Question
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 B: Which TWO details from the text best support the answer to Part A?
"U.S. spies discovered that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles on the coast of Cuba, only a few hundred miles away from Florida." (Paragraph 13)
"The U.S. first showed the world the power of nuclear missiles in 1945; it wasn't long before the Soviet Union developed its own nuclear weapons." (Paragraph 10)
"They decided to split control of the old German territory in half. Soon, a wall went up separating the two territories" (Paragraph 7)
"people began to see communism as a threat in their own communities as well. Anyone with possibly communist-leaning ideas was suspicious." (Paragraph 16)
"the famous space race of the 1960s was largely a scientific competition between the U.S. and the Soviets." (Paragraph 14)
They might promote negative opinions about the enemy, threaten each other without actually following through, or do anything else (short of military action)" (Paragraph 4)
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 B: Which TWO details from the text best support the answer to Part A?
"U.S. spies discovered that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles on the coast of Cuba, only a few hundred miles away from Florida." (Paragraph 13)
"The U.S. first showed the world the power of nuclear missiles in 1945; it wasn't long before the Soviet Union developed its own nuclear weapons." (Paragraph 10)
"They decided to split control of the old German territory in half. Soon, a wall went up separating the two territories" (Paragraph 7)
"people began to see communism as a threat in their own communities as well. Anyone with possibly communist-leaning ideas was suspicious." (Paragraph 16)
"the famous space race of the 1960s was largely a scientific competition between the U.S. and the Soviets." (Paragraph 14)
They might promote negative opinions about the enemy, threaten each other without actually following through, or do anything else (short of military action)" (Paragraph 4)
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The two details from the text that best support how the events of the Cold War affected the United States are:
1. **"U.S. spies discovered that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles on the coast of Cuba, only a few hundred miles away from Florida." (Paragraph 13)**
This detail highlights the direct threat to American national security and the intense fear of nuclear conflict that characterized the Cold War, showcasing how the Cuban Missile Crisis heightened tensions and concern within the United States.
2. **"people began to see communism as a threat in their own communities as well. Anyone with possibly communist-leaning ideas was suspicious." (Paragraph 16)**
This detail reflects the domestic impact of the Cold War, particularly how the fear of communism infiltrated American society, leading to suspicion and paranoia among citizens, which had significant repercussions for civil liberties and social dynamics in the U.S.
1. **"U.S. spies discovered that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles on the coast of Cuba, only a few hundred miles away from Florida." (Paragraph 13)**
This detail highlights the direct threat to American national security and the intense fear of nuclear conflict that characterized the Cold War, showcasing how the Cuban Missile Crisis heightened tensions and concern within the United States.
2. **"people began to see communism as a threat in their own communities as well. Anyone with possibly communist-leaning ideas was suspicious." (Paragraph 16)**
This detail reflects the domestic impact of the Cold War, particularly how the fear of communism infiltrated American society, leading to suspicion and paranoia among citizens, which had significant repercussions for civil liberties and social dynamics in the U.S.