25-1 Flashcards
Iron Curtain Speech (1946)
Speech by Winston Churchill as a metaphor used throughout the Cold War to refer to the Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe.
“Satellite Nations”
Metaphor used to describe communist nations in Eastern Europe under the USSR’s control.
Containment
A U.S. foreign policy adopted by President Harry Truman in the late 1940s, in which the United States tried to stop the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries to resist Soviet advances.
Marshall Plan (1948)
A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe.
Truman Doctrine (1947)
A policy set forth by U.S. President Harry Truman stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with military aid to prevent them falling to communism.
Division of Germany and Berlin
Germany and Berlin were divided into US, Soviet, French, and British sectors. US, French, and British sectors combined into West Germany. The Soviet zone became East Germany. Berlin was also split, but was in the Soviet zone/East Germany.
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
In 1948, Berlin was blocked off by the Soviet Union in order to strangle the Allied forces. In order to combat this, the United States and Britain began to airlift supplies into Berlin. After 11 months, Stalin ended the blockade.
Berlin Wall (1961)
Built by the Communists to stop the flow of refugees seeking to gain political freedom in West Berlin from East Berlin. It became the symbol of division between the East and the West.
United Nations (UN)
An organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security. This replaced the League of Nations and the U.S. was a member.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Military alliance created in 1949 made up of 12 non-Communist countries including the United States that support each other if attacked.
Warsaw Pact (1955)
Soviet Union formed this in 1955. It included the Soviet Union and seven of its satellites (countries aligned with them) in Eastern Europe.
Mao Zedong
Leader of the Communist Party in China that overthrew the Nationalists. Established China as the People’s Republic of China and ruled from 1949 until 1976. The Nationalists escaped to Taiwan and are still there today.
