Cold War: Afghan War + Film Analysis! - Full Lesson

This lesson asks the question 'Were the Mujahadeen ‘freedom fighters’ or ‘terrorists’? The lesson uses Cold War movies such as Rocky IV and Rambo III to show how the US framed the Mujahadeen. Student then investigate, was that accurate? (This lesson has a lot of content and could be split over two lessons).

This lesson is useful as a stand-alone lesson on the Soviet-Afghan War, on propaganda, media, or as part of a greater Cold War scheme of work.

• Lesson begins with Cold War retrieval practice questions.

• Key words are explicitly taught with the focus of the lesson being put in the students’ minds.

• Students will then investigate the key question with an analysis of Rocky IV and Rambo III, making a judgment on how the Americans portrayed both the Mujahadeen and the Soviets.

• Students will then research the war itself, this can be done as a teacher-led activity, individually or as group work.

• Using the information the students have put together, they will make a reasoned judgment in an extended writing task.

• Some key words and phrases from the lesson: Cold War, proxy war, Mujahadeen, terrorist, freedom fighter, bias, propaganda, communism

This is a fully resourced lesson including a PowerPoint with videos embedded.