US 2
Origins of the Cold War Analysis Questions
Shattuck
Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Objective: Students will be able to identify the different political and economic systems of the two main
superpowers following World War II.
Directions: Read Chapter 16, section 1 in The Americans textbook (pages 602-608) and answer the
following questions.
1. Describe the economic and political differences between Communism and Capitalism?
2. What caused the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after the war?
3. When was the United Nations created?
4. What was its purpose?
5. Was it effective?
6. Describe the Potsdam Conference. What was the purpose? Why was it significant for Harry
Truman?
7. What did Stalin do to make President Truman distrust him?
8. What was the deal made about reparations from Germany at the Potsdam Conference?
9. Think back to WWI and the Treaty of Versailles, why do you think the US didn’t want to make
Germany pay large amounts of reparations after WWII?
10. Why did the Soviet Union feel they were entitled to land claims in Eastern Europe?
US 2
Origins of the Cold War Analysis Questions
Shattuck
11. What are Satellite nations?
12. What were Truman’s goals in establishing the policy of containment?
13. What did Winston Churchill mean when he coined the term “iron curtain”?
14. When did the Cold War take place?
15. What were the goals of the Truman Doctrine?
16. How much did the United States spend in aid as part of the Truman Doctrine?
17. What were the goals of the Marshall Plan?
18. How much money did the United States give in aid as part of the Marshall Plan?
19. Look at the Iron Curtain Map on page 605. Which communist countries were located between
the Soviet Union and the Iron Curtain?
20. Why did the Soviet Union want to control these nations?
21. Complete the following tasks on the maps of Germany and Berlin below
a. Draw lines and show the three zones created in West Germany after the war
b. Label the three zones in West Germany with the name of the allied power which
controlled it
c. Label East Germany with the allied power which controlled it following the war
US 2
Origins of the Cold War Analysis Questions
Shattuck
22. Which part of Germany is the capital Berlin located in?
23. The Allies were concerned that the Soviet Union would control the capital so they decided to also
divide the capital of Berlin. If Berlin is located in East Germany, why would this be a problem for
the US, France, and Great Britain to get to their sections of the capital?
24. Why did the allies feel a need to supply West Berlin?
25. What were the effects of the Berlin airlift?
26. What is NATO? When was it created?
27. What was the purpose of NATO?