Unit 12: Iowa and the Cold War

How To Use This Page

On this page, you will find a curated collection of videos, resources, guides, and opportunities for exploration that are tied specifically to Iowa and the Cold War. Educators and lifelong learners can use the compelling and supporting questions to guide their learning and focus their exploration on the major topics. The lectures, videos, featured content, and readings can be completed at each learner's own pace and will provide necessary knowledge and background to craft and deliver Iowa History lessons in a K-12 classroom.

Compelling and Supporting Questions

Compelling and supporting questions are designed for each unit and the materials below will provide content and context for teachers, students, and lifelong learners.

Compelling Question

How did the Cold War affect Iowans?

Supporting Questions

1. What made the Cold War “cold”?
2. How did Iowans respond to Krushchev’s visit to Iowa?
3. How did Iowans respond to the Korean War?
4. How did Iowans contribute to the Vietnam War?
5. What role did Iowa's leaders and Iowans play in welcoming refugees?

Overview

At the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were the only two remaining superpowers in the world. Although they had been allies during the Second World War, their opposing economic and political systems meant the two nations became bitter rivals. The United States and the USSR settled into a long conflict known as the Cold War, which lasted until the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. During this period, the United States adopted a foreign policy that was focused on limiting the expansion of Soviet communism, known as the Containment Policy. This policy meant that the United States spent billions of dollars to support nations believed to be under threat of Soviet expansion. This took the form of robust foreign aid, such as the Marshall Plan that supported the rebuilding of post-World War II Western Europe, but also included military support in conflicts like the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1960s and 1970s).

Iowans participated in these conflicts as soldiers, civilians, and diplomats. Many Iowans served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, with everyday Iowans following the conflict not only through the news but through the experiences of their family members serving as soldiers, nurses, and in support roles in these very hot Cold War conflicts. Iowans also spoke out in opposition to these wars and others advocated for increased Civil Rights. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Tinker v. Des Moines proved to be a watershed moment for peaceful protest and student’s rights that is still referenced today. As the national Civil Rights movement came into focus in places like Montgomery, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia, women like Edna Griffin also won major victories for equal accommodations for Black Iowans. During this same era, everyday Iowans found themselves cast as diplomats hosting major world leaders, such as Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s 1959 visit to Iowa.

As the Cold War dragged on, Iowa’s politics shifted, both in response to the lingering conflicts and larger national trends, especially in the wake of the Watergate Scandal. In particular, the 1960s witnessed a resurgence of the Democratic Party in Iowa, which included the election of Governor (and later Senator) Harold Hughes, Senators Dick Clark and John Culver, and numerous U.S. Representatives. This marked the high point of the Democratic Party’s electoral success in a state that had been solidly Republican since the Civil War, aside from a few shifts during times of major strife in the 1890s and 1930s. Republican Robert Ray retook the governorship for the GOP in 1968 and it would remain in GOP hands for the next 30 years. Ray’s work to provide a home for refugees fleeing the violence in Southeast Asia in the wake of the Vietnam War brought the consequences of the Cold War home to Iowa.

Think Like a Historian

In this video, historian Cory Haala discusses historical thinking skills like corroboration, asking historical questions, using evidence, developing claims, and evaluating sources. 

Major Topics of Study

When learning about the Iowa and the Cold War, some of the key areas to cover might include:

• Cold War and the Red Scare
  • Khrushchev’s visit to Iowa
• Korean War
• Vietnam War
  • Harold Hughes and the end of the Vietnam War
  • Robert Ray and refugee resettlement
• Anti-War Movements
  • Tinker v. Des Moines
• Civil Rights Activism in Iowa

Notable Iowans

Exemplary and significant people in Iowa history from this time period could include many of the below figures. Wherever possible, links to Iowa's digital biography provide opportunities for further exploration.

Historic Sites

Iowa is full of valuable historic sites. The below sites provide opportunities to explore the value of place-based learning and the importance of storytelling through historic sites.

• Garst Family Farm

State Historical Society Objects, Documents, and Photos

Objects, documents, and photographs from the State Historical Society of Iowa are excellent catalysts for further inquiry in the classroom or for independent lifelong learners. 

Video Resources

If you are looking for longer, more detailed discussions or lectures related to the themes discussed in this unit, the following resources provide further context and information.

Further Reading

This curated collection of readings allow teachers, students, and lifelong learners to explored a curated collection of primary sources, articles, books, and essays that supplement and provide depth to the topics covered in this unit.