The Cold War

Compelling Question: Was the Cold War Avoidable?

Supporting Questions:

• What were the causes and effects of the Cold War?
• What political and economic ideologies did the U.S and Soviet Union support following WWII?
• How did President Truman think the United States could contain the spread of communism in Europe?
• How did the Cold War impact American foreign and domestic policy?
• What did it mean for the United States of America to be a global leader after WW2?

Enduring Understandings:

• After World War II, ideological differences led to political tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. In an attempt to halt the spread of Soviet influence, the United States pursued a policy of containment.
• The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race that eventually led to agreements that limited the arms buildup and improved United States-Soviet relations.
• American strategic interests in the Middle East grew with the Cold War, the creation of the State of Israel, and the increased United States dependence on Middle Eastern oil. The continuing nature of the Arab-Israeli dispute has helped to define the contours of American policy in the Middle East.
• A combination of factors contributed to the end of the Cold War, including American policies and Soviet economic and political problems that led to the loss of Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
• The diplomatic tension of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union after WWII shaped the role of the United States as a global leader in the modern world. The impact of the Cold War was felt in the day to day activities of American citizens.

Formal Writing Task: Through analyzing various primary and secondary source documents, students will construct an argument to the compelling question: Was the Cold War avoidable? In the process, students will analyze the relationship between the United States and Soviet Union, compare Soviet communism and American democracy, identify how the two nations were fundamentally different, and evaluate how different events contributed to the Cold War. Ultimately, they will synthesize the information to form their stance on if the Cold War was avoidable. They will support their viewpoint with evidence accordingly. They should select two specific actions taken by the United States to limit the expansion of communism during the Cold War and for each:

• Describe the historical circumstances that led to the action
• Discuss the extent to which the action was avoidable