8 Cold War Interview
Locate someone to interview. You may choose to interview a relative, a friend of the family, a neighbor, a coach, a teacher, or an administrator at your school. Whomever you choose, be sure that the person is willing to talk to you and was born before 1970. Anyone born later would not remember enough about being personally affected by the Cold War.
During the interview, it is wise to take notes with pen and paper or with your computer. Jot down or type reminders of things your subject says that you consider important, questions you want to ask as follow-up, and notes about how your subject answers a question. Don’t forget to bring your list of interview questions! When the interview is over, thank the subject for their time and for helping you. It might even be a kind gesture to send him or her with a thank you card or thank you e-mail for taking the time to sit down with you and conduct the interview.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
Part A
Start the interview by writing down the following:
the person's first and last name— check that you spelled it correctly Murat Hans.
his or her date of birth
1962, 3/04/1962.
the list of places that he or she lived between 1945 and 1989
I was born in Russia in 1962 and lived in the US.
the date and time of the interview
1:30PM EST 4/28/
Part B
What was the first time you remember hearing about the Soviet Union (or the USSR) and its conflict with the United States? Tell me about it. That’s a good question, the first time I heard about the Soviet Union in conflict with US was when I was a kid I overheard my
parents talking about the conflict and they talked by the fire for hours, when they thought I was asleep.
What do you remember seeing or reading in the news about the Cold War? I was at work one morning and on the radio with the news on it I overheard about very power machines or bombs basically being built to kill people in the war and I freaked out. Sleeping was a hard thing during this time for me
What books did you read or movies did you watch that villainized the Soviet Union or dealt with the Cold War? How did they shape your impressions at that time? At times I saw a lot of books and stuff being published on the war but they were always one sided and to me I was born in Russia so seeing hate on my homeland was not my interest I just wanted peace through the War. So it didn’t shape, y impression but I see from the US point of view. Poke someone with a stick you’re going to be poked back.
What were you taught in school and at home about the Soviet Union? What did your school and family teach about nuclear threats and nuclear war? Early in school the teachers and my family kept it away from us but obviously we see what’s happening and start asking questions so I can’t really remember much about what I learned I know it was over nuclear war and both countries weren’t happy with each other.
Do you remember the Berlin Wall coming down? How did it make you feel? How have your feelings about that era changed since 1989 and the Berlin Wall coming down?
I remember that whole thing like it was yesterday. It made me feel excited cause when I was watching it on the television I saw the president talk about it, i also knew that the wall coming down meant families could meet again.
How do you think future generations will remember the Cold War? What lessons should students today take away from the Cold War? I think the next generation won’t care as much for what was happening in the Cold War and the thing I wish I did was learn more as a kid. I take that for granted every day. The Cold War teaches a lot of valuable lessons in life.
How does psychological warfare today compare to psychological
Warfare during the Cold War?
The Cold war to me since I have been around it and grew up in it was based of propaganda and economy, when todays wars are smarter and have more technologies and dangerous things like chemical warfare.
Part C
Develop 2 questions of your own to ask the interviewee.
Question 1 you define Cold War for me? If a simple and easy was to understand it was a conflict of the USSR and the US.
Question 2 are some of your interests as a kid growing up? I liked playing with cars and trucks as a kid so when I got older I liked to learn about fixing them that was one of my many interests including hobbies like fishing.
Last section is a reflection:
What from the interview did you find most surprising?
What I found most surprising was the story and the interesting facts he told me.
How might a Russian adult have responded to the interview?
I think a Russian adult would have responded violent toward this interview
