Great opportunity Cannon. First, who is the target audience? Elementary school needs a very different approach than high school. I have spoken several times to 5th graders in Texas and they don't want to dwell on facts. They are more interested in personal experiences and given the opportunity for a Q & A, they can amaze you with what they'll ask.

I say never turn down an opportunity to speak regardless of the target audience. Give us more info and we'll help provide the ammo.

High school and  college

High school and college students won't put up with any bull. They can smell it so I'd be sure to present facts and add only a little editorial comments based on your experiences.

You might start by looking over past issues of The Cold War Times. For years they have been presenting some very good info.

It is very important to emphasize that every conflict we involved ourselves with directly or through proxies, from the end of WWII to the fall of the Soviet Union was a confrontation against communism with the exception of Panama.

You can link the USS Liberty to the Cold War by taking the Israeli explanation as truth (LOL). If it was a Egyptian ship as they claim, the Soviets were financing and backing them as a counter to our support of Israel. You see, you can pretty easily tie just about everything that happened then to our struggle against communism and their struggle against the freedom loving people around the world.

The USS Pueblo is another obvious case of communist aggression against us. Start with a clear understanding of how WWII ended and divided Europe. The Truman Doctrine and the belief that if one nation fell to communism, it's neighbor would be next. This also was an underlying reason for Korea (1950-53). Probably more so for the benefit of European allies. If we could show a willingness to stop expansion in Korea, we would be more believable to our allies in Europe.

What did the Berlin Wall mean to a divided city, nation and continent. The symbolism was an outrage as was the way the East Germans would shoot first, ask questions later.

The new section here on Cold War casulaties could also be used.

I think if you go through with it, be well prepared and have facts on hand to back up your comments. I would seriously consider a Q and A. It would be a good test of what today's student know or more likely, how little they know.

friends, yes i like to speak on the schools, i have a little collection of medals ww1 and ww2
and medals of the colonial war (indonesia) and sur my war lebanon
books picturs and movies ,its very good to tell children what is war and what is freedom
in europe we know a few very bloody wars the last in former yougoslavia and georgia
if i speak you hear nobody talk the children are very still and yes they have respect (jou can see it in their eyes)
my project veterans in the class room is a big succes
and on the day of the veteran (yes we know in holland a veteran's day)a few children are besite us when we bring the honor on our death soldiers
than its proud to be a veteran