In this activity, you'll look at a list of leaders who influenced the course of the Cold War. You'll then research their
accomplishments from 1945 to 1991. The leaders in this group all served at various times during the Cold War and
represented nations that had atomic weapons. Therefore, their actions could have brought about the end of the world as
we know it.
Look at the descriptions of each leader in the table. Add the name of the correct leader next to each description. You've
already read about most of these leaders in the lessons in this unit. However, it's okay if you need to research them
further to clarify their achievements. Here is the list of leaders you will use to complete this activity:
• Ronald Reagan
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Margaret Thatcher
• Nikita Khrushchev
• Harry S. Truman
• Josef Stalin
• Mikhail Gorbachev
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Leader
Description
I challenged the Soviet Union to tear down the Berlin Wall. I also maintained a hard line against Communism
I made the decision to drop the atomic bomb, but I also became known for the Marshall Plan and Doctrine of Containment.
I began the Cold War in Europe by creating the Communist Bloc. I also stole atomic secrets for the United States and built my own bomb, thus
escalating tension in the early Cold War.
My administration created the idea of brinkmanship-going to the brink of nuclear war to achieve our aims
My policies were designed to give more personal and economic freedom to people in the Soviet Union. I had good relations with many leaders in the
Western Bloc
I was good friends with the leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States and helped end the Cold War by bringing them together,
pulled missiles out of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and prevented the Cold War from escalating into a nuclear war.