Introduction to the Cold War

INTRODUCTION
TO THE COLD
WAR
From World War II to the Cold War
10th Grade World History
Hana Song

The Cold War was a different kind of war that came after World War II. It involved a lot
of the same countries, but for different reasons: ideology.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Objectives & Standards

Goals and Objectives:
● Understand key ways that World War II led to the Cold War.
● Know that the Cold War was an ideological war between democratic and
communist superpowers.
● Describe the Cold War ideological conflict that arose through recollection and
analysis of events and sentiments during and after World War II.
●
10th Grade World History Content Standard 10.9.2. Analyze the causes of the Cold
War, with the free world on one side and Soviet client states on the other, including
competition for influence in such places as Egypt, the Congo, Vietnam, and Chile.

The goal for today is for everyone to understand the causes of the Cold War
stemming from World War II and the ideologies and nations involved. We’ll be doing
this through some note-taking, discussion, and a little bit of writing in the end.

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Introduction to the Cold War

What is being portrayed? How would

you interpret this?

Take a minute to look at the different elements of this political cartoon. Who seems to
be involved? What is going on? What is the attitude? How would you interpret this?

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Introduction to the Cold War

Key Terms

Here is a video on key terms to help you understand terminology that will come out in
this lesson and future ones about the Cold War.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Key Terms
Cold War: ideological struggle and conflict between USSR and US
“Cold”: no war was actually declared or physically fought
Ideology: system of ideas or ideals, especially economics or politics
Containment: preventing spread of Communism abroad
Two Main Ideologies (comparison table)
Communism: Democracy:
Government control of property and market Government by the people
Power to the proletariat (working class) Private ownership
Equal distribution of wealth Free market

Take some time to fill in your chart with the key terms and definitions.
● read each term aloud as a class
● read the definitions
● emphasize difference between Communism and Democracy

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Introduction to the Cold War

3 Factors from World War II that led

to Cold War

■ Soviet mistrust
■ The question of Germany
■ American goals

Three factors that we are going to look at from World War II that led to the Cold War
are Soviet mistrust, the question of Germany post-war, and American goals for
themselves in the global context.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Soviet Mistrust

■ Distrusted Allies due to Russian Civil War intervention

■ Non-aggression agreement with Germany 1941
– Betrayed by Hitler
– Millions of civilian deaths World War II
■ Soviet troops across Eastern Europe
■ Exiled governments become coalitions that become loyal regimes.

After World War II, the Soviet Union lost trust in the Allies because of their intervention
in the Russian Civil War.
During World War II, they were stunned by Germany’s violation of their
non-aggression pact from 1941, which led to the death of millions.
Soviet troops were spread across Eastern Europe due to the aggression of World War
II and distrust in Allies and other surrounding nations.
Governments that had been exiled allied together and became regimes loyal to the
Soviet Union.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Anti-Soviet Cold War Propaganda

■ What do you see?

■ How is meaning
being portrayed?

We are going to look at a couple of Anti-Soviet Cold War propaganda. Write down
notes on what you see. What are some observations you make about the way
meaning is portrayed? What does it mean? How is meaning portrayed?
Discuss as class.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Anti-Soviet Cold War Propaganda

■ What do you see?

■ How is meaning
being portrayed?

Give time to make observations and explain how meaning is being portrayed.
Discuss as class.

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Introduction to the Cold War

STOP & THINK

■ What are the main ideologies
fighting in the Cold War? What
superpowers are their main
advocates?

Take a couple minutes to stop and think. Reflect on what we just learned and write
your answers. What are the main ideologies fighting in the Cold War? What
superpowers are their main advocates?
● Give couple minutes
● Discuss answers as class

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Introduction to the Cold War

The Question of Germany

World War II Cold War

The picture on the left is Germany during World War II.

The picture on the right is a sector of Germany during the Cold War.
Look at the sign. What does it say?
There’s an American sector, so an inference we can make is that Germany was
divided into sectors after World War II.

