Our next unit will explore the origins of the global conflict that overshadowed the second half of the 20th Century, the Cold War.  This unit will be driven by the below key questions:

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1. What was the historical (pre-World War II) relationship between the Soviet Union and the West and how did it influence the collapse of the Grand Alliance?

 

2. How did differing visions of post war Europe and Asia  increase tensions between the United States and the USSR?

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3. What role did economics play in origin of the Cold War?

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4. What are the causes, key events and consequences of the Berlin Blockade?

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Resources:

To support our analysis of the origins of the Cold War we are going to draw from a number of primary and secondary sources including: The Cold War: Superpower Tensions and Rivalries by Alexis Mamaux, America, Russia and the Cold War, 1945-1996 by Walter LaFeber and the CNN documentary series Cold War.

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Assessment: The Origins of the Cold War unit connects directly to I.B. World history topic 12: The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century).  To evaluate your mastery of this material, you will complete a timed on-demand essay (45 minutes) in class.

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