Section A: Superpower Relations and the Cold War 1941-91 Flashcards
What was the main aim of the Truman Doctrine (1947)?
To contain communism by supporting countries resisting Soviet influence.
What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan (1948)?
To provide economic aid to rebuild European countries and prevent the spread of communism.
Why was NATO formed in 1949?
To create a military alliance for collective defense against the Soviet Union.
What happened during the Hungarian Uprising (1956)?
Hungarians revolted against Soviet control; the USSR sent tanks to crush the uprising.
What was the Bay of Pigs invasion (1961)?
A failed U.S.-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba.
What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)?
The discovery of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense 13-day standoff.
What were the outcomes of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
USSR removed missiles from Cuba; USA secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey; hotline established between Washington and Moscow.
What were the Olympic boycotts of 1980 and 1984?
1980: U.S. and allies boycotted Moscow Olympics over Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; 1984: USSR and allies boycotted Los Angeles Olympics in retaliation.
What were Gorbachev’s key policies?
Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring).
What was the Warsaw Pact and when did it dissolve?
A military alliance of communist countries; it dissolved in 1991 as communism collapsed in Eastern Europe.
Why was the Fall of the Berlin Wall significant?
It symbolized the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe and the Cold War.
