Other
Detailed History of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
This site examines the events of the Hungarian Revolution. It includes a timeline and glossary of events, people, and groups, and other organizations.
Federation of American Scientists
Fas: Intelligence Resource Program: U 2 Spy Plane
Complete history and information page from the development of the U-2 to the present day. Includes great illustrations and helpful tables.
Other
Hellenic Resources Network: Helsinki Final Act 1975
This primary document is a copy of the Helsinki Agreements of 1975 which recognized the borders in central and Eastern Europe that were set up since the end of WWII. They show the acceptance of the Soviet influence in Eastern Europe. and...
Federation of American Scientists
Fas: Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (Inf)
A comprehensive guide to the control of weapons of mass destruction highlighting the INF Treaty. Provides detailed provisions of the treaty, a timetable, and a copy of the actual text.
Other
Seattle Times: Fifty Years From Trinity
This article from the Seattle Times describes the dawning of the atomic age. Illustrates the events of the detonation of the first atomic bomb in Trinity, New Mexico, just before the Hiroshima bomb.
Other
Cloud Over Cuba: The Cuban Missile Crisis and What Might Have Been
Interactive documentary on JFK's role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Resource will not work in Firefox internet browser.
Other
Cpsu: J. Edgar Hoover Huac Testimony
Read the testimony of J. Edgar Hoover before the House Un-American Activities Committee where he explains the destructive nature of Communists in the United States.
Yale University
Avalon Project: The U2 Incident 1960
Collection of primary documents released by Soviet and American governments regarding the downing of an American military spy plane flown by Gary Powers over the USSR.
Yale University
Avalon Project: Truman Doctrine: Address Before Congress, March 12, 1947
A transcript of President Truman's speech delivered before a joint session of Congress outlining the need for financial assistance to Greece and Turkey for US influence in the region.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Nato's 60th Anniversary
NATO has put together a tremendous amount of information about the 60 years it has been in existence. The resource includes photos, videos, tv lectures about NATO, a timeline of events in each decade from 1949 to 2009, and copies of its...
Mount Holyoke College
International Relations: Nsc 68: United States Objectives for National Security
Primary source document of the National Security Council Document 68. (NSC-68)
Other
Everett Dirksen Papers, 1932 69
Collection of papers and notebooks of Everett Dirksen, an conservative politician and proponent of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Other
Chronik Der Wende: The Fall of the Wall
This resource follows the events pertaining to The Fall of the Berlin Wall between October 1989 until March of 1990. Just click on any day and you can read what happened that day and see pictures.
Other
American Institute of Physics: Soviet Physics, Nuclear Weapons, and Human Rights
A resource with extensive information on all aspects of Sakharov's life. Arranged chronologically.
National Geographic
National Geographic: The Impact of the Bay of Pigs Invasion on Fidel Castro
This lesson focuses on how the Bay of Pigs invasion influenced the attitude of Fidel Castro towards Kennedy and the United States. Includes role play, discussion, and research. Students then write a letter from Nikita Krushchev to Fidel...
National Geographic
National Geographic: 13 Days: President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis
This lesson focuses on the Cuban Missile Crisis from President Kennedy's perspective. Students role-play Kennedy's advisors over the critical 13-day period of the crisis, researching, discussing, and presenting the different policy...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Teaching Math & Science in Age of Sputnik
Why did the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik throw the fields of mathematics and science into tremendous demand in the United States? Find the many ways this revolutionary event impacted children from the 1950s to become the...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Magazine: Beyond the Wall: Berlin
Smithsonian Magazine correspondent Tom Mueller reflects on the legacy of the Berlin Wall. (June 2006)
OpenStax
Open Stax: Contesting Futures: America in the 1960s: The Kennedy Promise
Discusses Kennedy's rise to power and the challenges he faced from within the government, his focus on foreign policy, the conflict with Cuba, American involvement in Vietnam, support for racial equality and civil rights, and Kennedy's...
BBC
Bbc: The Soviet Union's Last Stand
1991 was a tumultuous year for the Soviet Union, filled with reform, an attempted coup, and eventual collapse of the empire. In this series of articles, explore the final days of the ailing Soviet Union.
Read Works
Read Works: Senator Joseph Mc Carthy's Speech Before the Senate on June 14, 1951
[Free Registration/Login Required] This PDF is an excerpt from Senator Joseph McCarthy's Speech before the Senate on June 14, 1951. It is part of Paired Texts (above the passage) with "Anti - Communism in the 1950s" by Wendy...
Read Works
Read Works: Internal Security Act of 1950
[Free Registration/Login Required] This ReadWorks passage provides a brief history of the International Security Act of 1950. A paired passage, a passage with related content, and a questions sheet are available to help students build...
Google Cultural Institute
Google Cultural Institute: Years of Dolce Vita
This pictorial collection looks at the era of the 'good life' in Italy including the fashion, food, cars, entertainment, art, and culture of the mid-twentieth century.
Teaching American History
Teaching American History: Executive Order 9835
Find the executive order from President Harry S. Truman which outlined the loyalty review program to examine the loyalty of federal employees. This was issued in response to anti-Communist hysteria at the time.