Early Cold War Fears and the Balance of Power was created to examine how the balance of power was established during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Often times tensions and fears were the cornerstones used to keep the world from falling victim to a nuclear holocaust. While it appears to be evident that on more than one occasion during the five decades of the Cold War that nuclear war would be inevitable, it was the leaders of these nations that realized that the cost of forcing the others hand into war would the end of civilization. It was through their acts of brinkmanship, their use of political rhetoric, and a healthy dose of fear that a necessary balance of power was created prevent the unthinkable. This site will explore these various ideas through a variety of primary documents why this was the case.
Scope
The website focuses on on the Cold War period from the end of World War II through the John F. Kennedy's commencement speech at America University in June of 1963. The hope is that students will be able to get a good feel and flavor for period and make the connection between events. The site is primarily composed of primary documents from America in the World A History in Documents from the War with Spain to the War on Terror.Additional media sources such as videos have been added along with a selection of political cartoons, pictures, and interactive Google maps to help bring a visual element to the story of the period and help student better interpret the primary sources.
Intended Readership
The site is designed with high school students in mind, both in the general education setting and Advanced Placement programs. In addition, the resources page includes lesson plans and ideas for teachers to implement in their classroom. The site has been created for educational purposes only with no intentions of monetary gain.