Reddit mentions of HISTORY:THE COLD WAR-PEARSON BACCAULARETE FOR IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMS (Pearson International Baccalaureate Diploma: International Editions)

I was in the same boat, except that I didn't have any warning (the teacher was new my junior year). First, study the syllabus and make sure you know what is expected of you. Choose your own options for paper 3 if you teacher isn't clear on which she wants you to study.

A lot of IB school use J. A. S. Grenville's book. IMO, it's absolutely terrible if you're trying to be successful on the IB history HL exam. Grenville isn't very organized and takes a narrative approach when instead the focus should be on basic background knowledge followed by analysis of causes and effects, etc. If you're looking for good books, the IBO has written their own for the subject and they're quite good, like this one.

Looking at past tests will give you a good understanding of the types of questions that will be asked. Also, look up the examiner's reports (sometimes called subject reports). They are specific for each subject, level, and even different options. This will give you a good understanding of past students' mistakes and what the examiners are looking for. Also, make sure you are aware of the mark schemes used by the examiners. Often times these are generic, so you can get an understanding of how detailed you need to be in your approach.

A note about historiography: just using quotes from a historian won't get you points. You have to give multiple arguments from different historians and analyze the similarities, differences, and merits of each argument. This is only required if you want a 6 or 7 on papers 2 and 3. You can get by without it, but if you're shooting for a high score, make sure you include it.

My teacher was terrible and I learned very, very little. I didn't study enough because I didn't have enough time once I realized how little I had actually learned. Make sure you start very, very early (like right now) to cut down on the stress. Even with my small amount of relevant knowledge, I submitted a good IA (I think I got a high 6 or a 7) and managed to pass with a 4 overall. Good luck!