Origin Stories: NATO & the Warsaw Pact

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in 1949. The primary goal of this "league" was to ensure security against incursions from the Soviet Union and to prevent the expansion of communism across Europe. It was built on the idea of shared interests and cooperation between the United States, Canada, and Western European nations.

Much like NATO, the first official 'Justice League' was founded when 'Super Friends' Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Superman, Batman, Martian Manhunter, Flash, and Green Lantern united to stop an invasion of alien warriors. Following the victory, Batman suggested forming a "club," which the Flash named a "league against evil." They would later meet in their headquarters, named the "Hall of Justice."

The Warsaw Pact represented the organized opposition to NATO. A defining feature of the Warsaw Pact was the Soviet Union’s control over its "satellite states" in Eastern Europe. This mirrors the structure of the Legion of Doom (or Injustice League), which is often depicted as a collection of powerful villains working under Lex Luther, Superman's singular, dominant nemesis.

 

1) How did the United States become a 'Superpower?' What was our origin story?

2) What are the similarities/ differences between NATO & the 'Justice League?' 

Between the Warssaw Pact and the 'Legion of Doom?'

3) What are the benefits of being part of NATO?  Risks?

4) How has NATO evolved & changed over the decades?

5) In your opinion should the United States continue to lead NATO? Why/ Not? What does President Trump think?

Its a Bird... Its a Plane.... Its....

SUPERMAN!

Superman (Kal-El) is an iconic alien superhero created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first appearing in Action Comics #1 in 1938. Sent from the dying planet Krypton to Earth, he was raised in Kansas as Clark Kent by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent. He uses his sun-powered abilities—flight, strength, and heat vision—to protect humanity while working as a reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. 

Over the years Superman has come to represent truth, justice, and the 'American Way!' Perhaps the most famous of the War Year's comics is Superman #17 (July-Aug 1942). On that cover, Superman is shown standing on the Earth, holding both Hitler and the Japanese Emperor by the scruff of their necks and giving them a good shake as if that would put sense back into their heads. While Superman's storyline intentionally avoided much of WWII (Clark Kent was declared unfit for the draft after failing his eye exam; He was reading the chart in the next room with his x-ray vision) the Man of Steel did face the Japanese on the big screen.

This lesson explores the Cold War by using Superman as a central metaphor to explain complex historical tensions. The curriculum will help us understand the ideological struggle between capitalism and communism by comparing nations to heroes and villains. Key concepts like the arms race, proxy wars, and the space race are reframed as competitive displays of power and indirect confrontations. Beyond simple definitions, you are encouraged to critically evaluate the U.S. self-image as a global protector and recognize the limitations of such a heroic narrative.

How does the Superman metaphor explain the Cold War arms race? 

What superpowers does Superman have?

If a country were a superhero, what powers would it need to protect the world?

How did the United States become a Superpower?

What are the dangers of a nation seeing itself as a hero?

In what ways might the superhero metaphor be historically misleading?

 If Lex Luther was Superman's nemesis, who was the United States' nemesis?

 How might the Soviet Union's self-image differ from the villain role?

What if Superman had landed in the USSR and not Kansas? How would the plot/metaphor change?

If you could have superpowers, what would they be (flying, strength, shooting webs)? 

Would you use them for good or evil?

Did you know Superman was created in Ohio?

Will Superman end his US citizenship?!

Will the story ever get old?

The Wall

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Within a short period of time after the war, living conditions in West Germany and East Germany became distinctly different. With the help and support of its occupying powers, West Germany set up a capitalist society and experienced such a rapid growth of their economy that it became known as the "economic miracle." With hard work, individuals living in West Germany were able to live well, buy gadgets and appliances, and to travel as they wished. Nearly the opposite was true in East Germany. Since the Soviet Union had viewed their zone as a spoil of war, the Soviets pilfered factory equipment and other valuable assets from their zone and shipped them back to the Soviet Union.

When East Germany became its own country, it was under the direct influence of the Soviet Union and thus a Communist society was established. In East Germany, the economy dragged and individual freedoms were severely restricted. By the late 1950s, many people living in East Germany wanted out. No longer able to stand the repressive living conditions of East Germany, they would pack up their bags and head to West Berlin. Although some of them would be stopped on their way, hundreds of thousands of others made it across the border. Once across, these refugees were housed in warehouses and then flown to West Germany. Many of those who escaped were young, trained professionals. By the early 1960s, East Germany was rapidly losing both its labor force and its population. Having already lost 2.5 million people by 1961, East Germany desperately needed to stop this mass exodus.

