Media & the Cold War
Presented by
Christy Dallaire, Anna Trip & Cindy Williams
Rationale
The purpose of this unit is to present the
background for the development of the Cold War, as
well as the policies instilled to (attempt to) establish
collective security, nuclear deterrence, and peaceful
co-existence.
Students will identify and evaluate different forms of
media and their influence during this period, and
also judge the effect of democratic reform in Eastern
Europe and the Soviet Union.
Key Questions

Why did a confrontation or “Cold War” develop
between the western democracies and the
communist bloc after World War Two?
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Why did the threat of a nuclear Armageddon tend to
produce war by proxy?

The danger and the expense of east/west
confrontation gradually produced changing strategies
– what were they, and how did they affect
the Cold War?

In what ways have democratic reform affected
Eastern Europe and Soviet Russia?
Objectives
Students will…

Identify and evaluate the different forms of media
and their influence during the Cold War period.

Distinguish the opposing ideologies of the Cold War.

Interpret policies set in place during the Cold War.

Recognize the nature of the rivalry between the two
superpowers of the Cold War.

Compare the worth of both collective security and
self-reliance.

Judge the effect of democratic reform in Eastern
Europe, the former Soviet Union and the world.
Forms of Media
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Movies
Television
Newspapers
Songs
Internet
Radio
Magazines
Speeches
Advertisements
Using Speeches
“Ideological Struggle or Balance of Power Politics?”
Objectives


Distinguish the opposing ideologies of the Cold War.
Recognize the nature of the rivalry between the two superpowers of the Cold War
Using Posters
“The Cold War Turns Hot”
Objectives

Interpret policies set in place during the Cold War

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Collective security, nuclear deterrence, peaceful co-existence
Compare the worth of both collective security and self-reliance
http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/jwb/collab/ColdWar/Propaganda/duckncvr.mo
v
American & Soviet Russian Poster
American & Soviet Russian Poster
Using Movies
“Beyond the Cold War”
Objective

Judge the effect of democratic reform of Eastern Europe , the former USSR and the
world.
Resources
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Dodge, Judith (2005). Differentiation in Action. New
York: Scholastic.
Halsall, Paul (1997). Internet Modern History
Sourcebook. Retrieved February 21, 2007
from:http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/od
sbook. html
Program Development and Implementation Branch,
New Brunswick Department of Education
(1992). History 112 – The West in the Modern
World. Retrieved
February 21, 2007 from:
http://www.gnb.ca/0000/publications/curric/o
dernhistory112.pdf