45 Perspectives on the Cold War by Shauna Anderson

1.  Perspectives on the Cold War: Newspaper article & letter to the editor

Black and white image of blank newspaper by OpenClipart (CC0 1.0)

Activity

Newspaper Article

In pairs or individually create two different newspaper articles (about 300 words each) with punchy headlines about the perspectives of the Cold War. These articles should include the differing perspectives of key people and civilians during the time of the Nuclear Arms Race. The article should reflect the ideologically opposed political climates such as communism or capitalism and how this may influence individual and collective opinions. Although the piece reflect the political context, aim to reflect possible perspectives from the time rather than your own.

• Include key dates and events surrounding the specific date of the newspaper article.
• Not include any information on events after to the date of the article.
• Include what country you as the writer are writing from.

Letter to the Editor

Individually, using a Random Number Generator from 1-3, create a character/imagined historical actor using the character traits in the table below. Once you have a created a character, investigate what kind of values your character might have had during the Cold War. Once you have enough understanding of this person’s values and way of life, write a letter to the editor  to be submitted into a newspaper during May 1945, just 2 months before the first atomic bomb gets dropped on Hiroshima on the 6th of August 1945. The opinion piece should be based on primary and secondary sources on the Nuclear Arms Race which will influence your character’s thoughts and feelings at the time.

• Include important dates.
• Make you character traits clear.
• Include the characters beliefs, values and ideological position.
• Make it clear why your is writing in the newspaper, how does the Nuclear Arms Race affect them?

Peer review

At the conclusion of the activity, each group will conduct a peer review of another group’s newspaper article and letter. When doing so you need to look for grammar and punctuation as well as possible errors in historical information. You will need to complete a ‘3 Stars and a Wish’ feedback form for one of the newspaper articles so that the group can make any changes before being displayed in the classroom.

Resources:

After The Bomb

U.S.- Russia Nuclear Arms Control

The Soviet-American Arms Race

The Nuclear Arms Race and the Psychology of Power

2. Perspectives on the Cold War: Walk and talk

A question mark drawn with chalk on small board by Tero Veralainen (Freerange Stock, Equalicense)

Activity

Around the classroom you will see statements below about the Nuclear Arms Race written on large pieces of butchers paper. As you move around the room, share your thoughts and opinions with a peer on each of the topics. After students have shared opinions on each of the statements, as a whole class we will have a discussion where students will position themselves on a continuum of agree to disagree in the classroom for each statement. Students will then have a discussion to justify their thoughts and ideas about each of the statements in a fashion of an informal debate.

• Demonstrate your knowledge on the context and circumstances of the Cold War
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the Nuclear Arms Race and the key events leading up to the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the events prior to the dropping.

Statements

• Nuclear bombs being dropped during World War II was inevitable.

• The United States of America were always going to win the Nuclear Arms Race.

• Do you think another nuclear bomb will be dropped in your lifetime? Why/ why not?

• If the Soviet Union won the nuclear arms race, do you think they would have dropped their nuclear weapon on Nazi Germany?

• The desire to end the war was the largest reasons for the creation of the nuclear bomb.

• On a global scale, the creation of nuclear weapons resulted in more power and influence for the United States of America. However, The Soviet Union still remained the most powerful and influential. Discuss.

Resources

The Manhattan Project & Einstein

Soviet Atomic Project- 1946

Spies Who Spilled Atomic Bomb Secrets

Soviet Tests