Cold+War

=Part IV: International Studies in Peace and Conflict=

Option F: The Cold War 1945–1991
Past HSC Questions

Principal focus: Students investigate key features and issues in the history of the Cold War 1945–1991.

Key features and issues:


 * origins and development of the Cold War
 * influence of the ideologies of communism and capitalism on the Cold War
 * origins, nature and impact of détente on the Cold War
 * changing policies, strategies and responses to the Cold War
 * impact of crises on changing superpower relations
 * the arms race and disarmament
 * reasons for the end of the Cold War

Students learn about:


 * 1 Origins of the Cold War 1945–1953**


 * 1945 conferences and the emergence of the superpowers
 * emerging differences between the superpowers
 * the Truman Doctrine and its consequences
 * impact of the early crises: the Berlin blockade and airlift, China becoming communist in 1949 and the Korean War


 * 2 Development of the Cold War to 1968**


 * policy of containment, domino theory and the emergence of peaceful co-existence
 * superpower rivalry: the arms race and space race
 * nature and impact of crises: Berlin Wall 1961, Cuba 1962, Czechoslovakia 1968


 * 3 Détente**


 * economic and political reasons for détente
 * geopolitical developments: Vietnam, Sino-Soviet split, the Middle East
 * features and consequences of détente


 * 4 Renewal and end of the Cold War**


 * Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and its impact
 * US attitudes and policies under Reagan
 * Soviet attitudes and policies under Gorbachev
 * disarmament agreements 1987–1991
 * collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR
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