Causes of the Cold War

1. Causes of the Cold War On a fresh side of notebook paper write the lesson title and today’s date

2. Learning Log • Write down something you know or think you know about the Cold War. • Want to know more? Here’s everything in a nutshell (hold your breath and here we go . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU_8OLBK0ic

3. Learning Log • Answer the following questions in writing to the best of your ability: • The Cold War was a struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union that involved ideas among other things. • How do you think American economic ideas differed from Soviet economic ideas? • How do you think American political ideas differed from Soviet political ideas? • How do you think the Soviet Union viewed the United States? • How do you think the United States viewed the Soviet Union?

4. Reading Assignment 1 Comparing Capitalism and Communism • Read “Marxism: Radical Socialism”, p. 736-738 and “Communism”, p. R65 • In writing in your notebook, list the key ideas of Communism as an economic system • Read “Philosophers of Industrialization” (up to “Economists of Capitalism”), p. 734 and “Capitalism”, p. R64 • In writing in your notebook, list the key ideas of Capitalism as an economic system

5. Group Discussion 1 • Discuss, develop and write down answers to the following questions: • What are the major economic differences between Communism and capitalism? (the chart on p. 736 will help, especially if you realize that Communism is “Radical Socialism”) • How might the differences between Communism and Capitalism lead to conflict between Communist and Capitalist countries?

6. Reading Assignment 2 • Read pp. 874-877 (up to “Stalin Seizes Control of the Economy”), and answer the following questions in writing in your notebook: • How did Stalin come to power? (873) • What kind of state did Stalin build in the Soviet Union/Russia? (876) • Define “totalitarianism”. (875) • How did Stalin maintain control of the Soviet Union/Russia? (876-877)

7. Group Discussion 2 • Discuss, develop and write down answers to the following questions: • How was politics and society in the Soviet Union under Stalin different from politics and society in the United States • How might the social and political differences between the Soviet Union and the United States lead to conflict between these two nations?

8. Group Discussion 3 • Individually look at the chart on p. 949 of the text paying particular attention to the entries pertaining to the United States and the Soviet Union. • Then as a group discuss the following question: • “How might the information in the chart be relevant to bad feelings or conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union?”

9. Reading Assignment 3 – Paired reading A’s will read pp. 965-967 (up to “United States Tries to Contain the Soviets”) B’s will read the handout entitled “Yalta and Hiroshima – The Causes of the War”. Both readings are meant to provide answers to the following question: “What incidents, circumstances, actions, or occurrences did you read about that might have contributed to distrust or tension between the United States and the Soviet Union? For each one you identify, explain how.” Write your answer to the question in your notebook

10. Group Activity 4 • Your group should have at least two A’s and 2 B’s. • A’s teach the B’s what you learned from your reading; B’s teach the A’s what you learned from your reading. • Use your group knowledge to create a chart of the reasons for distrust and/or tension between the two countries in the form modeled on the board. All students need top have the chart in his/her notes.

11. Reading Assignment 4 – Western View of the Soviets • Read the handout Churchill’s “Iron Curtain Speech” • Answer the following questions to the best of your ability: • What is his view of America and its responsibilities? • What Russian (Soviet) action is he referring to and what do you think he means by the phrase “iron curtain”? • What does he appear to be accusing the Russians of doing or attempting to do? • What does he mean by “I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines”? • What does he say the Russians admire and what do they not respect? • What does he seem to be calling for?

12. Reading Assignment 5 – Soviet Reply • Read the handout “Joseph Stalin: Reply to Churchill, 1946” • Answer the following questions: • What does he accuse Churchill of doing? • What does he accuse Churchill of wanting (and to whom does he compare Churchill) • How does he justify Soviet actions? • How does he explain the growing influence of Communism in Eastern Europe?

13. Reading Assignment 6 America’s View of the Soviets • Read the handout “George F. Kennan: The Long Telegram, 1946” and answer the following questions: • What does he say regarding Soviet beliefs about and aims towards the United States and the West? • What observations does he make about • The Soviet response to force • The strength of the Soviets relative to the West • Combatting Soviet Propaganda • What recommendations does he make for U.S. policy towards the Soviets

14. Reading Assignment 7 – Soviet View of America • Read the Handout “Nikolai Novikov, Telegram, 1946” and answer the following questions: • What is his opinion of the U.S. aims in the post-World War II world? • What charges does he make about U.S economic activities? • What charges does he make about U.S. military activities? • What charges does he make about U.S. political activities? • What appears to be his view of the Soviet Union and its role in the world?

15. Opposing Viewpoints Represented in Propaganda • Cold War Propaganda - 2012.pptx

16. Reading Assignment 8 Opening “Shots” of the Cold War • Read “The United States Tries to Contain Soviets”, pp. 967-969 and answer the following questions: • Define the policy of “Containment”. • Define the “Truman Doctrine”. • How was the Truman Doctrine related to containment? • What was the Marshall Plan? • How was it connected to containment? • What prompted the Berlin Airlift?

17. Group Activity 5 • Discuss and develop and write down answers to the following questions: • Why did the Soviets establish a blockade around West Berlin? • Why was the Soviet Union afraid of allowing Germany to become a single nation? • Why did the Americans and their allies fly food and supplies into Berlin? • How did the Berlin Crisis serve to confirm Kennan’s view of the Soviets and Novikov’s view of the Americans?

18. Group Activity 6 – Part 1 • Review your notes on the activities we have done regarding the Cold War. • Using your collective knowledge make a list of the causes of the Cold War. • Be prepared to discuss and explain the items on your list with the whole class.

19. Group Activity 6 – Part 2 • Group discussion: • Take each of the causes we have listed and discuss how each one might be seen from each of the social studies perspectives (economic, political, cultural, sociological, psychological, geographic)