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Unit 8 Overview: Cold War and Decolonization

Unit 8 Overview: Cold War and Decolonization

After 1945, a new conflict emerged between former World War II allies. At the same time, many colonized peoples fought a renewed struggle for independence. What connections linked the Cold War and decolonization?

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.

Key Ideas

Think about the following questions as you watch the video


  1. 01:20 How did the Cold War impact the city of Cuito Cuanavale?
  2. 02:40 What nations became superpowers after World War II?
  3. 03:37 Why did many formerly colonized regions demand independence after World War II?
  4. 04:39 How can the Cold War be described in relation to the themes of governance, economics, cultural developments and interactions, and social interactions and organization?
  5. 05:44 Why didn’t the US and USSR engage each other in a “hot” war, or direct conflict, during this period?
  6. 07:32 How did soldiers from Cuba and South Africa end up fighting in the Angolan Civil War?