During World War II, the Soviet Union was portrayed as a key ally in the fight against fascism through posters, films, and newspaper headlines. But by the late 1940s, that alliance had shifted, and the Soviet Union was seen as an enemy. While the U.S. and Soviet Union never fought directly, they spent decades locked in a propaganda war. Media such as films, radio, newspapers, political cartoons, and comics played a major role in shaping how Americans saw the Soviet Union and communism. This activity challenges students to explore the question: How can the media define an enemy? By analyzing various sources, students will consider how the media influenced public perceptions of the Soviet Union and fueled anti-communist sentiment in the U.S.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
How can the media define an enemy?
Standards
D2.His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
Instructional Snapshot
Class begins with a discussion of Source A, a World War II poster. The teacher helps students consider the poster’s message and its connection to the war. The teacher then explains how shortly after World War II ended, the Cold War began, turning former allies into enemies almost immediately.
Next, the teacher models the formative performance task with the class using Source B. Students view the video as a class and track how each source portrayed the Soviet Union and/or communism by responding to the prompts on the graphic organizer. Then, students hypothesize how this representation of the Soviet Union would have impacted public perception in the United States.
Students then work in pairs to analyze the remaining sources before discussing the compelling question: How can the media define an enemy? Students summarize their conclusions on the graphic organizer.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Create a list of messages conveyed about the Soviet Union and communism.
PRODUCE: Hypothesize how the portrayal of the Soviet Union by the media impacted public perception.
DELIBERATE: Engage in a discussion about the compelling question: How can the media define an enemy?
Sources
Source Set: Cold War Propaganda
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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