cold war (and the red scare menace)

Question 1

what was the cold war?

Answer 1

A prolonged period of political and military tension between the United States and its allies (the Western bloc) and the Soviet Union and its allies (the Eastern bloc)

Question 2

Why did the cold war happen

Answer 2

Ideological conflict between capitalism (U.S.) and communism (USSR)

Question 3

What were the main ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union that led to the Cold War?

Answer 3

The U.S. promoted capitalism (private ownership, free markets, democracy), while the Soviet Union promoted communism (state ownership of resources, a one-party totalitarian system). Each side saw the other as a threat to their way of life.

Question 4

How did World War II set the stage for the Cold War?

Answer 4

WWII ended with the U.S. and USSR as superpowers. They were allies against Nazi Germany but had different visions for postwar Europe. The USSR wanted to secure its borders with friendly communist states, while the U.S. wanted democratic governments and open markets, causing tension and distrust

Question 5

What were the major strategies the U.S. and the USSR used to gain influence during the Cold War?

Answer 5

The U.S. used containment to stop communism from spreading and the domino theory to justify intervention in countries to prevent communist takeovers. The USSR sought to expand its influence via supporting communist parties and regimes. Both used brinkmanship, threatening war to gain advantage without actually fighting.