History for the IB Diploma: The Cold War

Part I. Origins of the Cold War: 1. Ideological differences; 2. Mutual suspicion and fear; 3. From wartime allies to post-war enemies; Part II. Nature of the Cold War: 4. Ideological opposition; 5. Superpowers and spheres of influence; 6. Alliances and diplomacy in the Cold War; Part III. Development and Impact of the Cold War: 7. Global spread of the Cold War from its European origins; 8. Cold War policies of containment, brinkmanship, peaceful coexistence, détente; 9. Role of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement; 10. Role and significance of leaders; 11. Arms race, proliferation and limitation; 12. Social, cultural and economic impact; Part IV. End of the Cold War: 13. Break-up of the Soviet Union: internal problems and external pressures; 14. Breakdown of Soviet control over Central and Eastern Europe; Part V. For Detailed Study: 15. Wartime conferences: Yalta and Potsdam; 16. US policies and developments in Europe: Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, NATO; 17. Soviet policies, Sovietization of Eastern and Central Europe, COMECON, Warsaw Pact; 18. Sino–Soviet relations; 19. US–Chinese relations; 20. Germany (especially Berlin (1945–61)), Congo (1960–64), Afghanistan (1979–88), Cuba, Vietnam, Middle East; 21. Castro, Gorbachev, Kennedy, Mao, Reagan, Stalin, Truman.