What you'll learn
The rivalry between East and West in Europe.
Key themes
- The Iron Curtain divides Europe; NATO vs the Warsaw Pact.
- The Berlin Blockade and Airlift (1948–49) and the Berlin Wall (1961).
- Gorbachev's reforms and the fall of the Wall (1989).
Exam tips
- Track cause and effect across the period.
- Use key crises as evidence of tension.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the two alliances.
- Muddling the dates of the Blockade and the Wall.