This is a multi-day class that meets 5 times in 5 live meetings. Students will learn about the History of the Cold War from 1945 to 1991, with a short overview of the rise of communism and the formation of the Soviet Union from Marx to Lenin and Stalin.

The instructor brings a vast amount of experience and background in Cold War History having maintained close professional and personal relationships with senior United States Government officials from the Cold War era. This is an interactive class. It is mainly lecture style, but students are encouraged to participate, ask questions, and make comments and contributions to class. Class includes photos, slides, screen sharing, and video components.

Our study of the history of the Cold War will be broken down into 5 parts.

Part 1:
World War II Ends, World War III begins. Back-up to give background on Marx, Lenin, Stalin. Europe divided, The Berlin Wall.

Part 2:
The Race. Arms Race, Space Race, Olympic Race. Competing Empires, Competing Systems, Political Propaganda

Part 3:
Cuban Missile Crisis, Mutually Assured Destruction, Detente

Part 4:
Global Struggle: Communism vs Capitalism in Korea, Vietnam, Asia, Central America and Africa

Part 5:
Reagan, Gorbachev and the Collapse of the Soviet Union

Students will learn the main events of this time period and the leaders who defined the era.