Cold Thoughts Flashcards
MAD
Mutually Assured Destruction - the concept that if a country starts a nuclear war, the enemy will retaliate with nuclear weapons and destroy the original attacker
Cause of the Cold War
USSR occupied Eastern Europe, which the western allies hoped would turn into democracies
Iron Curtain
The divide between the communist and free countries in Europe
Containment
The steps Truman took to oppose the USSR
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Pledges American support for democracies against authoritarian threats
Marshall Plan
Invested over 13 billion for European recovery, a key factor against communism from taking hold in Western Europe
Berlin Airlift
Stalin implemented an economic blockade in West Berlin, and in order to supply them, the allies flew supplies over for almost a year
The Federal Republic of Germany
Combination of the US, UK, and French zones
The German Democratic Republic
Soviet zone
NATO
Created in 1949, it was a military alliance that bound the western allies together and committed the US to go to war if a fellow NATO member is attacked
Beginning of the Arms Race
The USSR successfully tested its first atomic bomb
The People’s Republic of China
Mao’s forces won and China became communist
Korean War
North Korea invades South Korea, US goes to war to contain communism. US almost won, but then China stepped in
Eisenhower
Campaigned on liberation rather than containment. Brought an end to the Korea War by dividing it at the 38th parallel.
Iran and Guatemala
Overthrew governments which threatened US economic interests (oil and bananas)
