Tip: Press ctrl and F (or apple and F on a Mac) to perform a keyword search of this page. To keyword search all Best of History Web Sites pages use the search engine located on the home page. This page was updated June 9, 2007.
Cold War: From Yalta to Malta (CNN)
This CNN Perspectives series explores the Cold War experience from many different angles. Included are interactive maps, rare video footage, declassified documents, biographies, picture galleries, timelines, interactive activities, a search function, book excerpts, an educator's guide, and more. (Demands a 4.0 browser or higher) Highlights from episodes:
Episode One: Comrades 1917-1945
This site describes U.S and Russia as allies and includes a video interview with George Kennan, a tour of a Cold War prison, historical documents, and more
Kennedy addresses the nation on the Cuban Missile Crisis
Episode Two: The Iron Curtain 1945-1947
This site includes a Cold War military museum, a Brinkmanship interactive game, a video interview with George Kennan, a spotlight on the Oder-Niesse Line, a look at post Cold War US-Russian relations, and more
Episode Three: The Marshall Plan 1947-1952
This site has a brinkmanship simulation, a feature on the birth of the CIA, an analysis of the IMF, discussion of the Czech coup in 1948, and more.
Episode Four: Berlin 1948-1949
This site includes a West German radio report, reflections of a Berlin mayor, a look at propaganda, a brinkmanship simulation, and more
Episode Five: Korea 1949-1953
The site deals with the Russian connection and the continuing divide between North and South Korea, and it includes a look at America's Korean War memorial, a brinkmanship game, interviews, and more
Episode Six: Reds 1948-1949
The site talks about the Intensification of the Cold War and features a look at the Red Scare then and now, the United States Communist Party, and totalitarianism and has an excerpt from Daniel Moynihan's Secrecy
Episode Eight: Sputnik 1949-1961
The new arms race launched by the Soviet atomic bomb. There are features on espionage, Russia's space exploits, interactive timeline
Episode Ten: Cuba 1959-1968
Features the ExComm files, the hotline between Kennedy and Khrushchev, contemporary Cuba and an interview with Fidel Castro
Episode Fifteen: China 1949-1972
Kissinger's secret talks with Mao, conflict between Beijing and Moscow and "pingpong" diplomacy, US-China rapprochement
Episode Eighteen: Backyard 1954-1990
Central America, Caribbean, South America as battleground; School of Americas, plan to fund the Contras in Nicaragua, conflicts in Mexico
Episode Nineteen: Freeze 1977-1981
Carter-Brezhnev years, John Paul II topples communist domino, politics of European security, missile diplomacy
Episode Twenty Three: The Wall Comes Down 1989
Slideshow -- lifting of Iron Curtain in 1989, reformers in Hungary, surprise fall of Berlin Wall, chaos in Russia during last years of Cold War
People's Century (PBS)
The site is based on a 26-episode television series and features a teacher's guide, a timeline, a thematic overview, and RealAudio excerpts. Selected programs:
Boomtime: 1945-1973 (PBS)
Examines how postwar prosperity transformed lifestyles and cultural values in the United States and abroad
Cold War International History Project
The Cold War International History Project features new evidence from Central and Eastern European archives of the Cold War in Asia. It also offers a CD-ROM on "Bulgaria and the Cold War." You can also learn about George Washington University’s NEH-supported collaboration to train high school teachers in recent advances in Cold War historiography. The CWIHP Bulletin contains recently released and translated documents from former Communist-world archives, along with brief introductions by leading Cold War historians and archivists.
Race for the Super Bomb (PBS)
There are some quirky but interesting features at this site, including a panic quiz and a Nuclear Blast Map. You will also be treated to interviews, film footage of explosions, a map of target sites in the U.S., a weapons stockpile list for 1945 to 1997, a timeline, primary sources, transcripts, a teacher's guide, and a people and events section
The Race to Build the Atomic Bomb -- A Resource for Students and Teachers
The Race to Build the Atomic Bomb: A Resource for Teachers and Students was produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education. It provides information on the men who built the Atomic Bomb and the urgency and circumstances surrounding its construction. Categories include: Timeline, Competition, Exodus of Scientists, Physics, Those Responsible, Research, Lesson Plans, and Resources.
