The Cold War: Anxiety, Fear & Conformity (1945-1975) |
Big Ideas
Organizing Principles
The origins of the Cold War have been historically debated but much consensus rests with the conferences and policies ending World War II. The Cold War led the United States to pursue an ambivalent policy of containment which included degrees of confrontation, negotiation, and preventive maintenance between the end of World War II in 1945 to the collapse of Eastern European communist regimes in 1989.
Essential Questions
Students will consider...
- Who should be blamed for starting the Cold War?
- How did the United States participation in World War II encourage economic, industrial and technological development during the Cold War? How did this development lead to social and cultural change?
- Which Cold War events, conflicts, policies, doctrines and/or diplomacy could be considered historical turning points? How and why?
- To what extent was post World War II American society and culture becoming homogenous, as well as, a reflection of Cold War fear and anxiety?
Understandings
Students will understand how, why and/or to what extent...
- Wars between countries of competing ideologies and influence can create societal suspension, anxiety, fear and discrimination.
- The distribution of political, cultural economic power and authority may change during times of tension and conflict.
- When a nation’s economic and/or political interests are threatened it can lead to some degree of participation in war.
- Historical turning points typically have multiple causes and effects within a chronological narrative.
- Government leaders may create war policies and legislation that encourage economic growth and social change.
- As a nation prospers and grows, economic opportunities may increase for some individuals and groups, while decreasing for others.
- Culture, as exemplified by art, music, fashion, literature and language, can reflect the fear and anxiety of warfare.
- The development of technology, industry and a mass consumer culture may encourage both conformity and diversity.
- Political and popular opinion for war can shift between government policies or thoughts of isolationism, neutrality and interventionism.
Knowledge
Students will know...
- Cold War turning points occurred for multiple reasons and ultimately produced a significant amount of change (e.g., Yalta Agreement, Elvis Presley’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, Gulf of Tonkin Resolution)
- The diplomatic agreements and misunderstandings within Allied World War II conferences helped initiate and escalate a “Cold War” between the United States and the Soviet Union.
- American isolationism ended with United States membership in post-World War II alliances and American entry into Cold War conflicts.
- The Cold War policy of containment guided United States presidential administrations from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan
- The threat of post World War II communist expansion in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa led to Cold War conflicts that had lasting impacts on American society, culture, politics and the economy.American entry into the Cold War resulted in another “Red Scare” that limited American civil liberties.
- The notion of “mutually assured destruction” and an arms and space race impacted American foreign policy, society, politics and the economy throughout much of the Cold War.
- American culture became more homogeneous during the 1950s through economic gains, technological development and the rise of mass consumerism
- A counterculture movement arose that reflected the struggle and disillusionment of many individuals in an age of conformity and war.
- The United States experienced tremendous demographic changes resulting from participation in World War II: the advent of a baby boom generation, an expanded workforce including women and racial minorities, and population shifts westward and to suburban areas
- John Kennedy’s election and short term in office has often been romanticized because of his tragic assassination.
- The escalation and loss of the Vietnam War profoundly impacted American politics, society, economics and international relations, during and since the Cold War.
- Student and youth led movements protested United States involvement in the Vietnam War impacting war efforts and national politics.
- 1968 was a turning point year of triumphs and tragedies, social and political upheavals, that would forever change the nation.
Skills
Students will be able to...
- Use Historical Comprehension to determine the development, implementation and strategic relevance of Cold War events, conflicts, policies, doctrines and diplomacy that could be considered historical turning points.
- Use Historical Analysis and Interpretation to critique competing historical interpretations of how and why the Cold War began.
- Use Historical Analysis and Interpretation to differentiate perspectives on the policy of containment during various American Cold War presidential administrations.
- Use Historical Analysis and Interpretation to compare multiple perspectives of democratic and communist leaders in defending their motives, beliefs, hopes, and fears during the Cold War.
- Use Historical Analysis and Interpretation to judge the relevance of the U.S. involvement in the Cold War and that conflict’s outcome to contemporary events and my own life through a variety of classroom settings such as debates and seminars.
- Use Historical Analysis and Interpretation to compare multiple perspectives of Americans that reflected conformity and the counterculture movement.
- Use Historical Research to interpret historical data, construct reasoned arguments and draw conclusions about key Cold War turning points using historical evidence collected from a variety of sources.
- Use Chronological Thinking to identify the historical narrative for Anxiety, Fear & Conformity (1945-1975).