The Cold War was a time of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union following World War II. In this informational text, Jessica McBirney details the various events of the Cold War and the effects they had both domestically and internationally. As you read, identify how the events of the Cold War affected the United States.
1. The Cold War is a part of world history that stretched over a period of more than 50 years. It embodied many military, political, cultural, and scientific tensions that had been building between nations for decades. Although it primarily involved the United States and the Soviet Union, the conflict affected dozens of other countries on almost every continent in the world.
The Cold War was a complex web of conflicts, so it is easiest to understand it by asking some big-picture questions.
What is a Cold War?
When we normally think of war, we think of what scholars call “hot war.” A hot war is a military conflict between two countries who go directly into combat with each other.
On the other hand, a “cold war” happens when two countries are openly hostile towards each other without using violence. They might promote negative opinions about the enemy, threaten each other without actually following through, or do anything else (short of military action) to tear down the enemy.
Who Fought the Cold War?
5. The two main actors were the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union stretched across modernday Russia, into eastern Europe, and down near the Middle East. Both countries wanted to be the dominant world power.
Where did the Cold War Happen?
Because it was a cold war, the two countries never directly fought with each other. Instead, they supported opposite sides of other wars they believed could promote their own beliefs. So really, the Cold War happened all over the world. It stretched to countries on almost every continent, including Cuba, Korea, Hungary, [1] [5] 1 Guatemala, Congo, and more.
PART A: Which statement expresses the central idea of the text?
While the Cold War lasted several decades, it had less severe effects because there was no actual violence.
The atmosphere of the Cold War led to some of the most important technological and scientific discoveries to date.
While tension was high between many nations during the Cold War, leaders were able to keep life relatively normal for citizens in their countries.
The Cold War was a time of conflict and fear between nations that affected America's relationship with many other countries.
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The statement that expresses the central idea of the text is:
The Cold War was a time of conflict and fear between nations that affected America's relationship with many other countries.
This statement encompasses the primary focus of the text, which discusses the political and military tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as the broader impacts of the Cold War on other nations and America's international relationships.
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