KNOW
It’s been a hot minute since we’ve discussed the Cold War. If you feel like you have a good grasp of the general details surrounding the Cold War then jump right in to the assignment. If you would like a refresher then watch this video to remind you where we are at in history so you can understand the rest of your assignments 🙂
Read:
STOW, the section titled
Thirteen Days in October” and
“The Death of John F. Kennedy” and
“Soviet Invasions” and
“Chernobyl and Nuclear Power”and
“The End of the Cold War”
NEXT read this speech given by President Dwight Eisenhower (skip to where the speech starts under the word “Transcript”). Remember, Eisenhower was the head honcho in planning the D-day invasion (also known as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe). He was a 5-star general who became a president because the people loved and respected him and the Republican party felt that not only would he win but that he had the skills and knowledge to lead during this era (1953-1961). As he was leaving office he saw a world that had been completely changed by creation of nuclear weapons and some of his final words address this topic. As you read be prepared to answer the following questions:
- What is the “military-industrial complex,” and why did Eisenhower warn against it?
- How does this speech reflect the challenges of the Cold War era?
- Do you think Eisenhower’s warnings are still relevant today? Why or why not?
Also read (or listen to) the Speech John F. Kennedy gave in Berlin titled, “Ich bin ein Berliner.” This speech was delivered in June of 1963 and is considered one of the most iconic speeches of the Cold War era. The speech served as a morale boost for West Berliners — imagine the fear they may have felt living in West Berlin and watching a wall go up in their own city! What significance do you think the people of Germany, especially in Berlin, would take from hearing this speech? Be prepared to share in class.
Also, skim this article that details a timeline of Cold War events during all the presidents that served during this era, it is a handy timeline.
Watch:
Brief History of the Cuban Missle Crisis
News Reporting of the Berlin Wall coming down
News Reporting on Reagans speech in front of the Berlin Wall
Solve the following riddle about an invention from the Cold War Era:
I help you see the world, though I’m not quite a lens,
With my satellites spinning, I gather signals and trends.
In a race to the stars, I was born from the fight,
Tracking and spying, I brought both fear and delight.My constellation circles high above the blue,
Guiding ships and planes with precision so true.
From military might to civilian hands,
I’ve spread my reach across all lands.In your pocket I reside, a navigator’s dream,
Showing paths and places in a digital stream.
From finding your way to timing with care,
My uses have grown beyond compare.Once secret and guarded, now open and free,
I’ve changed how we move and how we see.
What started in conflict now serves peace each day,
Helping people and businesses find their way.
What am I?
UNDERSTAND
We’ve written a persuasive editorial and a poem and now we’re going to try our hand at creative writing! This week you will be writing a letter!
First, choose a topic for your letter from the list below (other ideas are great, just run it by me first and get it ok’d)
- Write a letter from a Soviet teenager to their American pen pal, describing their daily life and asking questions about life in the United States.
- Compose a letter from a U.S. soldier stationed in West Berlin to their family back home, detailing their experiences and observations of the divided city.
- Create a series of letters between two siblings separated by the Iron Curtain, one living in East Germany and the other in West Germany.
- Write a letter from a Cuban citizen to their cousin in Miami during the Cuban Missile Crisis, expressing their fears and hopes for the future.
- Compose a letter from a child to their parent who is serving on a nuclear submarine during a tense standoff between superpowers, expressing their worries and daily life at home.
Once you have chosen your topic you will write a letter that is one full page, handwritten and written in the style of a letter so it needs to have a greetings, the body split into paragraphs and a closing with a signature. Please put it in an envelope and ADDRESS the envelope. Yes you will have to make up the recipients and senders address and while you can be creative make the format correct (name, street address, city, state and zip — you can even look up how to address a letter to a foreign country if you are writing as if you are in a different country).
I fully expect that you may have to do some extra research to write this letter. I think that’s awesome. If you DON’t do extra research then I am already concerned for the quality and interesting details that will not be present in your letter. Do more research. Get curious!
You will be turning the letter in to me for my reading enjoyment AND most likely will read the letter to the class.
BECOME
We’re focusing on PURPOSE for the rest of this month and I think that’s a great topic for a new year. Purpose is the intention or aim behind actions, guiding decisions and behaviors toward achieving specific outcomes.
During the Cold War we can see how the purpose of major leaders was used for both good and evil and that one person’s purpose can affect a whole lot of people.
Do you have a purpose? Watch this video about purpose
After watching the video, seriously ask yourself, “Am I coasting along with things of lesser value? Or am I aligned with my identity and purpose in Jesus Christ?” and “How can I use my unique talents this year to serve others?” “Is there anything I need to give up so I can more fully live my purpose?”
Bonus: For $5 vanbucks watch this video with a family member (not a sibling in Vanguard) or friend (not in Vanguard) and discuss what thoughts came to you as you watched it.
