Cold War Situation Room

Order of Operations:

  1. Each superpower will start the turn with a COLD WAR SCORE SHEET. This CWSS describes the income and defense spending of that Superpower, as well as reflects the influence that Superpower holds over the Global Community. The goal of the game is to not crumble as a Superpower due to nuclear holocaust, bankruptcy, or lack of prestige and influence. The Superpowers must also establish direct and indirect influence over the Global Community.

  2. The Game Master will present a Cold War Scenario.

  3. Students should have already researched the scenarios, and be prepared to determine a strategic response.

  4. Following each side presenting their strategic response to the scenario, Allied Nations will have their opportunity to respond to the strategic response.

  5. Superpowers and Allied Nations must either find a RESOLUTION, or prepare for a MILITARY RESPONSE, or PREEMPTIVE NUCLEAR STRIKE (click on the Mutual Assured Destruction link above for more information)

  6. Your nation will set DEFCON Levels that will alert your military leadership and the world about your preparedness for conflict.

See the section below for more information about role playing the scenarios.

Strategic Responses

  1. Do Nothing

  2. Issue a Warning

  3. Seek a Diplomatic Resolution to the Crisis

  4. United Nations Influence — Make a speech before the UN and seek a formal resolution condemning the enemy action, or seek diplomatic alliance

  5. Counterattack — mobilize your economic, diplomatic, or military resources to a different area of the globe to deter the enemy, or gain strategic advantage while the Global Community is distracted by what the enemy is doing elsewhere

  6. Increase or Decrease your DEFCON Level

  7. Fund a Proxy War

  8. Limited Military Involvement

  9. Direct Military Invasion of the Enemy

  10. Preemptive Nuclear Strike

Simulation Strategic Response — Your Strategic Response must be put into writing and presented to the Game Master. This must be prepared as a team by the end of the turn, or within the set amount of time determined by the Game Master.

Player Profiles

WAR HAWK - You fear the nemesis that opposes your Superpower status. Your ideology is the only ideology worth consideration, your country must be defended at all costs, and any means justify your country’s ends. A patriotic defense of our nation may call for an all-out annihilation of the enemy if the situation makes such extreme measures necessary, and anyone who is unwilling to die for their country is a traitor and a pansy.

Diplomat - You want to promote your nation’s security through collective assurance in the United Nations to encourage a permanent system of global peace. You hope to avoid major conflicts with competitor states, but you are willing to fund proxy wars around the globe when necessary to insure your nation’s hegemonic influence as a global Superpower.

Peace Doves - War is never the answer. We must do whatever we can to peacefully coexist. Your nation is great, but it can be flawed in major ways. There’s nothing wrong with having multiple perspectives to world problems, and no single ideology is infallible. Each to his own, man. We should lead the world through our cooperation with foreign powers, not belligerence, arms races, or violence.

Spies - Your job is to infiltrate the enemy and pose as a supporter of its objectives and ideologies, all while reporting on developing situations to your home nation a sabotaging the enemy’s plans. As a spy you must covertly share messages with your home state (pick someone). Do not get caught! There is nothing that can save you if you are found out by the enemy state!

See the Cold War Scenarios below for links to the different events to which you will prepare a response.