CHAPTER FIVE: The Origins and End of the Cold War

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Cold War
This award-winning Web site, based on CNN's Cold War documentary series, features information on culture, espionage, technology, and nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Under "Knowledge Bank," find the profiles of Lech Walensa, Willy Brandt, and Golda Meir. Who were each of these people, and what role did they play in the Cold War?


After reading through the profiles, go back to the "Cold War Challenge" page and play the game "Figureheads." How many of the Cold War players could you correctly identify?


The Cold War
Sponsored by the BBC, this Web site contains articles, links, and a message board about the Cold War years.

Under "Collapse of the Soviet Union," find the "Clickable Map." Find and read the entries for Kazakhstan, Estonia, Russia, and Ukraine. How has life changed in these countries since the collapse of the Soviet Union? What kinds of challenges do they now face?


The Long Telegram
This page contains the original telegram sent by George Kennan from Moscow in February of 1946.

Read through the telegram. What four suggestions does Kennan make for based on the premises of Soviet policy? How does Kennan conclude the telgram? What does this suggest of his perspective and philosophy?


The Cold War Files
The Cold War Files offers a wide variety of documents and multimedia. Of particular interest is its "who's who" list of Cold War players.

Click on "Events," then glance through the timeline. What important event occurred on October 7, 1949? Who was Walter Ulbricht, and what was his role in this event?