Cold War I: Citizen Kurchatov - Pre-Viewing Activities

CHAPTERS

Pre-Viewing Activities | Post-Viewing Activities

Introduction

OTHER EPISODES

Pre-Viewing Activities

FREE-WRITING/FREE-DISCUSSION PREPARATION FOR "CITIZEN KURCHATOV"
Ask students to free-write for five minutes about what the Cold War means to them. Then, ask them to share their impressions and their definitions of the Cold War. On the chalkboard, list major adjectives, events, names, places, etc. that arise during this discussion and clarify them as needed. End by developing a class definition of the Cold War. Make sure to address the following topics: the global nature of the Cold War (fought on every continent as well as in space and in such events as the Olympics); the rival military and economic alliances; the arms race; propaganda, spying and guerrilla warfare; counterinsurgency warfare; and assassinations.

This introductory exercise, if completed before showing any part of the video, offers two interesting opportunities. First, it will help teachers assess where students are in their understanding of the Cold War, and offer a way to help them record their progressive understanding and impressions of the Cold War. Second, it will allow teachers to set the stage for why Igor Kurchatov's development of the Soviet atomic bomb played such an important role in Cold War politics.

COMMUNISM/CAPITALISM
Review the differences between Communism and capitalism, and the role each of these ideologies played during the Cold War. Emphasize that it was firmly believed there could be no compromise between the two philosophies -- that they were utterly opposed to each other in all aspects of life and practice. Contrast this discussion with the following ironic Soviet joke of the 1960s and 1970s: An eager Soviet teacher asks a student, "What's the difference between capitalism and Communism?" The student answers, "Comrade, capitalism is the exploitation of man by man." The teacher responds enthusiastically, "Excellent! Now explain what Communism is." "Just the opposite." Ask students whether they agree or disagree with this punchline, and why.

IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME?
In the video program, the narrator states that Igor Kurchatov was "in the right place at the right time." As students view the video, ask them to list the specific times, places, and events which characterized Citizen Kurchatov's life. Next, have students reflect on how these incidents were instrumental in Kurchatov's life and work. Use the Timeline provided here or the Video Outline to discuss the political, economic, social, geographic, historical, and psychological factors that affected Kurchatov's life and research. At what points did feelings of patriotism, ambition, conformism, fear, guilt, and/or conscience affect his actions? To what extent do students think Kurchatov could be characterized as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character? Ask students to write a summary paragraph explaining whether they believe Kurchatov should be remembered as a hero, a victim, or a villain.

ATOMIC SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL
To help understand the scientific and technological challenges involved in the development of the Soviet atomic bomb, ask students to research and create visual aids explaining the steps, starting with uranium mining, that led to the final testing of a working atomic bomb. Discuss the many setbacks and delays that Kurchatov faced in this long process, as well as how obtaining secrets from the American atomic program enabled the Soviets to carve one to two years off of the development time.

THREE FOCAL POINTS
Divide the class into three groups and assign each group a specific focus for viewing the video "Citizen Kurchatov." Group One should look for information and examples in the video that shed light on the development of nuclear weapons and delivery systems in the Soviet Union and in the United States. Group Two should look for information and examples that discuss the relationship between science and politics, especially in the Soviet Union. Group Three should look for information that helps explain the impact of the development of nuclear weapons on international relations in the world, especially on the Cold War. After sharing their information with the rest of the class, ask the students to respond to the following questions: Do you think it would have made a difference if Stalin had been briefed by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill about their work on the development of the bomb before it was used? Could the Cold War and the related arms race have been stopped if the opportunity to ban the testing of nuclear weapons had been seized after Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Are atomic weapons a stabilizing or destablizing force in politics?