Library Guides: Cold War: Russia

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Resource Key

When accessing content use the numbers below to guide you:

LEVEL

Brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)

LEVEL

Provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.

LEVEL

Lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)

General Capabilities

Enduring Understandings

Students will understand that ideology plays a fundamental role in decision making, whether it be political, social, cultural or economical. Students will also understand how people fight for their beliefs, and how the impacts everyone from the individual to global superpowers. Students will understand how conflict manifests in many ways.

Essential Questions

What are the fundamental differences between Communism and Capitalism?
What do you (the student) think of Communism and Capitalism?
What makes different countries adopt different ideologies?
What were the main issues/events of the Cold War?
How did leaders strengthen/weaken the possibility of a third world war?
What is the morality behind nuclear weapons and the arms race?
How do popular protests impact governmental change?

Quick Links

Jump to: Introduction | Key people | Key events

Cold War | Russia: Introduction

Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) (Britannica High, n.d.)
"Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), also called (1925–52) All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), Russian Kommunisticheskaya Partiya Sovetskogo Soyuza, or Vsesoyuznaya Kommunisticheskaya Partiya (Bolshevikov), the major political party of Russia and the Soviet Union from the Russian Revolution of October 1917 to 1991." ("Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)", (n.d.) or ("Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU)", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Communist-Party-of-the-Soviet-Union/24991

Cold War | Russia: key people

Level 1 Articles Leader of the Soviet Union from 1924-1953

Joseph Stalin (Britannica High, n.d.)
"Secretary-general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922–53) and premier of the Soviet state (1941–53), who for a quarter of a century dictatorially ruled the Soviet Union and transformed it into a major world power." ("Joseph Stalin", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Joseph Stalin", (n.d.) or ("Joseph Stalin", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: Joseph Stalin. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Joseph-Stalin/108469
Joseph Stalin (CWIHP, n.d.)
"CPSU Secretary General 1922-1953; Stalin was a brutal leader who oversaw the Soviet victory in WWII, and Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe and East Germany... As ruler of the U.S.S.R. from 1929 to 1953, Joseph Stalin was in charge of Soviet policies during the early phase of the Cold War."

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Reference / citation: "Joseph Stalin" (n.d.) and ("Joseph Stalin", n.d.)
Reference list / Bibliography: Joseph Stalin. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/c old-war-history/joseph-stalin.

Level 3

Stalin and the Cold War (CWIHP, n.d.)
"Leader of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953, this collection contain Stalin's own writings, conversations, and legacy. The documents come mostly from the 1950s, and from Russian archives. Topics discussed include Stalin's economic opinions and his views on the situation in East Germany. The final items discuss Stalin's death and the fate of some of his ministers" ("Stalin and the Cold War", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Stalin and the Cold War" (n.d.) and ("Stalin and the Cold War", n.d.)
Reference list / Bibliography: Stalin and the Cold War. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/80/stalin-and-the-cold-war

Level 1 resource eBooks

Level 1 Articles George F. Kennan, American diplomat and historian.

George F. Kennan (Britannica High, n.d.)
"George F. Kennan,... best known for his successful advocacy of a “containment policy” to oppose Soviet expansionism following World War II." ("George F. Kennan", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "George F. Kennan", (n.d.) or ("George F. Kennan", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: George F. Kennan. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/George-F-Kennan/45080

Leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 - 1964 Level 1 Articles

Nikita Khrushchev (Britannica High, n.d.)
"Nikita Khrushchev,... first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953–64) and premier of the Soviet Union (1958–64) whose policy of de-Stalinization had widespread repercussions throughout the communist world. In foreign affairs he pursued a policy of “peaceful coexistence” with the capitalist West." ("Nikita Khrushchev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Nikita Khrushchev", (n.d.) or ("Nikita Khrushchev", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: "Nikita Khrushchev", (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from hhttps://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Nikita-Khrushchev/45347
Nikita Khrushchev (CWIHP, n.d.)
"Khrushchev’s leadership marked a crucial transition for the Soviet Union. From the beginning, Khrushchev set out to make the Soviet system more effective by curbing Stalin’s worst excesses... In relations with the West, Khrushchev’s tenure was marked by a series of high-stakes crises: the U-2 affair, the building of the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban Missile crisis." ("Nikita Khrushchev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Nikita Khrushchev" (n.d.) and ("Nikita Khrushchev", n.d.) Reference list / Bibliography: Nikita Khrushchev. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/cold-war-history/nikita-s-khrushchev

