Cold War

The Cold War was a war that was fought primarily between the United States and Soviet Union. The Cold War began in 1945 and continued into 1991. Threats were made, words were used as weapons, and they involved other parts of the world instead of fighting each other directly. “The Cold War got its name because both sides were afraid of fighting each other directly” (Pike, 2011). There were threats to American citizens during the war. This was a time in America history with political differences about power and two different types of government trying to dominate the other.

There were threats of nuclear weapons to American families. Bomb shelters were built so that the families would have somewhere to go when the Soviet Union launched the bombs. “Most of all, the fear of nuclear war made life unsettling for people even in a time of supposed peace” (Sage, 2011). World War ll was over and America was the richest nation. There was much happiness in America during the 1960’s with all the wealth that many had acquired but under this happiness was the fear of a nuclear holocaust.

The political conditions of the Cold War era had to do with two different governments and how they were opposed to each other and a power struggle. “After the second World War, with the decline of Europe, power was largely shared between the Soviet Union and the United States” (Poon, 1979). They had conflicts because they both wanted to be in control. Their governments were opposites. The United States had free elections while the Soviet Union did not. The Soviet Union did not have freedom of speech and press while the United States did. The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan started the Cold War by guiding other nations away from Russian Communism.

To protect my family during a nuclear attack I would partition off a room in my basement as a shelter. The shelter would have a 14 day supply of food and water, a battery operated radio, spare batteries, blankets, first-aid kit, and candles...