Cold War
Discover more about the Cold War and America’s military in the second half of the 20th century.
Jump to:
Virginians at War Films
Recorded Lectures and Lessons
Resources and Activities
Discover more about the Cold War and America’s military in the second half of the 20th century.
Jump to:
Virginians at War Films
Recorded Lectures and Lessons
Resources and Activities
Virginians at War: The Cold War covers the beginning of the Cold War with the Berlin Blockade in the late 1940s, the use of submarines and intelligence collection for both the United States and Soviet Union.
Resource packet for Virginians at War: Cold War coming soon.
Virginians at War: Cuban Missile Crisis details the 1962 event, described as the “most dangerous moment in human history.”
Resource packet for Virginians at War: Cuban Missile Crisis coming soon.
The Missing Chapter: Saigon to Desert Storm explains how the United States military recovered from Vietnam to face down the Soviet Union, win the Cold War, and achieve decisive victory in the Persian Gulf War.
If you are interested in scheduling a future lesson with the Virginia War Memorial Education Department (in person or via distance learning/outreach), please reach out to education@vawarmemorial.org.
Have you ever wondered what it is like to serve in the military? Hear first-hand accounts from those who took the oath of enlistment!
Aired August 5, 2020. Hear from two veterans of the US Coast Guard as they discuss their experiences in the Armed Forces during the Cold War era.
Aired October 13, 2020. Hear from a Navy veteran about his experiences during the Cold War.
Learn about history from those who have experienced it, and get a chance to view events through a unique lens!
Aired June 16, 2020. Join us for an interview with LCDR, USN (Ret) Robert Paylor as he describes his service during the Cold War and his personal recollections of Grenada and Beirut. In the early 1980s, LCDR Paylor piloted helicopters from the deck of the USS Guam.
Presentations by Virginia War Memorial staff members.
Aired October 26, 2020. Join Education Director Jim Triesler as he explores a decade of the Cold War from 1953 to 1963. Topics include: containment, Sputnik, the U-2 Incident, the Revolution in Cuba, the Berlin Wall, the Bay of Pigs, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. We will examine how these events were reported in the news, and what impact they had on ordinary Americans.
Cold War resources and activities coming soon.
