Foreign Policy Research Institute A Nation Must Think Before it Acts The Cold War in Korea: Korean War

The Cold War in Korea: Korean War

1. This week we will discuss the events that led to the Cold War and the first “Hot War” conflict of the Cold War with the War in Korea.
2. So that we can analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. CC RH.9-10.3
3. We will know we got it when 80% of all students have demonstrated mastery of the subject at hand based on our weekly assessment scores.
4. It’s important I learn this because these past events are interconnected to the global world in which we live

Explain how Mao Zedong and the communists gained power in China
Identify areas associated with US containment policies
Recognize US Cold War foreign policies
Describe the causes and progresses of the war in Korea
Read and interpret Cold War documents
Describe the causes, course, and consequences of the Korean War, including the 38th parallel, Inchon, the entry of the Communist Chinese, the power struggle between MacArthur and President Truman and the final disposition of the Koreas
Identify the long term effects of the Korean War

Day 1:
Daily Vocabulary Word: communism
Daily Speednote: What is the difference between a “cold war” and a “hot war”?
Knowledge and Comprehension: TLW: Identify the following terms-
Jiang Jieshi Douglas MacArthur
Mao Zedong limited war
38th parallel SEATO
Application: Audio Analysis-Witness History CD- General Lewis B. Puller; 5 US Navy Crosses
Discussion Questions:
1. What is a Navy Cross?
2. Who is General Lewis B Puller?
3. What is significant about the situation currently facing the General and his troops during the Audio Analysis?
4. Why does the General make light of the situation or make a joke at such an intense time?
5. How would you have responded if you were faced with the same situation?
Whole Group Discussion – Student reaction & Student perspective of Korean War General Puller Audio Presentation
Visual Analysis Color Transparency- The Korean War-Written response of a visual analysis from actual images from the Korean War-3 Images
Analysis: Witness History Video: A Land Divided: The Korean War-Oral Response and Student Handheld Response Board based on ½ of film footage presented during this lesson.

Day 2:
Daily Vocabulary Word: containment
Daily Speednote: What is your idea of freedom?
Application: Witness History CD- General Lewis B. Puller; 5 US Navy Crosses
Discussion Questions:
1. What type of leader do you assume of General Puller?
2. What do you believe to be the type of relationship between a soldier and a general during battle?
3. What do you expect to be the outcome for General Puller and his troops?

Day 3:
Daily Vocabulary Word: stalemate
Daily Speednote: What do you believe are the benefits of communism?
Knowledge and Comprehension: TLW: Identify the rules and regulations of debate
Application: Debate in Action Great Debaters in History: Presidential Debates
Analysis: TLW participate in a hands-on debate forum.
• The goal of this activity is to serve as the Korean War of Words
• After 2 two days of intense fact finding, about the ideas of capitalism vs communism, students will battle and settle the stalemate of the Korean War through the Korean War of Words
• Students will be divided into groups of three and broken down further into two groups within the three units.
• Students will interact and practice with a moderator and time keeper in preparation for the final rounds of debates on Monday
• Mondays Final Debates will settle the years long stalemate and establish a unified Korea in our classroom through the Korean War of Words

Korean Society Debate Project Preparation:
NOTE* Please utilize detailed Debate Lesson Plan for further implementation of debate activities-This is Day One of Four
• Whiteboard Daily Agenda/Bellwork Activity
• Debate Introduction & Class Presentation on review of Korean War, communism, capitalism and policy of containment with student handout
• Demonstration of a short constructive speech and a rebuttal
• Student volunteers demonstrate debate tactic in sample media presentation
• Student volunteers in class attempt to demonstrate debate tactic in class example presentation
• Class division into groups of four and further group break down
• Student volunteers in class attempt to demonstrate debate tactic in class example presentation
• Class Wrap Up & Exit Ticket Activity

Day 4:
Daily Vocabulary Word: 38th parallel
Daily Speednote: What if America had a “38th parallel”, what would it be like to have our country divided into two individual nations?

Korean Society Debate Project Preparation:
NOTE* Please utilize detailed Debate Lesson Plan for further implementation of debate activities-This is Day Two of Four
• Whiteboard Daily Agenda/Bellwork Activity
• Teacher allows students to move back into identified teams, prepares additional debate footage for viewing and begins to model the thought process of assembling a constructive speech and rebuttal
• Identifies and presents completed sample responses while receiving student questions
• Student groups demonstrate and engage in preparing constructive and rebuttal responses for class debate
• Monitor and guide class discussions to ensure adequate progress
• Student groups volunteer sample speeches during one on one session with instructor
• Class Wrap Up & Exit Ticket Activity

Day 5:
Daily Vocabulary Word: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Daily Speednote: Do you think the government spies on Americans? If so, how and why?
Korean Society Debate Project Preparation:
NOTE* Please utilize detailed Debate Lesson Plan for further implementation of debate activities-This is Day Three of Four
• Whiteboard Daily Agenda/Bellwork Activity
• Students move into group assignments/Judging Process introduced
• Demonstration of a class judging process-all students will engage in the judging process by scoring the presenting teams that currently take the floor
• Student groups demonstrate judging process by judging sample debate footage shown on day one to demonstrate mastery
• Students Debates begin with the first topic pulled at random and that team presents while all other students utilize student judging forms
• *NOTE each student should be allowed to judge two groups and participate in one debate round
• Class scoring session for the first debate round
• Class Wrap Up & Exit Ticket Activity

Day 6:
Korean Society Debate Project Preparation:
NOTE* Please utilize detailed Debate Lesson Plan for further implementation of debate activities-This is Day Four of Four
• Whiteboard Daily Agenda/Bellwork Activity
• Students move into group assignments/Judging Process introduced
• Students Debates begin with the first topic pulled at random and that team presents while all other students utilize student judging forms
• *NOTE each student should be allowed to judge two groups and participate in one debate round
• Class scoring session for the debate round
• Class wrap up and announce that assessment will be 2 Days After Debate Activity Completion

Students will work in groups to tackle a large scale research project that delves deep into the Korean War and will culminate with a series of small debates presented by various members of the group representing both North & South Korea.

Author
  • Brandi Love
  • Shelby County Schools-Kirby High School
Related History Institute
Grade Level
  • High School: 9, 10, 11, 12
Time Frame
  • 6 lessons

If you have any questions about this lesson plan, or if you wish to contact the author, please email us at history@fpri.org