Crossroads: High School Curriculum
Unit XI: Leader of the Free World: 1945-1975

ANALYTIC EXERCISE - Cold War Events and Public Attitudes toward Soviet Union and Communism

Lesson 2

ANALYTIC EXERCISE
Cold War Events and Public Attitudes toward Soviet Union and Communism

Directions: List A represents typical attitudes and arguments promoted by the U.S. government, the major news media, and such private organizations as the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution. List B identifies key Cold War events of the Red Scare period. Match items from List B with the appropriate entry in List A, and rank each with a number value on a scale of 1-10.

Example of student reasoning: The Soviet explosion of a nuclear device would provide strong ammunition for those arguing Points 2 and 5. Therefore I'll write this item in after 2 and 5, and give it a 7 out of 10 in both cases, reflecting its importance.

LIST A

  1. American Communist spies are betraying important military and scientific secrets to the Soviets.


  2. The important political and cultural institutions of our nation are filled with Communists and Communist sympathizers, who are promoting Moscow's views from within.


  3. Communists are trying to wipe out democracy, personal liberty, and free enterprise throughout the world.


  4. The Soviets are catching up to us technologically and economically and will soon be powerful enough to fight and win a major war.


  5. The Communist world is growing in size and strength as free nations are turned into captive ones. Its united strength will soon challenge us at our very doorstep.

LIST B

  1. Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe

  2. Berlin blockade and airlift

  3. Soviet-backed guerrilla war in Greece

  4. Soviet explosion of first atomic bomb

  5. Soviet explosion of hydrogen bomb

  6. Communist takeover in China

  7. Korean Conflict

  8. Indochina Conflict

  9. Alger Hiss trial

  10. Klaus Fuchs trial

  11. Exposure of US atomic spy ring

  12. Rosenberg trial

Writing Assignment: You are writing a letter to the editor of your hometown newspaper. Using information from the exercise above, make a case for one of the policies below. As in any persuasive situation, anticipate and reply to sound counter-arguments.

* FBI surveillance of all known Communists and sympathizers.
* Exclusion of known Communists and sympathizers from state ad federal government jobs.
* Creation of a Congressional committee to investigate Communist infiltration into political and cultural institutions.
* Aggressive military action to roll back Communist gains in Europe and Asia, possibly using nuclear weapons.

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