OBJECTIVE: To develop the class’s website on the history and importance of the Cold War.
The Cold War spanned the four decades immediately following World War II, and is called such because of the extremely high political tensions between the two global superpowers, the U.S. and Soviet Union. Not until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 did the Cold War come to an end, allowing the U.S. unprecedented political, economic, militaristic and cultural domination over the world.
So what happened during this time period that essentially determined global relations in the second half of the 20th century? Interestingly, there was never an ‘all out war’ between the two. Yet, there is hardly a country of the planet that wasn’t in some way affected by the dynamics of the cold war. Some experience conflict first hand through full-scale war or revolution; others political assassination, or poverty due to economic blockades. The period was rife with human rights abuses on both sides of the fight.
To understand the magnitude of the Cold War one must be well-versed in a number of topics, including significant events and individuals. Below is a collection of key topics relating to the Cold War that we will be studying over the next few weeks. You each will be studying one bulleted topic, and we’ll be producing a collection of these ideas on our class’ Cold War Website. The requirements for each area of study is as follows:
ARMED CONFLICT
TECHNOLOGY
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
RESOURCES
ECONOMICS
SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALS
POLITICS
Each category will have particular requirements to be researched. Depending on your bulleted topic you will need to curb your research to meet the requirements as outlined for the category you’re working in:
ARMED CONFLICT: Armed conflict was what many were trying to avoid, while others were looking to use it to their advantage. For your assigned topic discuss:
TECHNOLOGY: Because of the nature of the Cold War one side could not be out-done by the other, so there was an increasingly high level of competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The technological advancements during this period far surpassed any other period in recorded human history. For your assigned topic discuss:
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: This area of discussion epitomizes the heart of the Cold War discussion. The idea of foreign affairs focuses on the idea of the relations between nations. The topics included in this section are here because it includes particular nations that were directly impacted by the Cold War, but were not the U.S. or U.S.S.R. For your assigned topic discuss:
RESOURCES: As with empires from the past, the motivations of the 20th century superpowers was largely driven by the control and acquisition of valuable resources. For your assigned topic discuss:
ECONOMICS: Now, let’s be honest, it all boils down to this. As the famous axiom goes: If you want to know who behind it, then “follow the money”. To understand the nature and movement of money is to better understand the motives behind the actions and the key players involved. For your assigned topic discuss:
SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUALS: There is no shortage of important people involved in the Cold War. To study these people you no doubt find interesting characters that played an important role in the development of global events. For your assigned topic discuss:
POLITICS: The political game during the Cold War is something they make movies about. The Cold War political interactions is often cited in political science/theory courses because it was the pinnacle of political tension, gaming, and jockeying for global positioning. The battles that ensued between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. provide historians and political scientists a trove of documented evidence, only years later, to sift through to discover the key underlying motives between the most powerful people of the 20th century. For your assigned topic discuss:
What Will You Be Assessed On
In the end you need to prove to me your understanding of your segment of the Cold War and its impact. The more detailed you are able to make each and every piece of this assessment the better I’ll know how much you know, and how well you have grasped the discussions that we’ve had during our class discussions.
A: Knowing & Understanding: You will need to use a wide range of terminology about the cold war and superpowers effectively. You should also aim to demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of your element of the cold war, through thorough and accurate descriptions, explanations and examples.
B: Investigating: You need to start off with a clear research question and action plan BEFORE you even think about starting your page of the website. Your gathering of ‘relevant’ resources needed to build your understandings of the Cold War, and include it on the site effectively. At the end you will need to evaluate your progress against the action plan and also your final page.
C: Communicating: How does the page look as I scroll through it. This includes the effective use of unit terminology, grammar, and voice. Also, how does it all line up? Margins and pictures are tight and clean; you have designated each section clearly; used headings, bullets, and it is ready to be presented as a respectful piece of work. You should also make sure that you have cited all your work properly using the standard MLA format.