Take a look at this map showing the NATO alliance (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States) and the Soviet Bloc nations of Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia, which formed the Warsaw Pact nations. Which one do you think was more powerful? What do you notice about how these groups are positioned? Who is included and who is not?

Answer these questions in your notes.

For many years people around the world lived in fear that these two super powers would go to war and destroy the world.

A special purpose map showing which nations were part of NATO and which ones were Warsaw Pact.

Source: NATO vs Warsaw (1949-1990), Wikimedia

Video segment. Assistance may be required. Watch this brief video on the history of the Cold War.

Source: History of the Cold War, hoveringmooseman, YouTube

The build-up of the NATO Alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations was what led to the Cold War. This was a very scary time in history. Is the world a better place now?

Record your thoughts on this and any other issues covered in the lesson.