OCR · GCSE · History

    Course version: J410 · Version from Mar 2026

    The changing international order 1918–1975 - Cold War confrontations and…

    Full specification wording

    International Relations: the changing international order 1918–1975 - Cold War confrontations and conflict 1954–1975: Developing Cold War tensions and conflicts

    This topic covers how Cold War tensions turned into open conflict between 1954 and 1975.

    Checked against the OCR J410 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 1 of 6
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    This topic covers how Cold War tensions turned into open conflict between 1954 and 1975. Learn the main confrontations and their causes and consequences. Key examples include the division of Vietnam after 1954 and the growing involvement of the superpowers, the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the Vietnam War, which drew in the United States and ended with its withdrawal in 1973 and the reunification of Vietnam in 1975. For each conflict, know who was involved, why tensions rose, and what the outcome was. Link each event to the wider superpower rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and explain how each confrontation increased or eased tension.

    What earns the marks

    • Identifies a specific Cold War confrontation within the period 1954–1975, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Vietnam War.
    • Explains a cause of rising tension, such as superpower rivalry or the spread of communist and capitalist influence.
    • Describes a consequence of a conflict, such as the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973.
    • Explains how a confrontation increased or eased Cold War tensions between the superpowers.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Places conflicts outside the stated period, such as the Berlin Blockade of 1948–1949.

      Put it right: Keep examples within 1954–1975.

    • Describes a conflict without naming the countries or leaders involved.

      Put it right: Identify the agents.

    • Treats each conflict as separate from the superpower rivalry.

      Put it right: Link it to US–Soviet tension.

    Exam tips

    • Learn the dates and outcomes of at least two conflicts in the period 1954–1975.
    • For each conflict, prepare a cause, a key event and a consequence.
    • Practise explaining how a conflict affected wider US–Soviet relations.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the International Relations: the changing international order 1918–1975 - Cold War confrontations and conflict 1954–1975: Developing Cold War tensions and conflicts lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    In which country did the United States become heavily involved in a war during the 1960s as part of Cold War containment?

    Listen

    This topic covers how Cold War tensions turned into open conflict between 1954 and 1975. Learn the main confrontations and their causes and consequences. Key examples include the division of Vietnam after 1954 and the growing involvement of the superpowers, the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and the Vietnam War, which drew in the United States and ended with its withdrawal in 1973 and the reunification of Vietnam in 1975. For each conflict, know who was involved, why tensions rose, and what the outcome was. Link each event to the wider superpower rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and explain how each confrontation increased or eased tension. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identifies a specific Cold War confrontation within the period 1954–1975, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis or the Vietnam War. Explains a cause of rising tension, such as superpower rivalry or the spread of communist and capitalist influence. Describes a consequence of a conflict, such as the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973. Explains how a confrontation increased or eased Cold War tensions between the superpowers. Exam tip: Learn the dates and outcomes of at least two conflicts in the period 1954–1975.

    See it

    A flowchart running from top to bottom. At the top is a node labelled Cold War tensions. Three arrows lead from it to three nodes: Division of Vietnam after 1954, Cuban Missile Crisis 1962, and Vietnam War. An arrow also leads from Division of Vietnam after 1954 to Vietnam War. From Vietnam War an arrow leads to US withdrawal 1973, which leads to Reunification of Vietnam 1975. Both Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 and Vietnam War have arrows leading to a node labelled Tension increased or eased, which leads to a final node labelled Wider US-Soviet rivalry.
    It shows how Cold War tensions led to the division of Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War, and how these confrontations ended and linked back to superpower rivalry.

    Put the events in order

    Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.

    1. 1. Reunification of Vietnam
    2. 2. Division of Vietnam after the conflict
    3. 3. US withdrawal from Vietnam
    4. 4. Cuban Missile Crisis

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Superpower rivalry and the spread of influence

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    The Cuban Missile Crisis

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    The Vietnam War and US involvement

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Consequences of conflict for international relations

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Superpower rivalry and the spread of influence
    Rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the spread of communist and capitalist influence, which was a cause of rising tension.
    The Cuban Missile Crisis
    A Cold War confrontation of 1962 within the period 1954–1975, named as an example of a confrontation between the superpowers.
    The Vietnam War and US involvement
    A confrontation that drew in the United States and ended with its withdrawal in 1973 and the reunification of Vietnam in 1975.
    Consequences of conflict for international relations
    Outcomes such as the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973, and how a confrontation increased or eased Cold War tensions between the superpowers.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A flowchart running from top to bottom. At the top is a node labelled Cold War tensions. Three arrows lead from it to three nodes: Division of Vietnam after 1954, Cuban Missile Crisis 1962, and Vietnam War. An arrow also leads from Division of Vietnam after 1954 to Vietnam War. From Vietnam War an arrow leads to US withdrawal 1973, which leads to Reunification of Vietnam 1975. Both Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 and Vietnam War have arrows leading to a node labelled Tension increased or eased, which leads to a final node labelled Wider US-Soviet rivalry.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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