Question

With a partner discuss why looking at this map would make both a Russian and American of 1960 very nervous

Answer 1

The 1960s was marked by the cold war between the two super powers of the World, Russia and the United States.

These countries were often represented as Blue and Red on a map, blue signifying the United States and it's ally countries and Red signifying communist Soviet Union and it's allies around the world.

If someone from the Soviet Union would look at the map, they would be nervous to see American Allies all around the world, including Western and Northern Western European countries, some of which were at a close distance to Moscow.

On the other hand, if an American looked at the world map, they would see a Giant red Soviet Union covering all of Northern Asia and Eastern Europe.

They would also see other communist countries including Cuba, where the Soviets even placed Nuclear weapons, targeted at the United States.