the Cold War continued under the new US president,
George Bush. At the Malta Summit between the US and the Soviet
leaders in 1989, Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze
announced that the superpowers had 'buried the Cold War at the
bottom of the Mediterranean'.
● Gorbachev's actions were also key in precipitating the collapse of
communist control in the satellite states - and also in ensuring that
this collapse was peaceful
The Role of Reagan
● Reagan and Gorbachev got along well and this contributed to the success of the
arms talks.
● His character and willingness to engage with Gorbachev was very important.
As historian Robert J McMahon writes, 'to his great credit, Reagan proved
willing first to moderate, and then to abandon, deeply held personal convictions
about the malignant nature of Communism, thereby permitting a genuine
rapprochement to occur'. RJ McMahon, The Cold War (OUP 2003) pg 162
● However, other historians argue that it was Reagan's actions in the early 1980s
in ending détente and in stepping up the tensions in the Cold War through
increased arms spending (see above) that were key for ending the Cold War.
● This view is known as the 'Reagan victory school'.
The Role of the Soviet Economy
● Although the actions of Reagan and Gorbachev are key for
explaining how events turned out as they did, it is also important
to consider the long-term forces at work that contributed to the
ending of the Cold War.
● Given the state of the economy by 1985 it could be argued that
Gorbachev's actions in both his domestic reforms and in his
negotiations with the West were driven by economic necessity.
● In this sense it could also be argued, in contradiction to the Reagan
victory school, that keeping the Cold War going through detente
actually contributed towards the demise of the Soviet Union.
The Role of the Soviet Economy
● When Gorbachev tried to reform the system, chaos ensued.
There was no effective system in the Soviet Union to cope with
a market economy; in addition the liberalisation coincided with
a fall in the world's oil prices.
● Economic growth by 1991 had dropped to -15 per cent.
● At the same time, glasnost allowed for openness and discussion
and this allowed criticisms of both the old Soviet system and of
Gorbachev's reforms to flourish.
● Ultimately this was all to lead to the collapse of the Soviet
Union from within - and thus to the final end of the Cold War.
People Power
What no one understood at the beginning of 1989 was that the Soviet
Union, its empire, its ideology - and therefore the Cold War itself - was a
sandpile ready to slide. All it took to make it happen were a few more
grains of sand. The people who dropped them were not in charge of
superpowers or movements or religions: they were ordinary people with
simple priorities who saw, seized and sometimes stumbled into
opportunities. In doing so they caused a collapse no one could stop.
their 'leaders had little choice but to follow'.
Gaddis, Cold War pg 238 - 239
People Power
The actions of nationalist movements within the satellite states was also to
lead to the collapse of the Soviet Empire. The resurgence in popular
movements was due to:
● The continued deterioration of living standards
● The growing disillusionment with the Communist Party, which had
shown itself as both repressive and corrupt, with its leaders more
interested in preserving their own privileges than in making life better
for the workers
● The implications of Gorbachev's reforms of glasnost and perestroika.
People Power
● Gorbachev's policies of perestroika and glasnost put pressure on the leaders of the satellite
states to follow suit in reforming the economic and political systems in their countries.
● However, leaders such as Honecker in East Germany and Ceaușescu in Romania were
unwilling to relinquish any hold on their countries or to make any such concessions.
● They wished to carry on as before; however, key to their control and power was the threat of
Soviet intervention should dissent get out of hand.
● When Gorbachev made it clear that he was no longer prepared to send Soviet troops to prop
up their regimes, their positions were much less secure. Indeed, Gorbachev stated in an
address to the UN General Assembly in 1988 that all peoples should have the right to
choose their own form of government and that universal human rights should exist in both
capitalist and socialist blocs.
● In the same speech he also announced a reduction of half a million Red Army troops. This
was a clear signal to the governments and peoples of the Eastern satellite states that the
Brezhnev Doctrine was at an end and that the Soviet Union would not intervene to end
political opposition; indeed he actively supported reform movements within the Communist
Party of Hungary when the Prime minister Miklós Németh set up multi-party elections.
People Power
Watch this video from 30
minutes and answer the
following questions:
1. Make notes on what happened
in each of the satellite states.
2. What factors allowed these
states to regain independence?
Why Did the Cold War End?
Do additional research and complete the chart provided.
Conclusions of the Cold War
Watch the video and complete the questions provided.
Homework
Reading and Notes:
● Cambridge: pp. 188-211
Warm-Up Activity
Read through the exam essays provided and mark them
according to the checklist and rubric.
Second, go through and highlight take notes on writing an
IB History essay, as we read together.
Then, using the prompt provided, write an essay in 45
minutes. You may use your notes, but do your best to write
the essay in the time allotted. Once, you are finished, we
will do a peer review and look at a student sample (scoring
14/15)

The Cold War

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The Cold War

Superpower Tensions and Rivalries

● the Warsaw uprising

How could you argue this in an essay?

Let’s read through the

Read through the preliminary information in the link from the QR

What is the message of this

Watch the following video

The examiner's comments were:

● Essay is clearly focused, and shows a good awareness of implications of the

Please upload to ManageBac by tomorrow at 8pm so that I can

These two websites may be helpful:

● They relied on surprise attacks and lethal booby traps

● They followed a 12 point code to show respect to local communities

● They used the tunnel system extensively

● They carried out political education in the villages

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