USA vs USSR Fight! The Cold War/Crash Course World History

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

9

Overview

John Green teaches you about the Cold War, which was occasionally hot, but on average, it was cool. In the sense of its temperature, it was by no means cool, man. After World War II, there were basically two big geopolitical powers left to divide up the world. And divide they did. The United States and the Soviet Union divvied up Europe in the aftermath of the war and then proceeded to spend the next 45 years fighting over the rest of the world. It was the great ideological struggle, with the US on the side of capitalism and profit, and the USSR pushing Communism, so-called. While both sides presented themselves as the good guy in this situation, the reality is that there are no good guys. Both parties to the Cold War engaged in forcible regime changes, built up vast nuclear arsenals, and basically got up to dirty tricks. If you had to pick a bad guy though, I would point out that the USSR had no intention of bringing Laika the Cosmonaut Dog home alive. That poor dog never had a shot.

**Sensitive: This resource contains material that may be sensitive for some students. Teachers should exercise discretion in evaluating whether this resource is suitable for their class

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 9 - World History

SS10.WH.15

Describe post-World War II realignment and reconstruction in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, including the end of colonial empires.

UP:SS10.WH.15

Vocabulary

  • Chinese Communist Revolution
  • Cuban Revolution
  • Yalta Conference
  • Potsdam Conference
  • Iron Curtain
  • Truman Doctrine
  • Marshall Plan
  • United Nations
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • Warsaw Pact
  • Cold War
  • Korean War
  • Berlin Wall
  • Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Vietnam War

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How to describe the realignment and reconstruction of Europe, Asia, and Latin America after WWII.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Develop descriptions of historical situations using resources that include literature, visual and auditory arts, maps, and other primary and secondary resources.
  • Explain relationships among historical situations, citing specific evidence to support the student's position.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Europe, Asia, and Latin America were each realigned and reconstructed after WWII.

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

PBS

License Type

CUSTOM

Accessibility

Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
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