1. The cartoon below is called “Truman Checks Stalin.” During/after which Cold War event was this cartoon likely created? What is the cartoonist’s point of view on the U.S. strategy?

2. During the early years of the Cold War, the United States’ strategy was containment. Give at least two examples of the containment policy, and explain the cartoonists’ point of view on the policy.

3. By 1953, the U.S. Cold War strategy began to shift from containment to brinkmanship with Eisenhower’s willingness to take the country to the brink of all-out nuclear war. What event(s) depicted in this cartoon encouraged this policy shift?

4. Under President Eisenhower, the U.S. promised “massive retaliation” if the Soviet Union were to invade Western Europe. This led to the concept of “mutually assured destruction.” Based on the circumstances in the 1950s and the cartoon below, provide a definition of “mutually assured destruction.”

5. During/after what event was this political cartoon likely created? Explain the significance of the event and the cartoonists’ point of view on the American response.

6. In the late 1950s, the Cold War expanded to another dimension. Assuming this cartoon was created in 1957, to what event do you think the cartoon is responding, and what does the cartoon say about the United States’ strategy?

7. The two men arm-wrestling are Nikita Kruschev and John F. Kennedy. What is the message of this cartoon? During which Cold War event do you think this cartoon was created? Explain your answer!