Objectives:
- Explain the relationship of the Cold War and the U.S. role in the rise of military dictatorships in Latin America.
- Analyze an example of a military dictatorship.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students read an introduction explaining how the United States supported anti-communist regimes during the Cold War, with a focus on Latin America and the rise and fall of Juan and Eva Perón in Argentina. They examine an image of Eva Perón addressing a crowd and then respond to three poll scenarios, deciding whether each government decision is undesirable, unacceptable, or acceptable to explore the idea of choosing the “lesser of two evils.”
Teacher Moves
Present the lesson overview and objectives, briefly introduce Perón and Eva Perón, and clarify the distinction between “undesirable” and “unacceptable,” emphasizing that unacceptable options cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Facilitate the poll activity by inviting volunteers to define the terms, prompting students to justify their choices, and reinforcing that there are no right or wrong answers—only differing priorities and perspectives.
Scene 2 — Explore
Student Activity
Students view an image and caption about Salvador Allende and the CIA’s role in Chile, then watch Dictators and Civil Wars: The Cold War in Latin America and explore the Interactive Map: Understanding the Cold War in Latin America to identify Cold War–related events across the region. They use a graphic organizer to summarize Cold War activity in any five Latin American countries. Next, they read about Argentina’s overthrow of Juan Perón and the subsequent military junta using Perón deposed in Argentina and 30,000 People Were 'Disappeared' in Argentina's Dirty War. These Women Never Stopped Looking, then answer a multiple-choice question identifying the best description of Argentina’s Dirty War.
Teacher Moves
Guide students through the video and interactive map, clarifying the color-coding by decade and helping them connect events to broader Cold War dynamics. Support students as they complete the graphic organizer, prompting them to note patterns across different countries. After students read about Argentina, summarize key points about the coup, the military junta, and the Dirty War, allow time for questions, and check for understanding using the multiple-choice item. Organize students into small groups in preparation for the next two scenes.
Scene 3 — Explain
Student Activity
Working in small groups, students examine at least three formerly classified U.S. State Department documents linked through Argentine Military Believed U.S. Gave Go-Ahead for Dirty War. They discuss each document’s main idea, what it reveals about U.S. involvement in Argentina’s military regime during the Cold War, and any additional insights gained. A group note taker posts to a shared wall which documents were read and a summary of the group’s discussion.
Teacher Moves
Monitor group work, prompting students to identify main ideas and evidence of U.S. actions or positions during the Dirty War. Lead a brief discussion about whether the documents are primary or secondary sources and why they might have been classified, guiding students to infer that information about potential U.S. complicity in human rights abuses would have been sensitive. Clarify misconceptions about government secrecy and human rights, and ensure groups capture their conclusions in the shared wall.
Scene 4 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students view an image of Jorge Rafael Videla taking the oath as president after the 1976 coup and read definitions of different forms of military rule, including military juntas, martial law, military dictatorships, military occupation, and stratocracy. In small groups, they select a non–Latin American country from a list of nations that have been ruled by a military junta and research the period of its military dictatorship. They determine whether the regime was related to the Cold War or had other causes, citing evidence in a group response posted to a shared wall.
Teacher Moves
Clarify the distinctions among types of military governments and connect the concept of a military junta back to Argentina and other Cold War examples. Support groups as they research, prompting them to identify causes, international context, and evidence for whether the regime was Cold War–related. Share one or more strong or interesting group responses with the class, emphasizing that historical causes and effects are complex and that students’ explanations may simplify that complexity.
Scene 5 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher Moves
Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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