Modern history Guess who Flashcards
Cold war edition (10 cards)
1 point- assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. He was shot while riding in a motorcade.
2 points- strong advocate for the U.S. space program. He famously challenged the nation to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.
3 points- faced the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, a 13-day confrontation between the US and SU over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba. This event brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, but Kennedy’s negotiations led to a peaceful resolution.
4 points- He was the youngest elected president at 43 years old.
5 points- During World War II, ____ served in the U.S. Navy as the commander of a patrol torpedo boat, PT-109. In 1943, his boat was struck by a Japanese destroyer, and Kennedy led his surviving crew to safety, swimming for hours while towing a wounded crew member
John F. Kennedy
1 point- famous for initiating the process of de-Stalinization, which involved denouncing the crimes of Joseph Stalin and reducing the influence of Stalin’s cult of personality.
2 points- the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and also served as Premier from 1958 to 1964, making him the de facto leader of the USSR during this period.
3 points- played a central role in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. His decision to place nuclear missiles in Cuba led to a tense standoff with the United States, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.
4 points- the Soviet Union achieved significant milestones in space exploration, including the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, in 1957, and Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight as the first human in space in 1961.
5 points- often unpredictable and flamboyant personality. He once made headlines for banging his shoe on a desk during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 1960, although the exact details of this incident are debated.
Nikita Khrushchev
1 point- primary leader of the Cuban Revolution, which overthrew the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. After the revolution’s success, ____ became the Prime Minister of Cuba and later its President
2 points- successfully repelled the Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt by Cuban exiles, backed by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to overthrow his government.
3 points- played a crucial role in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 when the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense standoff with the United States. The crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war before a peaceful resolution was reached.
4 points- was frequently criticized for human rights abuses, including the suppression of political dissent, censorship, and the imprisonment of political opponents. Thousands of Cubans fled the country during his rule, seeking asylum in the United States and other countries.
5 points- died on November 25, 2016, at the age of 90. His legacy remains deeply controversial; he is celebrated by some as a champion of anti-imperialism and social justice, while others criticize him as a dictator who led Cuba into economic stagnation and repressed political freedoms.
Fidel Castro
1 point- served as the President from 1945 to 1953, taking office after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt during the final months of World War II.
2 points- best known for his decision to use atomic bombs against Japan in August 1945. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II, but also sparked intense debate over the ethics of using nuclear weapons.
3 points- supported the Marshall Plan, a massive U.S. aid program to help rebuild Western European economies after World War II. The plan was crucial in preventing the spread of communism in war-torn Europe and in promoting economic stability.
4 points- Under ______ leadership, the United States played a key role in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, a military alliance formed to counter Soviet influence in Europe.
5 points- After leaving office in 1953, Truman returned to his home in Independence, Missouri, where he lived a relatively modest life. He refused many lucrative offers and insisted on the principle that a former president should not profit from his office.
Harry S. Truman
1 point- served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, making him the last leader of the Soviet Union before its dissolution.
2 points- ntroduced the policy of Perestroika (restructuring) to reform the Soviet economy. This policy aimed to decentralize economic controls and introduce some market-like reforms within the socialist system, although it ultimately faced significant challenges and led to economic turmoil.
3 points- played a pivotal role in ending the Cold War. His willingness to engage in diplomatic negotiations with the United States and other Western powers, particularly with U.S. President Ronald Reagan, led to significant arms reduction agreements and a reduction in tensions between the superpowers.
4 points- his decision not to use military force to suppress uprisings in Eastern Europe contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which symbolized the end of the division between East and West Germany and the broader collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
5 points- After his resignation, remained active in global affairs, promoting democracy, peace, and environmental sustainability through various organizations, including the Green Cross International. his legacy within Russia remains mixed, with some blaming him for the Soviet Union’s collapse and the subsequent economic hardships.
Mikhil Gorbachev
Joseph Mcarthy
Joseph Stalin
George Marshall
