The Butter Battle Book By Dr. Seuss

The Cold War was not a war in the general sense of the word. In reality, it was a political, philosophical, and economic clash between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both competed furiously with one another as they raced to become the sole global superpower-it was also during this race that the world was pushed to the brink of an all-out nuclear war (Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. History, no page number). As such, it is often not told to younger audiences because of its dark history and massive repercussions on today's world. However, "The Butter Battle Book" by Dr. Seuss shares striking similarities with the Cold War, and it, being a children's book, is in fact the best and most effective way of exposing children to the Cold War and events
and the Soviet Union. Of all the incidents that occurred during the period and the people who played a part in them, there are none more important than the Iron Curtain, the arms race, and the man who contributed to the defeat of the Soviets, Ronald Reagan. The term "Iron Curtain" was first coined by Winston Churchill, who drew a fine line between Soviet and Allied occupied Europe and noted the obvious cultural, political, and economic differences between them (Discovering World History, no page number). Even such things as music, art and film were divided by the Iron Curtain, as they were fundamentally different in their message intended effects, and purpose (Variety, pg. 75). The term wasn't only accurate, but also noteworthy for how it highlighted the inevitably of the coming crisis. Since the Iron Curtain effectively created two distinctive cultures of the two most powerful countries in the world-the U.S. and Russia-it became almost like a roadblock to peaceful coexistence and instead provoked deadly conflict. This later drove the arm race between the two superpowers, as each strived to increase their military strength and outdo the other. This lead to the development of missiles, chemical weapons, and ultimately nuclear weapons with devastating potential, by key scientists who believed their technology was being used for the greater good (Canadian Journal of History, pg. 396). Although the weapons
Even so, it is vital to expose young children to these types of events in the same manner as "The Butter Battle Book". The most obvious reason is because it would allow children to understand the big picture of what happened during that specific period at an early age. This will help them to grasp the full implications of the event in question and understand why they are so important years later. Furthermore, another reason for exposure at a young age is so that it can be presented in way that isn't overwhelming. If children were to be taught the Cold War in blunt details, not only would it be hard to follow, but they themselves might be terrified or become emotionally distraught because of the graphic nature of some things, like the atomic bomb. Presenting these kinds of events in a rather silly way, as in "The Butter Battle Book", would be the best approach, as it wouldn't frighten them but at the same time would get across its serious message. Finally and perhaps most importantly, presenting events such as these in this way could allow children to draw parallels to their own reality, as well as install good morals in young minds. They could potentially have something to compare it to to better understand it, and by understanding the main them the book was trying to get across, it could teach