a period between c. 1945 and c. 1991 of intense rivalry and tension between the USA and the USSR

a county that is dominated by another country

when countries compete with each other to build up their military strength

using American influence and military resources to prevent the spread of communism into non-communist countries

The origins of the Cold War (1941-58)

History

Causes of tension between the USA and USSR by 1945

The impact of the atomic bomb on US-Soviet relations

Soviet influence over Eastern Europe by 1948

The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan

The Berlin Crisis (1948)

The Cold War arms race

The Hungarian Uprising (1956)

Berlin, 1958-61: increased tensions

Berlin, 1961-63: the Berlin Wall

The Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion

The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

The Prague Spring (1968)

The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968)

Cold War crises, 1958-70

Détente and SALT I

The Helsinki Accords and SALT II

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Reagan and the 'Second Cold War'

Gorbachev's 'new thinking'

The fall of the Berlin Wall

The collapse of the Soviet Union

The end of the Cold War, 1970-91

In this unit pupils undergo a period study which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today: the Cold War. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the relationship between the USA and the USSR in this period.

Period study: Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Britain and the USA agreed to open up a second front against Nazi Germany.

The superpower relationship worsened due to disagreements over Eastern Europe.

Which of these was a consequence of the Tehran Conference (1943)?

It committed the USA to rolling back communism.

It committed the USA to containing communism.

It committed the USA to war with the USSR.

offered to all European countries, including the USSR and Eastern Europe

only offered to European countries with democratic political systems

imed at post-war recovery with the hope of containing the spread of communisma

pledged over $13bn to Europe's post-war recovery

pledged less than $13bn to Europe's post-war recovery

Which of these statements about Marshall Aid are correct?

He wanted to force the Western powers out of Berlin.

He feared the economic recovery of Trizonia would reflect badly on communism.

He was afraid that West Germany might join NATO.

Large numbers of skilled workers were leaving East Berlin.

Which of these statements best describes Stalin's motivations for blockading Berlin in 1948?

In the 1940s, the USA had an advantage over the USSR.

By the late 1950s, the USA and the USSR were equal in terms of nuclear ability.

In the 1940s, the USSR possessed greater nuclear capacity than the USA.

In the 1950s, the USSR initially developed a superiority in rocket technology.

In the 1950s, the USA developed the hydrogen bomb but the USSR did not.

Which of these statements best describes the development of the arms race in the 1940s and 50s?

If Hungary left the Warsaw Pact, so too might other satellite states.

The USA were threatening to overthrow the government there.

Why did Khrushchev order the invasion of Hungary?

The period of intense rivalry that existed between the USA and the USSR is known as the...

During which conference did the USA test their first atomic bomb?

In which year did Stalin order the blockade of Berlin?

The USA had opposed the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War.

The USSR had initially fought on the side of Nazi Germany.

The USA refused to open up a second front in Western Europe.

Which of these were reasons for the superpowers' mistrust of one another?

Free elections with multiple parties to choose from

Controlled elections with one party to choose from

Businesses outside of government ownership and control

All businesses owned and controlled by the government

Match the economic or political system to its description.

Starting with the earliest, place the following events in chronological order.

Starter Quiz