American History
Critical Thinking Worksheet II: The Cold War
1. Define communism.
Communism is a governmental and economic system. In this system, wealth is created and shared. People cannot own things such as estates, plants, or machinery. The government is who owns these things. Karl Marx created this type of government.
2. Why were the US and USSR embroiled in a Cold War?
The main conflict between the US and Soviet Russia was the US trying to prevent the Soviet Union from spreading communism to other countries.
3. What was America's containment policy? Why was it considered the best way to deal with the communist threat?
The containment policy was meant to stop the spread of communism. It was considered the best method because they believed that this was going to be able to stop the Union.
4. In what ways did the Truman Doctrine, the establishment of NATO, and the Marshall Plan support America's Cold War agenda?
The Truman Doctrine was a universal approach to the U.S. that would provide Greece and Turkey with financial and military and keep them from falling into the Soviet circle. NATO was the first-ever military alliance the US entered, which provided security against the Soviets. The subsequent European Recovery Program, or Marshall Plan, encouraged financial help and shared ideas, allowing for collaboration between the US and Europe during the Cold War.
5. Whoor what was the "New Scare" or menace in America during the early Cold War era?
Panic over the apparent risk made by Communists in the U.S. became known as the Red Scare. The Red Scare resulted in actions that significantly impacted the U.S. government and society.
6. How did images and popular culture shape Americans' ideas about the Soviet Union and the atomic bomb? Use the films embedded in the learning module.
Some pop culture pieces mirrored Americans' worries about the impacts of an atomic bomb's aftermath. A few pictures propo...