Level 3

Nikita Khrushchev collection (CWIHP, n.d.)
"Documents containing the thoughts and opinions of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. The earliest document is from 1955 and the latest is from 1968. The collection includes comments on Stalin, the post-Stalin Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and the 1956 uprisings in Poland and Hungary. The documents also broadly cover his opinions on various states, nations, the Soviet Union, and socialism." ("Nikita Khrushchev collection", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Nikita Khrushchev collection" (n.d.) and ("Nikita Khrushchev collection", n.d.)
Reference list / Bibliography: Nikita Khrushchev collection. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/54/nikita-khrushchev-collection

Leader of the Soviet Union from 1964 -1982 Level 1 Articles

Leonid Brezhnev (Britannica High, n.d.)
"During the 1970s Brezhnev attempted to normalize relations between West Germany and the Warsaw Pact and to ease tensions with the United States through the policy known as détente. At the same time, he saw to it that the Soviet Union’s military-industrial complex was greatly expanded and modernized." ("Leonid Brezhnev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Leonid Brezhnev", (n.d.) or ("Leonid Brezhnev", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: Leonid Brezhnev. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Leonid-Brezhnev/16402
Leonid Illyich Brezhnev (CWIHP, n.d.)
"Soviet Premier from 1964-1982. Brezhnev asserted the USSR’s right to intervene in the affairs of other socialist states, referred to as the “Brezhnev Doctrine.”" ("Leonid Brezhnev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Leonid Illyich Brezhnev" (n.d.) and ("Leonid Illyich Brezhnev", n.d.)
Reference list / Bibliography: Leonid Illyich Brezhnev. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/cold-war-history/leonid-illyich-brezhnev

Level 1 Articles Soviet premier [leader] from March 1985-1991.

Mikhail Gorbachev (Britannica High, n.d.)
"Mikhail Gorbachev... Soviet official, the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1985 to 1991 and president of the Soviet Union in 1990–91. His efforts to democratize his country’s political system and decentralize its economy led to the downfall of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991." ("Mikhail Gorbachev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Mikhail Gorbachev", (n.d.) or ("Mikhail Gorbachev", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: Mikhail Gorbachev. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Mikhail-Gorbachev/37405
Mikhail Gorbachev (CWIHP, n.d.)
"Soviet premier from March 1985-1991. Gorbachev instituted the reform programs “perestroika” and “glasnost”, and negotiated and argued for an end to the arms race." ("Mikhail Gorbachev", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Mikhail Gorbachev" (n.d.) and ("Mikhail Gorbachev", n.d.)
Reference list / Bibliography: Mikhail Gorbachev. (n.d.). In Cold War International History Project [CWIHP]. Wilson Center Digital Archive. Retrieved from https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/resource/cold-war-history/mikhail-gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev (Gorbachev Foundation, n.d.)

Cold War | Russia: Key events

Level 1 Articles

Khrushchev’s secret speech (Britannica High, n.d.)
"Khrushchev’s secret speech, (February 25, 1956), in Russian history, denunciation of the deceased Soviet leader Joseph Stalin made by Nikita S. Khrushchev to a closed session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The speech was the nucleus of a far-reaching de-Stalinization campaign intended to destroy the image of the late dictator as an infallible leader and to revert official policy to an idealized Leninist model." ("Khrushchev’s secret speech", n.d.)

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Reference / citation: "Khrushchev’s secret speech", (n.d.) or ("Khrushchev’s secret speech", n.d.)
Reference list / bibliography: "Khrushchev’s secret speech", (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://bt-libproxy.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/levels/high/article/Khrushchevs-secret-speech/97368

The real secret of Khrushchev's speech (Parfitt T, 2006, February 25)
"It was the evening of February 25 1956. Unexpectedly, delegates at the 20th congress of the Communist party had been ushered into a final, closed session at central committee headquarters in Moscow. When the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, took the tribune and began to speak, some members of the audience fainted. Others clawed their heads in despair. Most could not believe their ears.", (Parfitt T, 2006, February 25)

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Reference / citation: Parfitt T., (2006, February 25) or (Parfitt T., 2006, February 25)
Reference list / Bibliography: Parfitt T. (2006, February 25). The real secret of Khrushchev's speech [World news]. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/feb/24/russ ia.tomparfitt

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Cold War: Russia

Resource Key

LEVEL

LEVEL

LEVEL

General Capabilities

Enduring Understandings

Essential Questions

Quick Links

Cold War | Russia: Introduction

Cold War | Russia: key people

Cold War | Russia: Key events

Source