Two “superpowers,” the United States and the Soviet Union, emerged from the devastation of World War II. Mistrust, fear, and deep ideological differences between the two nations led to a Cold War that lasted more than 40 years – and still reverberates today. Teachers, create your free account today to access the related lesson plans and student activities that go along with these videos.
How Nixon’s 1972 China Visit Set the Stage for Today’s Tensions Over Taiwan
President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China, an unexpected pivot in U.S. foreign policy, helped end the Cold War. But it left Taiwan’s fate uncertain.
How a Cold War Airlift Saved Berlin With Food, Medicine and Chocolate
A Soviet blockade around Berlin cut the divided city off from the West. But in 1948 U.S. and British pilots began to fly food, fuel and medicine to the Allied sectors. That effort laid a foundation for international partnerships still in place today.
How the Korean War Changed the Way the U.S. Goes to Battle
During the Cold War, President Harry Truman watched with alarm as North Korean Communists invaded South Korea. Truman believed the U.S. had to intervene. But his decision to rush troops to stop the Communist advance had unintended consequences that shape the world today.
The Cold War on TV: Joseph McCarthy vs. Edward R. Murrow
Senator Joseph McCarthy used bold accusations and populist appeal to fuel Americans’ fear about the spread of communism in the 1950s. He met his match in a hard-hitting journalist, Edward R. Murrow, whose television commentary was sharply critical of McCarthyism.
The Secret C.I.A. Operation That Haunts U.S.-Iran Relations
In 1953, the C.I.A. helped to orchestrate a coup that ousted Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The backing of the C.I.A. helped the shah to maintain his grip, but growing opposition to corruption and the repression of political dissent fueled a 1979 revolution, the overthrow of the shah by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the decline of American influence.
How the Cold War Arms Race Fueled a Sprint to the Moon
A U.S.-Soviet competition in science and engineering took off in 1957 with the launch of Russia’s Sputnik satellite, and culminated in 1969 with the U.S. landing the first humans on the Moon in the Apollo 11 mission.
Why the Cold War Race for Nuclear Weapons Is Still a Threat
The Cold War may be over, but an arms race continues, even as safeguards once in place have fallen away. Some experts worry that nuclear weapons may pose a greater threat to humanity than ever before.
Putin’s Nuclear Threats Evoke Cold War Tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Russia’s recent nuclear threats have revived Cold War animosity with roots in the Cuban missile crisis. During a standoff in 1962, a tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union nearly resulted in a nuclear war.
Agent Orange: Last Chapter of the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam war, the U.S. military sprayed Agent Orange over millions of acres to defoliate jungles, deprive its enemy defensive cover, and save the lives of American soldiers. But dioxin, a contaminant in Agent Orange, has since been blamed for creating crippling health problems, from cancers to birth defects, among American vets and the Vietnamese.
Could We Geo-engineer Ourselves Out of Climate Change?
the U.S.-Soviet nuclear escalation of the 1980s gave rise to a nationwide nuclear freeze movement that challenged assumptions that had for decades guided the American approach to the Cold War.
Kennedy and the Cold War Webinar
Join Retro Report and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza for Kennedy and the Cold War: Berlin to Cuba and Beyond. This free educator webinar will feature films, lessons and resources. A new Retro Report film about the Cuban Missile Crisis will be screened, and we will share resources for approaching the global Cold War.
