This course focuses on the Cold War from its World War II origins to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Among the important issues to be covered are the origins of the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies; the containment policy; NATO and the Warsaw Pact; Berlin crises: the Cuban Missile Crisis; espionage; detente; and the conflicts (Korea, Vietnam, and the smaller proxy wars in Africa and Central America).
The global nature of the Cold War will be emphasized and as well as the Cold War’s impact on culture and politics. The course will conclude with a discussion of the problems of the post-Cold War world.