15-1 and 15-2 Flashcards
Iron Curtain Speech (1946)
A metaphor used throughout the Cold War to refer to the Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe.
Satellite Nations
Communist nations in Eastern Europe on friendly terms with the USSR and thought of as under the USSR’s control.
Containment
A U.S. foreign policy adopted by President Harry Truman in the late 1940s, in which the United States tried to stop the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries to resist Soviet advances.
Marshall Plan (1947)
A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe.
Truman Doctrine (1947)
A policy set forth by U.S. President Harry S Truman stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with military aid to prevent them falling to communism.
Division of Germany and Berlin
Germany and Berlin were divided into US, Soviet, French, and British sectors. US, French, and British sectors combined into West Germany. The Soviet zone became East Germany. Berlin was also split, but was in the Soviet zone/East Germany.
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
In 1948, Berlin was blocked off by the Soviet Union in order to strangle the Allied forces. In order to combat this, the United States began to airlift supplies into Berlin. After 11 months, Stalin ended the blockade.
Berlin Wall (1961)
Built by the Communists to stop the flow of refugees seeking to gain political asylum in West Berlin from East Berlin. It became the symbol of division between the East and the West.
United Nations
An organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security. This replaced The League of Nations after World War Two and the U.S. was a member.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Military alliance created in 1949 made up of 12 non-Communist countries including the United States that support each other if attacked.
Warsaw Pact
An alliance between the Soviet Union and other Eastern European nations. This was in response to the NATO.
Mao Zedong
Leader of the Communist Party in China that overthrew Jiang Jieshi and the Nationalists. Established China as the People’s Republic of China and ruled from 1949 until 1976.
Korean War/Conflict (1950-1953)
North Korea, aided by the Soviet Union and China, invaded to take over South Korea. The North Koreans were winning at first against U.N. forces. The U.N. forces, led by the U.S., and under General MacArthur then pushed the North Koreans out of South Korea. General MacArthur wanted to defeat North Korea and pushed north until Chinese troops entered the war. The war ended in a stalemate and an armistice was signed.
Why was General MacArthur fired by President Truman?
President Truman didn’t want the Korean War/Conflict to expand into World War Three so he told General MacArthur not to go near the Chinese border with U.N. troops. General MacArthur criticized President Truman’s policies so he was fired.
Korean DMZ
Area separating the two Koreas today and the most heavily fortified border in the world.
38th Parallel
Dividing line between North and South Korea after World War Two.
limited war
A war fought with limited commitment of resources to achieve a limited objective, such as containing communism.
