The Cold War is a complicated period. So this lesson takes us back to the start and strips the Cold War down to its ideological core by analysing the rivalry between the US and the USSR, or rather, the rivalry between Capitalism and Communism.

This lesson contains:

• A study of the features and characteristics of Communism and Capitalism, both in terms of the ideological theories as well as how they were applied by the US and the USSR.
• An analysis of the main criticisms – and fears – that the US and the USSR had of each other’s political and social systems.
• An opportunity for students to evaluate and critique Communism as applied by the USSR and Capitalism as applied by the US.