Module 9: The Cold War - The 1950s
Your next time traveling quest will take you through an examination of the conditions and early years of the Cold War. Terrance and Martina will start you off by exploring how the impacts of World War II created the conditions that led to the Cold War. Then they will help you inspect the values and actions of the Soviet Union and the United States that created an atmosphere of fear in America. During your second stop, you will see how fear also impacted the daily lives of Americans. Your last stop on this quest will examine America’s policy toward the Soviet Union and Communism, and how that policy shaped American actions in Europe and Asia. Settle in for your journey to the early years of the Cold War.
Getting Started
When you hear the word “cold”, what images or ideas come to mind? Record some of these ideas in your journal. Once you have recorded your ideas in your journal, consider the following two quotations from United States President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty:” - President John F. Kennedy, 1961
"If you (the USA) start throwing hedgehogs under me, I shall throw a couple of porcupines under you.” - Nikita Khrushchev, November 7, 1963.
Compose a four to five sentence paragraph in your journal that explains how you think the two quotes may relate to each other. If you need assistance writing a journal entry, please visit the Developmental Module for more information.
Once you have completed your journal entry, please save it with a file name of mod9_quotes and submit it to the journal dropbox.
Key Vocabulary
To view definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.
| Cold War | Massive Retaliation | Soviet Union |
| communism | McCarthy, Joseph | totalitarian |
| democratic | McCarthyism | Truman Doctrine |
| free market economic system | North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) | United Nations |
| Hiss, Alger | Rosenberg, Julius and Ethel | Warsaw Pact |
| Marshall Plan | socialism |