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Yalta Conference
This was a conference at the end of WWII, where FDR, Churchill, and Stalin agreed to govern Germany together. This meant splitting Germany into different parts for the different rulers. This connects to the GASPIRE+ theme of Political, since three different government leaders got together and agreed on the terms mentioned above. This event was the trigger Cold War, so I'd say that's pretty important. -
Zhdanov's Art Policies
Zhdanov, Stalin's heir, hated modernism and abstraction. During 1946-1953, he implemented many policies to ban unorthodox art like this, (Schwartz). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Artistic, not because of what we see about the time period through art, but what we don't see. People weren't able to paint modern and abstract pieces, which gives us some insight to how people were treated and felt during this time. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was a policy of containment. It enacted a policy called Containment which stated that they would keep communism from spreading, by keeping in one area. The GASPIRE+ theme that this relates to is Psychological because the reason for this policy was not only to help others falling to communism, but because they were afraid of communism and of it spreading. This shows the mindset of people in the U.S. and their thoughts during this time. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
This was a blockade set up by the Soviets in response to the U.S aiding other countries. This meant that everyone in West Berlin would be cut off from food and water, thus dying of starvation. U.S. and British planes started flying in food and supplies for people in West Berlin. The GASPIRE+ theme is Geographic because it involved available resources within the area. This demonstrates the kind of relationship the Soviets had towards their people, since they were willing to starve everyone. -
Arms Race
During the Cold War, the U.S. and the USSR had an ongoing arms race. The Soviet Union had their first nuclear bomb test in 1949, and the Arms Race continued for the next 30 years, ending around 1990, (Perlo-Freeman). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Economical because the Arms Race between the USSR and the U.S, took up a lot of time, money, and resources, affecting spending on other things. This event shows the relationship that they had, and how much they trusted each other. -
Altered Pledge of Allegiance
Because of the spread of communism, there was a strong sense of religion in the U.S. Some even thought that America was favored by god. This led to the phrase, "under god" inserted after "one nation," (Glass). The GASPIRE+ theme for this would be religion because of the way people were affected and turned to religion during the Cold War. This event shows us what people believed in during this time, and how religion affected them. -
The Kitchen Debate
The Kitchen Debate was between Vice President Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Going through the American National Exhibit, the two debated capitalism and communism in a model kitchen set. Comments like "If you were in the Senate, we would call you a filibusterer!" fly, (The Kitchen Debate - Transcript). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Cultural, since they debate their beliefs. This moment represents the different cultures going head to head. -
First Man in Space
The first man in space was Yugi Gagarin, beating the U.S. in the competition in the space race, but that was only just the beginning. Both the USSR and the U.S. had yet to get to the moon. The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Intellectual because their curiosity and interest in space (as well as competition) led them to this great achievement. This shows, again, the competition going on between the USSR and the U.S. had with each other during the Cold War. -
Creation of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was created to separate East and West Germany. Part of the reason it was put up was to keep Eastern Germans from going over to the West, which would, "...destroy the economic viability of the East German State," (Berlin Wall). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is economic because it took them a lot of money to build the wall, and it was put up for economical reasons. This event showed the horrible state that Germany was in during that time. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
This event was about the USSR bringing missiles to Cuba, where they could easily hit the Eastern U.S. within a few minutes. A blockade was put up to keep more missiles from getting to Cuba. Finally, we came to a compromise, and the USSR withdrew their missiles, (Cuban Missile Crisis). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Social because of the interactions that we had with the USSR. This event showed us the continuing relations we had with the USSR, and it almost led to nuclear war. -
First Man on the Moon
Continuing the space race, the U.S. and the USSR compete to put a man on the moon. The U.S. wins by sending Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon where they placed the U.S. flag. The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Intellectual because their interest in space and other planets led them to this exciting spectacle. Again, this shows the ongoing competition that the U.S. and the USSR had. -
SALT Talks
The SALT talks main goal was to, "curtailing the manufacture of strategic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons," (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). They succeeded in writing multiple treaties around the use of missiles. This occured in two main talks, SALT i (1972), and SALT II (1979). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Social because two different powers came together and agreed on different treaties. This was important because it ensured that no one had unlimited power with missiles. -
Outdoor Art Exhibit
During 1974 in Germany, an art exhibition was held. Because of the artistic censorship at that time, this was broken up with, "bulldozers, and several artists were arrested," (Schwartz). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is artistic because, while not demonstrating a specific piece, it is linked with the beliefs and social structures at the time. This event demonstrates policies and beliefs during the time of the cold war on art. -
Gorbachev Takes Power
Mikhail Gorbachev first took power in 1985. He tried to help revive the economy and reform Germany. He helped the end of the Cold War as well, (Mikhail Gorbachev). The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Political, because it shows the change in power during this time. Without Gorbachev, it is possible that the Cold War could have gone on longer. -
Berlin Wall is Torn Down
The destruction of the Berlin Wall brought freedom to the minds of many. Since the wall was torn down, that would mean people could leave and go wherever they wanted. The GASPIRE+ theme for this is Psychological because not only did it give people actual freedom, but it signified the end of the division. It was a very memorable and emotional moment. This event was the signal that the end of the Cold War was at hand. -
Trump Evokes Cold War to Boost Campaign
In a speech in Ohio, Trump says that, "'In winning the Cold War, President Ronald Reagan repeatedly touted the superiority of freedom over communism and called the USSR the Evil Empire,' Trump said in a major speech in Ohio. 'Just as we won the Cold War in part by exposing the evils of communism and the virtues of free markets, so too must we take on the ideology of radical Islam,'" (Collinson). He plays on peoples fears and tries to make it seem like Islam is a horrible place by saying this. -
Interview: Question 1
Can you give me your definition for the 'Cold War' and tell me what images come to mind when you hear that term?
The cold war was when the tensions between the United States and Russia were escalating. Threats were being made by each side against the other. An image that she thinks of is Ronald Reagan wanting to fund the star wars program, which was a defense program whereby missiles would be deployed by the U.S. to disable incoming Russian missiles -
Interview: Question 2
Do you have any specific Cold War memories you could share?
She was living in Barcelona, Spain, when the Berlin wall came down. One of her adult English students was on a business trip to Germany, and brought her back a piece of the wall. -
Interview: Question 3
How old were you when the Cold War ended? What were your thoughts and feelings about the end of the Cold War? She was 26 years old, and she felt relief because during the Cold War, while she was in high school, she was worried that there was going to be a nuclear war. -
Interview: Description
For the interview, I chose my mom. She is tall and very hard working. She has a dog that follows her non-stop, and she currently works at the City of Bellevue. I chose her because I wanted to know more about what she thought of the Cold War.
