ATAR Modern History Units 3 & 4
Syllabus
- Year 12 ATAR Modern History Syllabus School Curriculum and Standards Authority 2019
Unit 4: The modern world since 1914, Elective 1: The changing European world since 1945
This unit examines some significant and distinctive features of the modern world within the period 1945-2001 in order to build students' understanding of the contemporary world. These include changes to the nature of the world order, shifting international tensions, alliances and power blocs.
In this guide, syllabus points are shown in purple.
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall, and the division of Germany itself, was highly symbolic of the entire Cold War.
Space Race (1955-1975)
Arms Race
- US and Russia: Race to NowhereInteractive Article
Fall of the USSR
From WWII to Cold War (1946-1989)
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
an overview of the nature and origins of the Cold War, including the ideological, cultural and political differences between the US and the USSR
the evolving nature of the Cold War in Europe
The Cold War was a period of tension between the Western Bloc (US and allies) and the Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union and allies) after both sides defeated Nazi Germany in 1945. The period was characterized by the concept of 'MAD'- Mutually Assured Destruction- which prevented each side from directly attacking the other. It was also characterized by the journey to rebuild Europe after the devastation of World War II.
Rebuilding Europe
Perspectives and interpretations
evaluate critically different historical interpretations of the past, how they evolved, and how they are shaped by the historian's perspective
The Marshall Plan was a policy of the United States to lend financial support to the re-building of Western Europe after WWII. There were many reasons that the US provided this economic assistance, including:
- Preventing the spread of communist influence by rebuilding strong capitalist states
- Avoiding a repeat of conditions which contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler
- To create a market for American exports
Analysis and use of sources
identity the origin, purpose and context of historical sources
On September 25, 1984, 70 years after the start of the First World War, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met the French president François Mitterrand at the Douaumont cemetery in Verdun. The men stood in long, dark coats, without an umbrella. Mitterrand extended a hand to Kohl – a gesture of friendship symbolizing the lessons learned from a frightful past. Both heads of state were silent. They firmly held onto each other’s hands, for several minutes. The German Press described the scene as “a picture that will go down in history”. It was a sign, above all, for the war torn generation that the longstanding enmity between the Germans and the French has finally come to an end.
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
the development of European governance and extension of the 'European Union'
Since the end of World War II there have been a range of attempts (firstly in Western Europe and then also in Eastern Europe after the Cold War) to encourage a more politically and economically integrated Europe. The aim is to foster a shared 'European identity', which would, among other things, reduce the chance of another European war.
| Year | Name | Purpose |
| 1958 | European Economic Community (EEC) | Economic integration: common market and customs union between members |
| 1993 | European Union | Political, cultural & economic integration: expansion of EEC, more member states, common security and foreign policy. Now was 28 member states. |
| 1995 | Schengen Area | Created a shared border between 26 European states. Increased cultural & economic ties. |
| 1999 | Eurozone | Created a shared currency, the 'euro'. Not all member states took part. Includes France, Germany, Ireland. |
Post-1989 world order
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
the changing nature of world order in the period 1989-2001, with specific reference to the place of European nation states within that order
The collapse of the Soviet Union, and Russia's economic difficulties, have meant that since the Cold War the United States has been the world's only superpower. This means that the United States is the largest military and economic power in the world. Under various Presidents, the US from 1989 to 2001 has taken a leadership role globally. NATO remains the primary military arrangement between the US and its allies in Europe, while other nations such as Australia have a direct relationship with the US. The European Union is the foremost forum in Europe, the most influential members of which are France, Germany, and the UK.
New shifts in the global power balance have emerged in the 21st century, such as the rise of China as a superpower, the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. There has also been a rising political trend towards isolationism, which could represent a reversal of US foreign policy since 1945.
Influential Figures
John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. He served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his presidency dealt with managing relations with the Soviet Union.
Nikita Khrushchev was responsible for the de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union, for backing the progress of the early Soviet space program, and for several relatively liberal reforms in areas of domestic policy.
Mikhail Gorbachev was the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union. He withdrew from the Soviet–Afghan War and embarked on summits with United States President Ronald Reagan to limit nuclear weapons and end the Cold War. Gorbachev declined to intervene militarily when various Eastern Bloc countries abandoned Marxist-Leninist governance in 1989-90.
US President Ronald Reagan is often credited for having 'won' the cold war, liberated Eastern Europe and pulled the plug on the Soviet Union. This simple statement is highly contestable; however he did increase US pressure on the USSR at a time it was faced with internal collapse.
Source: Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' Speech
Analysis and use of sources
evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgments that support an historical argument
Key Policies & Ideas
An understanding of each of these is essential for this unit. Some are Western and others are Eastern policies.
Source: Duck and Cover (1951)
Analysis and use of sources
analyse the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources ot develop informed judgments that support an historical argument
This film was widely distributed to United States schoolchildren in the 1950s. It instructionally teaches students on what to do in the event of a nuclear explosion. The film was funded by the US Federal Civil Defense Administration and released in January 1952.