The Origins of the Cold War: The Iron Curtain
About This Worksheet
This worksheet explores the development of the Iron Curtain and its significance during the early Cold War period, focusing on key events and their chronological order.
Topics covered:
Worksheet Preview
Full preview • 6 questions
The Origins of the Cold War: The Iron Curtain
Untitled Worksheet
Introduction to the Iron Curtain
Source A: Winston Churchill's 'Sinews of Peace' Speech, 1946
'From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.' Provenance: Speech delivered by Winston Churchill at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri.
Chronology of Key Events
Source B: Timeline of Events (1945-1946)
- 1945: End of World War II; Allies occupy Germany.
- 1946: Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech in Fulton.
- 1946: Soviet forces tighten control over Eastern Europe.
- 1946: The Truman Doctrine announced, aiming to contain communism.
Question 1: Outline the chronological sequence of these events. (4 marks)
Analysis of Causes
Source C: Excerpt from a Historian's View
'The division of Europe was driven by mutual mistrust after the war, with the USSR seeking to secure its borders and the West aiming to rebuild democratic nations.' Provenance: Modern historian's analysis, 2000.
Comparison of Perspectives
Source D: US Perspective
'The division was necessary to stop the spread of communism and protect democracy.'
Source E: Soviet Perspective
'The division was a justified response to Western aggression and interference.'**
Impact of the Iron Curtain
Source F: Historian's Analysis
'The Iron Curtain effectively isolated Eastern Europe from the West, leading to economic and political divergence.' Provenance: Modern historical analysis, 2010.
Summary and Evaluation
Question: How significant was the Iron Curtain in shaping the Cold War? (6 marks)
Quick Actions
What is Remix?
Create a new worksheet based on this one. Change the grade level, topic, number of questions, or difficulty - then generate a fresh version.
- • Change grade level (Grade 6 → Grade 7)
- • Swap topics (Harry Potter → Macbeth)
- • Add more questions (10 → 15)
- • Adjust difficulty
Details
- Created
- 1/1/2026
- Updated
- 1/1/2026
- Type
- worksheet