AP history test 19 2 Flashcards
What were NATO and the Warsaw pact?
Military alliance systems in the Cold War. NATO= USA led, Warsaw= USSR led. World war III threatened to be global
Based on “Domino Theory”, what was the US foreign policy of “containment” that lasted through most of the Cold war?
The USA’s policy starting in the 1940s. The idea is to not let communism spread because it would spread to nearby countries.
What was the role of espionage (spying) in the Cold War?
Espionage was very competitive and intense. The Soviets had the KGB and the Americans had the CIA.
What were the two major functions of the CIA?
Espionage= spying to gather more information and spread influence (infiltrate jobs, propaganda)
Covert Actions= secretive (often illegal and sometimes violent) missions to influence events.
Overall, what advantages did the KGB and CIA have over each other?
CIA= better technology
KGB: better human resources, less rules to follow
What were proxy wars and how did they relate to the Cold War?
Proxy wars were wars that were not directly between major powers, but were supported and funded by them. These conflicts dominated the Cold War and we’re more violent as a result.
What was the Arms Race? What is MAD about?
The arms race was a huge military race with the USA and USSR that included nuclear weapons build up. Mutual Assured Destruction: theory that it would be suicidal to attack your opponent due to a devastating retaliatory attack.
What is the status of nuclear proliferation today?
Since 1968, it was accepted global policy that no other countries should get nuclear weapons. The US and Russia have 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons today.
What was the space race about?
Competition between the USA and USSR in outer space technology to “prove” the superiority of their government system. USSR= first satellite, first person in space
USA= first person on the moon