The Living Weapon (PBS)
The American Experience presents "The Living Weapon" from PBS. This series explores the highly classified biological weapons program begun in 1942 under President Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt's decision to embark on the program demonstrated American willingness "to use a kind of weapon that military leaders had long shunned as dishonorable." For this series, PBS gained access to previously classified films and has put a number of them online: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weapon/sfeature/foiafilms.html
The companion web site also outlines the history and development of diseases that could be used to destroy a city and unveils "Operation Whitecoat," a Cold War project using Seventh day Adventists as human subjects in the country's biological weapons program. Visitors to the companion web site can also listen to the lead researcher's recollections on developing biological weapons and view a map of America's bioweapons program. In all, the Living Weapon series and web site could serve as an excellent inter-disciplinary introduction to today's concerns over the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The Marshall Plan
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of Marshall's speech, the Library of Congress presents this display on the origins and effects of the Marshall Plan. It features photographs and cartoons from the Prints and Photographs Division and items from the papers of Averell Harriman, the ERP special representative in Europe from 1948 to 1950.
The Alger Hiss Story
The Alger Hiss Story is an engaging and comprehensive site that recreates one of the most important legal cases in U.S. history. Dedicated to students, scholars, archivists, and teachers, and to a general audience, The Alger Hiss Story acts as an authoritative portal to primary information about Alger Hiss, the Hiss case, and the early Cold War years. It also functions as the digitized and online counterpart to the Alger Hiss Papers at the Harvard Law School Library. Among the many interesting leads to explore through the site are exclusive new interviews from eyewitnesses and others, Freedom of Information Act releases of government documents, Grand Jury secret testimony, and HUAC files released in 2001.
Space Race
Explores military origins of the space race and provides a gallery map and more. From the National Air and Space Museum.
Studs Terkel: Conversations
Produced by the Chicago Historical Society, this site explores the life and work of Studs Terkel, an important American oral historian. Galleries focus on interviews that Mr. Terkel did for his books and also the site also contains a multimedia interview with him.
The History of Televised Presidential Debates
Produced by the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, this site focuses on the Kennedy-Nixon debates of 1960 and televised debate history to 1996. Features lesson plans and activities.
John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
The museum offers speeches, official documents, photographs, and more from the presidency of John F. Kennedy
The Wars for Vietnam
This site was produced by students out of Vassar college and provides an overview of the Vietnam war, primary documents and photos, and links to other related sites
Battlefield: Vietnam (PBS)
A companion to the PBS video program, this site features a brief historical introduction, a battlefield timeline, an expose on guerrilla tactics, a look at the siege of Khe Sanh, and other resources.
Vietnam Online (PBS)
Another PBS Online site, this features an introduction to the conflict, reflections of the participants, a timeline, a who's who, and more.
LBJ in the Oval Office
At this site, you can listen to some President Lyndon Johnson's most important speeches and secretly recorded conversations.
Revisiting Watergate
A 1997 Washington Post supplement marking the 25th anniversary of the Watergate burglary. Features include bios of the key figures involved in the affair and a discussion of the impact of the scandal.
Watergate
Well organized overview of the Watergate scandal
U.S. and Quest for Peace in Middle East (USIS)
Produced by the United States Information Service, this site has texts, transcripts, speeches, a photo gallery, and links, and it is updated daily. Much information on recent events.
The Reagan Years
A CNN.com special report on the Reagan Presidency
The Gulf War (PBS)
Site explores the war through case studies, images, sound files and more
The Face of Russia (PBS)
This informative PBS site attempts to answer the question: Who are the Russian People? There is a timeline, glossary, bibliography, media index, links, lesson plans, and a chat forum.
CIA World Factbook 1998
The Factbook is a great starting point for amassing general information about individual countries.
Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides, Activities and more
Cold War Lesson Plan
Geared primarily for highschoolers, this lesson plan (written by Nancy Matson) asks students to research America's fear of Communism. The lesson plan outlines three different research activities that revolve around HUAC and the Hollywood Blacklist. Somewhat opinionated lessons.
The Cold War: America During the 1950s (Lesson Plan)
A mid-level lesson plan, this outline is for 7th and 8th graders. Through the creation of a "guide book," students learn about what America was like during the 1950s and the Cold War. Students work in small groups and conduct a "WebQuest."
Follow the Marx: Learning About Communism
In this New York Times lesson, students explore communism from historical and theoretical perspectives to present to fellow classmates at a teach-in.(September 9, 2002)
Drums of War: Exploring How Politics Shapes American War Policy
In this New York Times lesson, students will research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq.(September 23, 2002)
Course Models: War in Korea
Part of the California History-Social Science content standards and annotated course which includes: background information, focus questions, pupil activities and handouts, an assessment, and references to books, articles, web sites, literature, audio-video programs, and a historic site. Grade 11.
Lesson Plan: Constitutional Issues - Watergate and the Constitution
This NARA lesson plan gives teachers a chance to explain the Watergate incident to students. The Teacher's guide has three different activities that stimulate discussions on the Constitution and the legal system. Grades 6-12.
Lesson Plan: The Sixties
This activity explores emotions of eagerness, frustration, betrayal, community, and compassion during the 1960s. Students will explore this entire document, including all the links, and write a 5-page paper or an equivalent web page (no frills necessary except links) where they take up a position and perspective chosen from the four options provided. Written by Eileen Walsh, Bemidji State University.
Teach Vietnam: Echoes from the Wall
The curriculum covers six modules: Escalating Involvement in
the Vietnam War, Conflict on the Home Front, Those Who Served, The
Vietnamese and Vietnam, The Wall as Healer, and The Legacy of the Vietnam War. Lesson plans may be accessed through the Teachers' Guide link on the Educators page.
Assignment Hanoi (PBS)
Follow U.S. Ambassador and former P.O.W. Pete Peterson as he returns to the land of his captors on a mission of reconciliation through interviews, research on Vietnam's history before 1900, and investigation of an ambassador's duties.
Student Information Guide: Communism and Containment
This SCORE guide provides some background information and student activities that teach about the Cold War. The main focus, however, is on the Truman Doctrine and the U.S. containment of Communism. Lessons are included in the "Teacher Guide" section.
The U.S. Response to the Cuban Missile Crisis (Class activity)
In this SCORE activity, students pretend to be members of EX-COMM and hold a "meeting" with President Kennedy about the Cuban Missile Crisis. The activity site comes with its own information and handouts. Recommended for grade 11.
Has the Wall Truly Tumbled Down?
The NY Times has created this lesson plan to spur debate on the division in Berlin. Students will learn about the wall itself and what Berlin is like now that the wall is down. Recommended for 11th grade.
Digital History Resource Guides
The Digital Resource Guides provides links to American history web sites by period and provide historical overviews, readings (online textbook chapter, Reader's Companion), primary source documents (documents, maps, cartoons), teaching resources (chronologies, maps, quizzes), audio-visual resources, and additional resources. It is an excellent and comprehensive teaching resource.
Views of JFK: Lesson Plan
In this DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan, students will learn that personal interviews that are conducted now, in modern times, and with people who lived through Kennedy’s administration, can add insights into how Americans view JFK. Grades 6-8.
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Lesson Plan
In this DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan students research and write a news article about a Cold War event. Grades 8-12.
Watergate: Lesson Plan
In this DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan students conduct an interview with a Watergate-era adult and present a summary of their interview.
Interpreting Primary Sources
Digital History provides brief excerpts from primary sources and statistics on slavery and questions to think about The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War
Vietnam: Blank Map
The companion web site to The American People offers blank maps related to various topics in American history. The maps can be printed or placed in a PowerPoint presentation
The American Nation: Internet Activities
Prentice Hall's phschool.com offers internet activities based on their The American Nation textbook chapters. Middle School grades.
The Marshall Plan
