Cold War Flashcards
(54 cards)
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
A Soviet attempt to cut off Allied access to West Berlin in 1948 forced the U.S. and Britain to supply the city by air. This event marked one of the first major confrontations of the Cold War, solidifying divisions between East and West and prompting Western nations to see containment as a necessary long-term policy.
Berlin Wall
A barrier sealed off the capitalist sector of a German city, physically and ideologically separating East from West. Its construction symbolized the hardening division of the Cold War and the failure of peaceful coexistence.
Central Intelligence Agency
An intelligence agency was created to gather foreign information and carry out covert operations, reflecting a shift toward a permanent peacetime security structure. Its activities in countries like Iran and Guatemala marked new strategies of containment beyond open warfare.
Cold War
An ideological and geopolitical rivalry developed between the U.S. and Soviet Union, defined by arms races, proxy wars, and competition for global influence. This shaped nearly every aspect of U.S. domestic and foreign policy from the late 1940s to the 1990s.
containment
A foreign policy goal sought to stop the spread of communism through military alliances, economic aid, and indirect conflict. This idea underpinned decisions from the Korean War to the Truman Doctrine, setting the tone for U.S. Cold War intervention.
Chiang Kai-shek
The nationalist leader of China was supported by the U.S. during a civil war but eventually lost to communist forces and retreated to a nearby island. His fall contributed to American fears of communist expansion in Asia and helped trigger the Red Scare.
Cuban Missile Crisis
A nuclear showdown occurred when Soviet weapons were discovered close to American shores, leading to a tense standoff. The event marked the peak of Cold War confrontation but also led to efforts at arms control and direct communication between rivals.
Cultural Revolution
A campaign launched in China aimed to purge capitalist influences and reassert ideological purity, leading to mass violence and political chaos. This intensified American perceptions of global communist aggression and deepened Cold War divides.
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)
A buffer area was established at the end of Korean war, separating two hostile regimes. This physical and political division became a lasting symbol of unresolved Cold War tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
A wartime general-turned-president guided Cold War policy through strength, caution, and covert action. His leadership emphasized balancing military readiness with economic stability while warning of long-term dangers posed by defense buildup.
Elections of 1948, 1960
Pivotal moments reflecting Cold War and civil rights tensions. The 1948 contest revealed divisions over civil rights in the Democratic Party, while 1960 introduced Cold War-era media politics and growing attention to racial issues.
G.I. Bill of 1944
A veterans’ benefits program that expanded access to education and homeownership. While it boosted the postwar economy, it also deepened racial disparities by favoring white veterans and excluding many Black Americans.
Great Leap Forward
A Chinese economic campaign that led to mass famine and failure. It exposed the human cost of communist planning and reinforced Western belief in the dangers of unchecked socialist ideology.
“Hidden-hand” presidency
Eisenhower’s leadership style of managing power behind the scenes. It allowed him to project calm during Cold War crises while quietly expanding U.S. influence and navigating the civil rights struggles without appearing too radical.
Interstate Highway Act of 1956
Massive infrastructure investment aimed at economic development. Though useful for Cold War logistics, it facilitated white suburbanization and segregated urban spaces, intensifying racial divides.
Iron Curtain
A metaphor for the division between communist Eastern Europe and the capitalist West. It illustrated the stark ideological split of the Cold War and justified American efforts to contain Soviet influence.
John F. Kennedy
President during key Cold War flashpoints, including the Cuban Missile Crisis. He took cautious steps toward civil rights reform, balancing domestic pressure with Cold War demands for a more just image abroad.
Kennedy-Nixon debates
The first televised presidential debates, showing the growing power of media in shaping political opinion during Cold War anxiety. Kennedy’s poise helped secure victory, while Cold War themes dominated the discourse.
Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet leader who challenged U.S. influence globally but sought limited thaw through “peaceful coexistence.” His actions and speaches drove U.S. Cold War policies, especially in Cuba and Berlin, while his downfall showed instability in communist leadership.
Kim Il-Sung
North Korean leader who initiated the Korean War. His aggression triggered U.S. military intervention and set a precedent for future Cold War proxy wars under the containment doctrine.
Martin Luther King
A major civil rights leader who used nonviolent resistance to challenge segregation. His efforts revealed the gap between American democratic ideals and reality, especially during the Cold War, when the U.S. claimed to champion freedom globally.
Korean War
A Cold War military conflict that reinforced containment in Asia. It legitimized U.S. military buildup and transformed foreign policy, while domestic fears of communist infiltration intensified.
Little Rock crisis
1957 confrontation over school integration, where federal troops enforced desegregation against state resistance. It was a test of federal authority and U.S. commitment to racial equality during Cold War scrutiny.
Douglas MacArthur
U.S. general who led forces in Korea but was removed for challenging civilian authority. His dismissal reaffirmed the principle of civilian control during a volatile Cold War environment.
