II. The Roots of the Conflict
Pre-WWII ideological differences: Democracy vs.
Communism
The uneasy alliance during WWII: Shared enemy (Nazi
Germany) vs. lingering distrust
Post-WWII power vacuum: US economic and military
might vs. Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe
III. Significant Events of the Cold War (Choose 2):
Option 1: The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
Explain the event: Soviet missile placement in Cuba and
US naval blockade
Effects: Brink of nuclear war, increased tensions, but
also a push for arms control talks
.
Option 2: The Berlin Wall (1961-1989)
•
Explain the event: Construction of the wall dividing East
and West Berlin
Effects: Symbol of the Cold War division, escape
attempts, and human rights abuses
IV. The End of the Cold War
Rise of Mikhail Gorbachev in the USSR (1985) - Glasnost