Activity 1 - What drove US post-war policies?

  1. Explore - Read and make notes from Slides 1-7 of the Lesson Presentation on the factors that shaped US post-war policies.
  2. Analysis - Download Kennan's Long Telegram and get into five groups. Each group will examine one of five parts of Kennan's Long Telegram. For each section, summarise the information into bullet points on this analysis grid. The five parts are:
    1. Basic features of post-war Soviet outlook;
    2. Background of this outlook;
    3. Its projection in practical policy an official level;
    4. Its projection an unofficial level;
    5. Practical deductions from the standpoint of US policy.
  3. Examine - What is the tone of language used in this telegram? What does this reveal about Kennan's views?
  4. Discuss - Why do you think historians have seen the Long Telegram as significant in the origins of the Cold War?

Activity 2 - How did containment evolve?

  1. Explore - Read and make notes from Slides 11-16 of the Lesson Presentation on how containment developed.
  2. Analysis - Read the following speech by President Truman to Congress, outlining his rationale for the Truman Doctrine then answer the following questions:
    1. Identify and list four differences in the two lifestyles described by Truman.
    2. Identify the key words that Truman uses to describe the West and countries under Soviet control. Why do you think he uses this type of language?
    3. What information does the source convey about US policy towards states perceived to be threatened by communism?
    4. What justification does Truman give for his doctrine?
    5. Why were both Greece and Turkey considered important countries to assist?
    6. How important is this document for explaining the development of the Cold War?
  3. Examine - Explore the three sources on this worksheet about the Marshall Plan, then answer the ten questions.
  4. Discuss - How significant was the Marshall Plan in terms of the origins of the Cold War?

Activity 3 - Was US policy expansionist?

  1. Examine - Read the following source from Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Vyshinsky outlining his government’s interpretation of the Marshall Plan, then answer the following questions:
    1. In pairs, identify where in Vyshinsky’s speech he claims the USA is: a) using its economic power to gain political influence; b) breaking a UN resolution by introducing Marshall Aid; c) creating a clear division in Europe.
    2. To what extent was the Soviet objection that the Marshall Plan was ‘ignoring’ or ‘bypassing’ the United Nations valid?
    3. Vyshinsky suggests that the Marshall Plan will lead to the formation of ‘two camps’ in Europe. Why?
    4. How does Vyshinsky’s interpretation of Marshall aid differ from that put forward by George Marshall?
  2. Analyse - How was the Marshall Plan portrayed in the Soviet Union? Choose one of the following Soviet political cartoons from this presentation. Then answer the following questions:
    1. Who or what is being portrayed in the cartoon?
    2. What events are being referred to in the cartoon?
    3. What do you think is the intended message of the source?
  3. Evaluate - What do you think are the values and limitations of political cartoons for historians studying Soviet perspectives on the Marshall Plan?
  4. Discuss - From what you’ve studied so far, who do you consider to be most responsible for the growth of hostility between East and West up to 1947? The USA or the Soviet Union?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Mamaux, A. (2015). Oxford IBDP Programme - The Cold War, pp. 30-37, 46-48 (bomb)
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Rogers, K., & Thomas, J. (2015). Pearson Baccalaureate: History the Cold War, pp. 24-32
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Williamson, D.G. (2015). Access to History - The Cold War, pp. 51-55
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