The Cold War

Question 1

Containment

Answer 1

American policy of resisting further expansion of communism around the world through financial or military means

Question 2

Berlin Airlift

Answer 2

Airlift in 1948 that supplied food and fuel to citizens of west Berlin when the Russians closed off land access to Berlin

Question 3

Division of Berlin (Potsdam Conference)

Answer 3

Germany and Berlin divided into US, Soviet, French, and British sectors. US, French, and British sectors combined into West Germany in an attempt to unite Germany, but the USSR refused to give back their part b/c they wanted “protection”

Question 4

NATO

Answer 4

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made of democratic countries to defend one another if they were attacked by the Soviet Union
US, England, France, Canada, Western European countries

Question 5

Warsaw Pact

Answer 5

An alliance between the Soviet Union and other Eastern European nations. This was in response to the NATO

Question 6

Satellite Nation

Answer 6

Communist nations in Eastern Europe on friendly terms with the USSR and thought of as under the USSR’s control

Question 7

Iron Curtain

Answer 7

Term used by Churchill in 1946 to describe the growing East-West divide in postwar Europe between communist and democratic nations

Question 8

Korean War

Answer 8

Example of the U.S. foreign policy of containment. The conflict between Communist North Korea and Non-Communist South Korea. The United Nations (led by the United States) helped South Korea. War ends right back at the 38th parallel after “ping pong” fighting creates little change in territory from either side

Question 9

Vietnam War

Answer 9

Example of the U.S. foreign policy of containment. A prolonged war (1954-1975) between the communist armies of North Vietnam who were supported by the Chinese and the non-communist armies of South Vietnam who were supported by the United States.
58,000 Americans would lose their lives in the first TV or living room war. The United States wanted to prevent communism from spreading to South Vietnam. Although America inflicted extremely heavy casualties on the enemy, public opinion turned against the war.

Question 10

Cuban Revolution

Answer 10

A communist revolution that removed the United States supported Fugencio Batista from power. The revolution was led by Fidel Castro who became the new leader of Cuba as a communist dictator.

Question 11

Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 11

1962 crisis that arose between the United States and the Soviet Union over a Soviet attempt to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from U.S. territory in Florida.

Question 12

Space Race

Answer 12

A competition of space exploration between the United States and Soviet Union.

Question 13

Arms Race

Answer 13

Cold war competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union to build up their respective armed forces and weapons

Question 14

Communism

Answer 14

A political theory created by Karl Marx in his book “The Communist Manifesto,” advocating worldwide revolution leading to a society in which all property is and money is divided up evenly and there are no social classes. This never happens however, and communist governments become dictatorships after winning the support of the poor people in society

Question 15

McCarthyism 1950s

Answer 15

Senator McCarthy made public accusations of disloyalty without sufficient evidence. Thousands are accused of being communist spies in the U.S. and creats a lot of tension between neighbors as this really turns into a “witch hunt”

Question 16

Sputnik

Answer 16

First artificial Earth satellite, it was launched by Moscow in 1957 and sparked U.S. fears of Soviet dominance in technology and outer space. It led to the creation of NASA and the space race.

Question 17

domino theory

Answer 17

A theory that if one nation comes under Communist control, then neighboring nations will also come under Communist control.

Question 18

Reason why LBJ was harshly criticized for his foreign policy

Answer 18

Increased involvement in the Vietnam War

Question 19

War Powers Act 1973

Answer 19

Gave the president the power deploy troops anywhere in the world without asking congress, but required that he could only do so for 90 days before being required to officially bring the matter before Congress.

Question 20

Detente

Answer 20

A policy of reducing Cold War tensions that was adopted by the United States during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

Question 21

START

Answer 21

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. Countries began dismantling nuclear weapons to east post cold war tensions.

Question 22

Action that has come to symbolize the end of the Cold War

Answer 22

Tearing down the Berlin Wall

Question 23

Mikhail Gorbachev

Answer 23

Soviet statesman whose foreign policy brought an end to the Cold War and whose domestic policy introduced major reforms (perestroika and glasnost)