The obvious leak was the easy access East Germans had to West Berlin. With the support of the Soviet Union, there had been several attempts to simply take over West Berlin in order to eliminate this exit point. Although the Soviet Union even threatened the United States with the use of nuclear weapons over this issue, the United States and other Western countries were committed to defending West Berlin. Desperate to keep its citizens, East Germany decided to build a wall to prevent them from crossing the border.

WATCH THE MOVIE HERE

 How was the Wall both a physical and ideological barrier?

Silver Parachute

We are probably all familiar with the Silver Parachutes from Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games.

The parachutes are small, drone-like devices used by sponsors to deliver essential, high-cost gifts (food, medicine, weapons) to tributes in the arena. These parachutes symbolize sponsor favor and are crucial for survival. They are considered last-minute, unforeseen gifts.  

What would your 'Silver Parachute' bring?  Who would sponsor you?

    Post-war Germany was divided into three sections--the Allied part was controlled by the United States, Great Britain, and France, and another part by the Soviet Union. The city of Berlin, although located in the eastern Soviet half, was also divided into four sectors -West Berlin occupied by Allied interests and East Berlin occupied by the Soviets. In June 1948, the Soviet Union attempted to control all of Berlin by cutting surface traffic to and from the city of West Berlin. Starving out the population and cutting off their business was their method of gaining control. 

    The Marshall Plan was a U.S.-led initiative that provided over $13 billion ($143 billion in 2017 dollars) in economic assistance to 16 Western European nations, proposed by Secretary of State George Marshall. It aimed to rebuild war-torn economies, curb the spread of communism, and foster trade. As part of the Marshall Plan, the Truman administration responded with a daily airlift that brought much-needed food and supplies into the city of West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift lasted until the end of September 1949, although on May 12, 1949, the Soviet government yielded and lifted the blockade.

How did the airlift affect West German attitudes toward the United States and 'contain' the spread of Communism?

Imagine you are a child in Postwar West Berlin.  Write a 'Thank You' like the ones in the story to "Uncle Wiggly Wings."

Does the End Justify the Means?

The survivors of the atomic bombing were scarred for life, mentally and physically. No passage of time, however long, can relieve their memories. The scars on their faces, hands, and legs bear witness to that. In the vicissitudes of the last forty years, they must have struggled with recurring memories of their fears. The event at Hiroshima did not end in 1945; but began a new historical era leading toward the twenty-first century. It is certain that Hiroshima still exists in each one of us.

Given that the Atomic Bomb literally vaporized thousands of people its amazing that anything survived. These items found amidst the ruins of Hiroshima offer a startling reminder of the destructiveness of the bomb; not just on buildings and bridges but on real people.

1) What did you learn from listening to the survivors?

2)Was the attack on Hiroshima a crime against humanity?

3) Does this story change your original opinion about the bomb? Why/ not?

4) How many nuclear attacks have happened since?

5) Why are these stories and images important in preventing future nuclear attacks?

Mother Do You Think They'll Drop the Bomb?

The United States government secretly spent billions of dollars on a program code-named the Manhattan Project.  Its highest national priority: developing an atomic bomb.  The project was encouraged by Albert Einstein himself and led by J Robert Oppenheimer.   In a barren desert in New Mexico, on the morning of July 16, 1945,  the bomb was tested.  The flash of light could be seen 180 miles away.

President Truman did not agonize over the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. For the President abstract ethical issues did not outweigh very real American lives and an opportunity to end the war. Later some historians would condemn Truman's decision. What would you have done?

"Little Boy" was the codename for the type of atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 by the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., commander of the 509th Composite Group of the United States Army Air Forces. It was the first atomic bomb to be used in warfare. TheHiroshima bombing was the second artificial nuclear explosion in history, after the Trinity test, and the first uranium-based detonation. It exploded with an energy of approximately 15 kilotons of TNT (63 TJ). The bomb caused significant destruction to the city of Hiroshima.

Did the pilots regret their role in the mission?  How would they live with the guilt?

Did the Japanese immediately surrender? What happened next?

Bushido

 How do you defeat an enemy who will not surrender?

There are countless stories of the Japanese 'kamakazi' pilots who would rather die themselves than give up. On Iwo Jima, a 5-mile-long desolate island rock 650 miles southeast of Tokyo, more than 23,000 marines became casualties.  The fight for Okinawa was even deadlier as many Japanese troops readily killed themselves. The Japanese fought by a code they thought was right: 'Bushido' The way of the Samurai warrior.

 How was this code different from the more Western idea of 'Chivalry?'

 Who was Hiroo Onoda?

 Who would win:  Knight vs. Samurai?