“When he reflected later in life on why, as a young man, he chose to enlist during wartime, Carlos Martinez said that avoiding service was never an option, not for his community and not for himself. In the mid-1960s, the United States had begun fighting the Soviet-supported North Vietnamese as par

Alan Harvie and John “Sarge” Ransome served about the SS Honomu sailing the Murmansk Run to the Soviet Union.  Listen to their story, and then study the supporting primary sources to answer the discussion questions. This resource is part of a series called “Maritime Voices: Merchant Ma

Spud Campbell was a Merchant Mariner who served on a Liberty Ship carrying supplies to help the Soviet Union fight Germany on the Eastern Front.  Listen to his oral history, and then study the supporting primary sources to answer the discussion questions. This resource is part of a series ca

In this lesson plan students will examine primary sources to determine the level of threat caused by the buildup of Soviet nuclear missiles and weapons sites in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis and will analyze President Kennedy’s response.  This resource was produced to accompany the

In this online exhibition, students will learn how fear of Soviet domination galvanized reform in science and math education during the 1950's and 60's. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. In order win the "Space Race", the Uni

These skates were worn by Phil Verchota (number 27), a member of the underdog 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that astounded the world by capturing the Gold Medal at Lake Placid, New York. While it was the win against the Finns that cinched the Gold, the defeat of the Soviet team in the semifinals

This cardboard CARE package, contains seven smaller boxes and bags of macaroni, cornmeal, Carnation instant chocolate flavored drink mix, and nonfat dried milk. It has a paper insert reading "August 6, 1962. Greetings from the men of the U.S.S. Lake Champlain." The macaroni boxes are marked "Pack

Students will learn about the United States' role as the world's only superpower folling the collapse of the Soviet Union, American involvement in the Persian Gulf War, the global war on terrorism that began with the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the invasion of Iraq in this section of the&nb

Students will learn how a "cold war" between the United States and the Soviet Union began after World War II in this section of the online exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. Americans led Western efforts to contain Communism. The Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlif

Students will learn how Americans joined the Allies to defeat Axis militarism and nationalist expansion. Sixteen million Americans donned uniforms in this section of the online exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. The millions more who stayed home comprised a vast civilian