Contextualization

The Cold War, a period that extended from 1945 until the early 1990s, was a global tension episode that marked the history of the 20th century. This conflict marked the division of the world between two powers: the United States and the Soviet Union, representing, respectively, capitalist and communist ideologies.

However, this war, called 'cold', was not characterized by direct battles between the two superpowers, but by constant threats of a nuclear war and by indirect conflicts, such as the Space Race, the Arms Race, and the various proxy wars that occurred around the world.

Understanding the Cold War is not only about understanding the history of the 20th century, but also about understanding current geopolitical tensions and the formation of the world as we know it today. International relations, political ideologies, the dispute for technological advancement, and even pop culture were deeply shaped by this conflict.

Through this project, we hope that you develop a critical understanding of the period. To assist in research, we recommend the following resources:

1. Book 'Cold War - Between the Cross and the Sickle', by Rodrigo Medina Zagni.
2. Website 'History of the World' (www.historiadomundo.com.br/guerrafria/), section dedicated to the Cold War.
3. Documentaries available on the YouTube platform, such as 'BBC's Cold War'.
4. Museum websites, such as the Cold War Museum in Berlin (www.mauermuseum.de) and the National Museum of American History (www.americanhistory.si.edu), section dedicated to the Cold War.

Practical Activity: The Cold War - A Board of Strategy

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the events and geopolitical complexities of the Cold War through the creation of a strategic board game. This project will integrate the disciplines of Geography, focusing on the geographical and ideological division of the world, and History, through the study of the events that shaped the decades from 1945 to 1991.

Project Description

Each group of 3 to 5 students will be responsible for designing and creating a board game representing the Cold War. The game must be strategic, involve decision-making, and incorporate key aspects of the conflict, such as the Arms Race, the Space Race, the Proxy War, and the Irony of Fate.

Required Materials

1. Cardboard or cardboard for the base of the board.
2. Colored paper to represent different territories and events.
3. Markers, colored pens, and pencils.
4. Ruler or tape measure.
5. Scissors and glue.

Step by Step

1. Research: Before starting the creation of the board, students must conduct in-depth research on the Cold War, using the sources suggested in the contextualization. This research should cover, at a minimum, the four key topics: Arms Race, Space Race, Proxy Wars, and Irony of Fate. They must understand how these events fit into the overall context of the Cold War.

2. Game Planning: Students must plan how the game will work. They must decide on the rules, the game structure, how moves will be made, and how key aspects of the Cold War will be represented.

3. Board Creation: With the game base planned, students must build the game board. The board must somehow represent the division of the world between East and West and must include spaces or areas dedicated to key events of the Cold War.

4. Game Testing: Groups should dedicate time to play and test the game, making adjustments as necessary so that the game is both fun and educational.

Project Delivery

At the end of the project development, the group must write a detailed report, following the structure of Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography used.

In the introduction, the group must contextualize the Cold War, its historical relevance, and the importance of studying the subject.

In the development, the group must describe in detail the activity, including the methodology used, the theory applied, the game planning, the board construction, and the execution of the test. They must also present and discuss the results obtained, how the game contributed to the understanding of Cold War events, and which aspects of the conflict were best represented in the game.

In the conclusion, the group must summarize the main points of the work, explaining the learnings obtained and the conclusions drawn from the project.

In the bibliography, the group must indicate all the sources they used to work on the project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.