1. Roots of the Cold War
Part III & IV: Follow directions for each assignment as described on the slides throughout the period.

2. Assignment #1: Arguing for Containment You will have 30 minutes to do this
Handout: The Sources of Soviet Conduct
This is an excerpt from George Kennan’s anonymous article printed in the journal ‘Foreign Affairs,’ in 1947.
Kennan was a career foreign service office. He first articulated the anti- communist policy of CONTAINMENT that came to define US foreign policy during much of the Cold War.
Read the excerpt and then…
In groups of two or three, discuss the questions at the end and answer them on your own handout.

3. Assignment #2: The Truman Doctrine & Soviet Response You will have 30 minutes to do this
Handout: Truman vs. Zhdanov
On your own, read each of the two documents carefully according to the directions on the next slide…
Document 1 is President Truman’s March 12, 1947 address to a joint session of Congress. Document 2 is a September 22n 1947 report by Politburo Member and Leningrad Communist Party boss Andrei Zhdanov to the first conference of the Cominform, an international communist information organization. Both documents include colorful language detailing their opposing perspectives which will help you understand the increasingly significant divide between these two world powers.

4. Assignment #2: The Truman Doctrine & Soviet Response Directions Continued
Handout: Truman vs. Zhdanov
In the two documents, Truman and Zhadanov are advocating for their own type of government or “way of life” as Truman suggests.
Using TWO HIGHLIGHTERS or COLORED PENCILS (please return them at the end of this assignment) - Pick one color to highlight or underline text that describes the US and its allies (in both documents). Pick another color to highlight text that describes the USSR and its allies (in both documents). DO THIS ON YOUR OWN.
Then, with a partner, work together to complete the chart and answer the question using evidence from the two documents. Each of you should complete your OWN chart.
Question: “Which leader makes the most compelling argument? Why?”

5. The Truman Doctrine & Soviet Response
Does seeing Truman give the speech you just read make a difference in your analysis?

6. Assignment #3: The Berlin Blockade & Airlift You will have 40 minutes to complete this
Step 1: Handout – Berlin Blockade: Review the details of the Soviet blockade of Berlin in the reading
Step 2: Group Proposal to Advise the President (GRADED)
It is June, 1948 and the Blockade has just started. Your group serves as national security advisors to President Harry S. Truman.
How should the US respond to this Soviet act of aggression?
Option I: The US should respond with force
Option II: The US should focus on diplomacy
Option III: The US should walk away
Using what you’ve already learned about the relationship between the US and the USSR in the years leading up to the Blockade, what should President Truman do? (Follow the directions on the next slide…)

7. The Berlin Blockade & Airlift Directions continued
Work in a group of THREE or FOUR use ONE sheet of lined paper to complete this
Title your paper “Proposal to President Truman”, put group member names at the top, period number, and date
Selecting one of the 3 options on the previous screen, write a one page proposal [summary] based on evidence that supports your specific strategy of choice.
Be sure to include potential costs and consequences of your strategy and why you believe it will be a success.
Use your time wisely, write as if you are indeed national security advisors. Your grade depends on how well you support your recommended strategy.
When you have finished writing, turn in your paper under one of your group member’s names. DUE at the end of the period.
READ “The Berlin Airlift” to learn what actually happened