Cold War Slang
Become familiar with Navy jargon and procedures, and learn about the Cold War
through the eyes of a sailor. Practice creative writing utilizing Cold War events
and the experiences of sailors.
Grades: 7, 8
Disciplines: Social Studies, Reading
Background
The Cold War refers to the post World War II confrontation between the United States and its allies and
the Soviet Union and its allies. From 1945 to 1991 international policies were shaped by intense rivalries
between these two groups – noncommunist and communists. This led to military coalitions, weapons
development, space race, espionage, and propaganda. It included the “hot” wars of the Cold War: Korea
and Vietnam. The Cold War ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Background Video
View “The U.S. Navy in the Cold War” for a 10 minute summary of the U.S. Navy’s role across 5 decades
after World War II, from the Cold War Gallery theater in the National Museum of the U.S. Navy in
Washington DC at:
Materials
Student journal/diary, and internet in for accessing the following:
- Navy website listing popular Navy jargon and lingo
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-listalphabetically/
t/terminology-and-nomenclature.html - Navy website listing popular Navy jargon and lingo
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/traditions/html/navyterm.html - Navy website listing popular Navy jargon and lingo
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-listalphabetically/h/how-the-navy-talks.html - Flashcards of Cold War terminology
http://www.studystack.com/flashcard-206604 - Navy lingo live, from Navy’s U-tube channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI2To7I_zG0&list=UUjdWZTMt_7O6Jue7gFbxj7w&index=12&feature=plcp - Dozens of videos from the Cold War Gallery
http://www.youtube.com/user/coldwargallery - About life on a Battleship during the Cold War
http://usnavymuseum.org/Ex2_LifeOnBoard.asp - Video of life on a Destroyer during the Cold War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rek4Anfrao - Video of crew’s mess in the Cold War Gallery, where chow is served
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lWxs652Pfo&feature=plcp - Review the timeline of The Korean Conflict and the USS Iowa
https://pacificbattleship.com/learn-the-history/the-korean-conflict/
Instructions
- Surf the websites listed above to learn more about the Navy, life on a submarine and the Cold
War. - Record terms and their use.
- Imagine you are on the USS Iowa during the Cold War and write a journal entry detailing a day
in your life. Use as many slang words from the websites as you can. - Or, use your imagination and pretend you are serving on the USS Iowa during the Korean War and write
about it using Navy jargon and terms from other than a sailor’s perspective. - You may want to include drawings and doodles in addition to your written journal entry.
- Adapted from “Cold War Slang Can Be Your ‘Thang’; Using Navy Terminology to Learn About the Cold
War” by Cindy Woolston, Brunswick High School, Brunswick,MO
Download Cold War Slang Lesson Plan
