The Cold War

What this unit covers

The Cold War unit follows the story from the first disagreements between the USA and USSR to the fall of Soviet power. Early resources look at opposing ideologies, the post-war conferences and the rivalry of the late 1940s. Later ones deal with crises, détente and the end of the conflict.

Where to start

Begin with the Mind Map called The Cold War. It sets out the causes: capitalism versus communism, fear and mistrust, broken promises and the buffer zone of Eastern bloc countries. Then move to Why did the USA and USSR become rivals in the years 1945 to 1949?, which covers the Yalta Conference and the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After that, follow the story in order:

1. Conferences and early policy, such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.
2. The crises: the Berlin Blockade, Hungary in 1956, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Prague Spring.
3. Détente, using Detente 1969-81 and The origins of Détente 1969-1972.
4. The ending, with End of the cold war and Why did the Cold War end?

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then test yourself. The Yalta Conference quiz and the Potsdam Conference quiz suit the early years. The Cold War Dates Quiz helps with timelines, and the Cuban Missile Crisis quiz checks the order of events. Where a question trips you up, go back to the matching map branch and read it again.

Flashcard decks such as Detente and The Berlin Wall are handy for short bursts of revision. Notes and slide sets, including the slides on the Soviet War in Afghanistan 1979-1989, add detail for essay planning.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the strand The Cold War and the Contemporary World, within History. The listed resources mention GCSE History, IGCSE History, A-level History, IB History and AP US History, so check which one matches your course. Teachers can use the maps and quizzes as ready-made starting points.

Choose one topic today, take a quiz, and then build your own maps and flashcards to fill any gaps.