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The Cold War
This book examines one of the most significant eras of turmoil in the 20th century. Read will learn everything from how East Germans escaped over the Berlin Wall, to how the United States and Russia spied on each other during the Cold War.
- GenresHistory
48 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2001
14 people want to read
About the author
David Taylor
720 books22 followersThere is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
For the veterinarian, please see David Taylor
For the veterinarian, please see David Taylor
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 18, 2016
It's always interesting to read history that covers a time period in which you lived. Taylor has done a good job of explaining how the cold war developed and detailing it's various key events and leaders. The strength of this account is its thorough timeline. The often overlooked atrocities of Stalin and Mao are documented, as well as the attempts by Iron Curtain contained Eastern European countries to either demand more freedoms within the Soviet system or throw off their restraints entirely. Proxy conflicts are well addressed. Gains and losses by each side are illuminated without strident judgement. There is a sincere attempt to articulate the Soviet position.
Though Taylor attains an objective journalistic examination throughout much of the book, his kid gloves treatment of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, admiration for Gorbachev, and disgust for Reagan undermine the generally moderate tone. An editorial error allows repetitive mention of which US Presidents were Republican without a corresponding diligence about noting the political party of Democrats. This was odd. Given his disdain for Reagan in the latter pages, it seems reasonable to assume that the Republican label is intended to tip us off to some level of incompetence. At times, the author is a bit too sensational. One would get the impression that all families across the USA were "building nuclear shelters in their gardens." While I remember nuclear war being discussed throughout my childhood, and I'm sure it consumed the minds of the government elites living in the Beltway (a prime target), I don't think normal folks were as consumed as the text would indicate. Perhaps the inability to influence events frees us mere mortals from obsessing over them? Finally, the text seems to place a bit too much confidence in the UN (which has shown to be ineffectual in recent years) as a solution for avoiding the Cold War scenario of two conflicting super powers exercising their world view.
Interested students of higher grade levels will want more details on all the events covered, but I appreciated how this book brought together an overall big picture timeline for the tensions between the USA and Soviet Russia. I especially liked the inclusion of non-violent conflict as each country made an effort to assert the dominance of their world view through success in the Olympics and the space race. This is an excellent starting point for younger students' first encounter with this thread of the twentieth century. Although the author concludes that the Cold War has passed, I would argue this recent history is shaping international relationships in the present day, a reality that lends additional importance to exposure to these events.
Though Taylor attains an objective journalistic examination throughout much of the book, his kid gloves treatment of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, admiration for Gorbachev, and disgust for Reagan undermine the generally moderate tone. An editorial error allows repetitive mention of which US Presidents were Republican without a corresponding diligence about noting the political party of Democrats. This was odd. Given his disdain for Reagan in the latter pages, it seems reasonable to assume that the Republican label is intended to tip us off to some level of incompetence. At times, the author is a bit too sensational. One would get the impression that all families across the USA were "building nuclear shelters in their gardens." While I remember nuclear war being discussed throughout my childhood, and I'm sure it consumed the minds of the government elites living in the Beltway (a prime target), I don't think normal folks were as consumed as the text would indicate. Perhaps the inability to influence events frees us mere mortals from obsessing over them? Finally, the text seems to place a bit too much confidence in the UN (which has shown to be ineffectual in recent years) as a solution for avoiding the Cold War scenario of two conflicting super powers exercising their world view.
Interested students of higher grade levels will want more details on all the events covered, but I appreciated how this book brought together an overall big picture timeline for the tensions between the USA and Soviet Russia. I especially liked the inclusion of non-violent conflict as each country made an effort to assert the dominance of their world view through success in the Olympics and the space race. This is an excellent starting point for younger students' first encounter with this thread of the twentieth century. Although the author concludes that the Cold War has passed, I would argue this recent history is shaping international relationships in the present day, a reality that lends additional importance to exposure to these events.
November 13, 2015
If you're really interested in reading historical non-fiction books, you should read this one. Filled with lots of information about the Cold War in dept, it focuses on the wars in North Korea, Berlin, Vietnam and Cuba. It also had lots of graphics supporting the text, maps to explain the given information. Overall, this book has given me lots of background information on the Cold War.
March 28, 2017
1. 4th-6th grade
2. This book is an informational text about the cold war. It is lengthy book and has a table of contents. It also has real photos and maps, as well as a glossary in the back.
3. I would have this book in my classroom with other informational books. I like how this book has a lot of information on the cold war, as well as many pictures, graphs and comic strips that go along with it. This would be a great book to use as a reference tool.
4. I would use this book for a research paper that I would assign my students. I would allow one child to choose The Cold War, and have them use this book for their paper.
2. This book is an informational text about the cold war. It is lengthy book and has a table of contents. It also has real photos and maps, as well as a glossary in the back.
3. I would have this book in my classroom with other informational books. I like how this book has a lot of information on the cold war, as well as many pictures, graphs and comic strips that go along with it. This would be a great book to use as a reference tool.
4. I would use this book for a research paper that I would assign my students. I would allow one child to choose The Cold War, and have them use this book for their paper.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews