Reflection Questions: World History – Cold War

Reflection Questions: World History – Cold War

Q.12. What did you learn from the primary sources or lessons that were most surprising
and why?
One of the key takeaways, and honestly a shocking revelation, from the primary sources
was America’s preparedness for the nuclear war in case Russia attacked or counterattacked. It is
mindboggling to imagine that, as early as 1951, the US was prepared for a potential nuclear war
with the Soviet Union to the extent of releasing the “Duck and Cover” animated live-action
social guidance film for children (Texas Archive, n.d.). Produced by Archer Productions, the
video teaches children how to prepare for a nuclear. It was released when the Soviet Union tested
its atomic arsenal and fought in the Korean War. The second primary source (a photograph
showing a stocked and well-built “fallout shelter” to survive a nuclear attack) also emphasizes
this early preparation. The short video and the “fallout shelter” image only underscore how
serious the rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union was during the Cold War period. On the
positive side, the photo of Buzz Aldrin saluting the American flag on the moon underlies the
benefits of the Cold War in advancing space technology in the US.
Q.13. How might a Russian adult have responded differently to the interview questions?
A Russian adult might have been potentially biased against the United States when
responding to the questions, perhaps accusing Americans of unnecessarily instigating and
sustaining the Cold War and using unorthodox means to advance their selfish interests. For
example, when asked what the term ‘Cold War’ means to them or what they remember, their
response would likely be “A period Russians suffered due to the economic wars imposed by the
US against the Soviet Union.” Regarding lessons taught in school and at home about the Cold
War, a Russian adult will likely mention things like the US started the war because it feared

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Russia might overtake it as the world’s superpower or Russia was far ahead in the space race and
nuclear technology, and Americans were scared.

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References

Texas Archive. (n.d.). Duck and Cover (1951) [Video]. https://texasarchive.org/2014_04778