CC.SS.

5th SECONDARY
ABCD

TOPIC: We recognize the characteristics of the

Cold War.
DESCRIPTION of the SITUATION:
The Second World War was an event of great impact for
humanity, as it caused a series of human and economic
losses. At the end of the war, the world should begin its
reconstruction process and organize its life in peace.
However, the world was divided between two great powers.
In this sense, the students of this degree, placing
themselves in the past and present, ask themselves the
following questions
Was there truly peace after World War II? What did the
peace that was experienced at the end of World War II
consist of?

LEARNING PURPOSE:
On this occasion, 5th grade secondary school students will be able to read and investigate written and visual
sources, they will face questions and finally recognize the characteristics of the Cold War

COMPETENCE/CABILITIES EVIDENCE PERFORMANCE

Build interpretations With information from the Internet He constantly uses a variety of
historical. and this guide, create an sources, including those produced
Capabilities: infographic about the Cold War by him (infographic), to investigate
Critically interprets diverse considering the concept, an understood historical event,
sources. characteristics and consequences. process or problem and evaluating
the relevance and reliability of
those sources.
What attitudes can be seen in the two cartoons?
Who could they be representing?

We will analyze and understand the meaning

Cold War.
At the end of the Second World
War (with the nuclear bombs of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki), it was
thought that a period of
collaboration began between the
two powers that were generated:
the United States and the USSR
(union of Soviet socialist
republics), since it was generated
the creation of various
peacekeeping organizations such
as the UN (United Nations
Organization), however the
differences became evident
between the Western bloc
(Western-capitalist) led by the
United States, and the Eastern bloc (Eastern). -communist) led by the Soviet Union.
This term refers to the period of world history from 1945 to 1989 (fall of the Berlin Wall) international world: the
United States and the Soviet Union.
The state of permanent tension caused the superpowers to invest a significant part of their budget in the production
of weapons. Weapons, especially those incorporating nuclear technology, were used as a deterrent: an attack on
the enemy guaranteed an immediate and equally forceful response from the rival. Neither bloc ever took direct
action against the other, which is why it was called the “cold war.”
This fear that the superpowers would unleash a new world war, even more devastating than the previous two, was
known as the policy of “mutually assured destruction” or MAD, which was latent until the end of the Cold War.
Antagonistic blocks:
The polarization or division of the world into two blocks (Eastern and Western) was managed since 1945, to be manifested
openly since 1947. Thus, a bipolar system was generated that was in force for more than 40 years. Each block represented a
different conception in politics, economics and ideology:
1.- The eastern bloc: Led by the USSR, it proposed achieving development through a centralized political system, a planned
economy and a Marxist ideology.
2.- The Western bloc: Led by the United States, it sought to expand a democratic political system, a capitalist economy and a
liberal ideology.
Within the framework of this rivalry, both superpowers sought to extend their spheres of influence to other latitudes using
various means:
1.- Military alliances: The United States established the Truman doctrine in 1947, which offered military assistance to any
nation that was willing to resist the pressures of the communist bloc and, in 1949, formed an alliance with some Western
countries called the “Treaty of the North Atlantic” (NATO). Faced with this situation, in 1955 the USSR established the “Treaty
of Friendship, Collaboration and Mutual Assistance” (Warsaw Pact) with other countries of communist ideology with the
objective of cooperation for the maintenance of peace and immediate organization and collaboration in case of attack.
2.- Economic aid: The Marshall Plan was conceived as the economic complement of the Truman doctrine by promoting the
economic recovery of Europe and the reactivation of its industry and agriculture. In turn, the USSR formed the Council for
Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon) in 1947.

Although these confrontations did not lead to a world war, the severity of the economic, political and ideological conflicts
significantly marked much of the history of the second half of the 20th century. The two superpowers certainly wanted to
implement their model of government throughout the planet.
Why, if armed confrontations between countries are called wars, does this one have a special
name?

Characteristics that define the Cold War.

Four characteristics of the Cold War according to Anders Stephanson (American
historian)
1.Bipolar conflict 2.Hidden weaponry 3. The denial of one against 4. Double agents
the other
It refers to the fact Each of the Each block denied the other's Each bloc used different propaganda
that the Cold War superpowers tried to right to exist. The former Soviet attacks against each other regarding
involves two large accumulate as many Union, in accordance with the espionage. Stalin always reacted in a
blocks facing nuclear weapons as teachings of Lenin and Marx, paranoid manner by trying to cleanse his
each other. possible. considered coexistence between own ranks of possible traitors. On the other
capitalism and communism hand, in the United States, Senators Nixon
 impossible. In some way, and McCarthy began a campaign that
capitalism represented the forced President Truman to establish a
decline of the West, an economic commission to review the loyalty of
and immoral style doomed to American officials.
disaster. On the other hand, the
United States, considered the
USSR, as “the evil empire,” or at
least that is how President Ronald
Reagan expressed it.

YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE:

With information from the Internet and this guide, prepare a
infographic about the Cold War considering concept, characteristics and
consequences.
We evaluate our progress
Place an "X" according to what you consider.
CRITERIA ACCOMPLISH MIDDLELY TO ACHIEVE
ED ACHIEVED
The title of the infographic is eye- x
catching, clever and captures the
recipient's attention.
The text is correct. And with the x
pertinent information that is easy
to understand and includes the
points suggested by the teacher.
The images are related to the x
theme: The Cold War
Make a final reflection x

Good. We come to the end of this session

What have we learned today?