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Introduction to the Cold War

The Question of Germany

■ German invasions and World Wars led to millions of deaths

– Germans expelled throughout Eastern Europe
■ What Stalin wanted for Germany
– Demilitarization
– Deindustrialization
■ What Western powers wanted for Germany
– Reintegration
– Asset against communism
■ Result: 4 occupation zones in country and in Berlin

After World War II, the Allied powers were trying to figure out what to do with
Germany. Their invasions and the damage they caused in the World Wars led to
countless deaths throughout Eastern and Western Europe. Post-war, Germans were
expelled throughout Eastern Europe.
Allied powers were split on what to do with Germany.
● Stalin wanted to demilitarize Germany, taking away weapons and troops. He
also wanted to deindustrialize Germany, taking away chances to develop
greater weapons and technology.
● The Western powers wanted to reintegrate Germany into global connectivity
and European relations/economy. They saw Germany as a potential asset
against Communism.
● The end result of this was that Germany became split into 4 occupation zones,
not just the country, but the city of Berlin too.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Division

The left is divided Germany, and the right is divided Berlin. What were the four
occupation zones? Great Britain, US, USSR, France
The point in the middle where the four occupation zones met in Berlin was called
“Checkpoint Charlie”.

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Introduction to the Cold War

STOP & THINK

■ “Germany, within her frontiers as they
were on the 31st December, 1937, will, for
the purposes of occupation, be divided
into four zones, one of which will be
allotted to each of the four Powers, and a
special Berlin area, which will be under
joint occupation by the four Powers.”
– Potsdam Conference protocol on the
division of Germany

■ Why would this splitting of Germany lead

to conflict?

Take a couple minutes to stop and think. Read this quote. It is from the Potsdam
Conference protocol on the division of Germany. Reflect on what we just learned and
write your answer to the question: Why would this splitting of Germany lead to
conflict?
● Give couple minutes
● Discuss answers as class

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Introduction to the Cold War

American Goals

■ Democratic ideals for Europe

■ Free, fair elections across Europe
■ Avoid Communist victories
■ Rebuild Europe (i.e. Marshall Plan)
– Allies
– Neutral countries
– USSR and satellites (rejected aid)

The last factor we are going to look at is American goals post war for themselves and
the world.
What ideology does America have? (Democracy)
They wanted to spread democratic ideals throughout Europe and the world. This
meant free, fair elections and preventing Communism from spreading. Some ways
they thought of accomplishing their goals to spread Democracy included rebuilding
Europe with various economic recovery plans (i.e. Marshall Plan). These recovery
efforts extended to the Allied countries, neutral countries from the war, and even the
USSR and their satellites (but they rejected the aid).

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Introduction to the Cold War

American Intervention

■ What do you see?

■ How is meaning
being portrayed?

Here is a political cartoon on American intervention prior to Cold War. Write down
notes on what you see. What are some observations you make about the way
meaning is portrayed? What does it mean? How is meaning portrayed?
Discuss as class.

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Introduction to the Cold War

STOP & THINK

■ Why would the United States
get so involved with Western
countries economically and
politically?

Take a couple minutes to stop and think. Reflect on what we just learned and write
your answers. Think about the American perspective. Why would the United States
get so involved with Western countries economically and politically?
● Give couple minutes
● Discuss answers as class

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Introduction to the Cold War

Causes of the Cold War video

Here is a quick video clip on the causes of the Cold War to review and learn a little bit
more.

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Introduction to the Cold War

Split ‘Em Up!

Organize the four powers from divided Germany into the two sides of the Cold War in
the chart:
■ Soviet Union/USSR
■ United States
■ Great Britain
■ France

Side 1: Democracy Side 2: Communism

Take a couple minutes to split up the four nations into the ideologies that they
supported for the Cold War. Look back at your notes if you need to.

Discuss as a class.

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Introduction to the Cold War

STOP & THINK

■ Who do you think is
responsible for starting the
Cold War?
Rubric (5 points total):
■ Choose one country in a topic sentence (1 pt)
■ Support by citing at least one evidence from lecture or
video (1 pt)
■ Explain how the evidence proves your answer (1 pt)
■ Concluding sentence to summarize and wrap up(1 pt)
■ Write 5-8 complete sentences (1 pt)

Look back at the notes and recall information from the video. We are going to
individually, silently work on a short writing assignment to answer: Who do you think is
responsible for starting the Cold War? (Read success criteria as a class)
● choose a specific country that was mentioned in the lecture in a topic
sentence
● support your answer by citing at least one piece of evidence from the lecture
or video
● explain the evidence in relation to your answer
● conclude the paragraph with a nice wrap-up sentence
● make sure to write at least 5-8 sentences

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