Cold War Flashcards
What are Satellite Nations?
Nations under Soviet influence used as a buffer zone between the USSR and Western Europe.
What is Containment?
U.S. foreign policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism by providing economic, political, and military support to vulnerable countries.
What does Iron Curtain refer to?
A term coined by Winston Churchill describing the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.
What is the Truman Doctrine?
U.S. policy to provide aid (economic and military) to Greece and Turkey to prevent them from falling to communism.
What was the Marshall Plan?
U.S. initiative providing over $13 billion to rebuild Western European economies and resist communism.
What was the Berlin Blockade/Airlift?
Soviet blockade of West Berlin led to a massive U.S.-led airlift of supplies to sustain the city.
What is NATO?
A defensive military alliance between Western nations to counter Soviet aggression.
What is the Domino Theory?
The belief that if one country in a region fell to communism, others would follow, influencing U.S. Cold War policies.
What is the Warsaw Pact?
A Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern Bloc nations to counter NATO.
What is the Eisenhower Doctrine?
U.S. commitment to defend the Middle East against any communist aggression.
What is Brinkmanship?
The practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of conflict to achieve favorable outcomes.
What is Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)?
A Cold War military doctrine in which both the U.S. and USSR had enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, deterring direct conflict.
What is Detente?
A period of relaxed tensions between the U.S. and USSR, characterized by arms control agreements such as SALT I and SALT II.
What are Glasnost & Perestroika?
Soviet policies under Gorbachev aimed at increasing openness (glasnost) and restructuring the economy (perestroika).
What was Star Wars (SDI)?
A missile defense system proposed by Reagan to protect the U.S. from Soviet nuclear attacks.
What was the Berlin Wall?
A wall built by East Germany to prevent people from fleeing to West Berlin, symbolizing Cold War division.
What was the Second Red Scare?
A period of intense fear of communism in the U.S., leading to government investigations and loyalty oaths.
What is McCarthyism?
Senator Joseph McCarthy’s campaign of accusing individuals of communist ties without substantial evidence.
What is the CIA?
U.S. agency responsible for covert operations and gathering intelligence during the Cold War.
What is Flexible Response?
A strategy under President Kennedy to use various military and non-military responses to counter communism rather than relying solely on nuclear weapons.
What are SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks)?
A series of treaties between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons development.
What was the U.S. Occupation of Japan?
After WWII, the U.S. rebuilt Japan’s economy, established a democratic government, and demilitarized the nation.
What was the Chinese Communist Revolution of 1949?
Communist forces led by Mao Zedong overthrew the Nationalist government, establishing the People’s Republic of China.
What was the Korean War?
War between communist North Korea and U.S.-backed South Korea, ending in a stalemate at the 38th parallel.
What was the CIA Coup in Iran?
U.S.-backed coup to overthrow Iran’s Prime Minister Mossadegh and restore the Shah to prevent Soviet influence.
What was the Suez Crisis?
A conflict over control of the Suez Canal, involving Egypt, Britain, France, and Israel, with the U.S. and USSR intervening diplomatically.
What was the Soviet Occupation of Hungary?
A revolt against Soviet control was crushed by Soviet forces, reaffirming USSR dominance in Eastern Europe.
What was the Berlin Crisis?
A tense standoff over West Berlin that led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
What was the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
Failed U.S.-backed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba.
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A 13-day standoff between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, resolved through negotiations avoiding nuclear war.
What was the Vietnam War?
A prolonged war between communist North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam, ultimately leading to a U.S. withdrawal in 1973.
What was the U-2 Spy Plane Incident?
U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the USSR, increasing Cold War tensions.
What was Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring?
A failed attempt to reform communist rule, crushed by the Soviet military.
What was the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?
The USSR attempted to support a communist regime in Afghanistan, leading to a U.S.-backed resistance.
What was the Fall of the Berlin Wall?
A key event marking the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
What was the Dissolution of the USSR?
The Cold War officially ended with the breakup of the Soviet Union, leading to independent nations and the end of communism in Russia.
Who was President Truman?
Established the Truman Doctrine and led the U.S. during the early Cold War.
Who was Josef Stalin?
Soviet leader during the start of the Cold War; sought to expand communist influence.
Who was Winston Churchill?
British Prime Minister who first used the term ‘Iron Curtain’ to describe Soviet expansion.
Who was President Eisenhower?
Advocated for the Eisenhower Doctrine and promoted brinkmanship as a strategy.
Who was President Kennedy?
Managed Cold War crises, including the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis; assassinated in 1963.
Who was Nikita Khrushchev?
Soviet leader after Stalin; led during the Cuban Missile Crisis and promoted de-Stalinization.
Who was Douglas MacArthur?
U.S. General in the Pacific and Korean War; dismissed by Truman for insubordination.
Who was Joseph McCarthy?
Senator leading anti-communist witch hunts in the U.S. during the 1950s.
Who were The Rosenbergs?
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the USSR.
Who was Francis Gary Powers?
U.S. pilot shot down in the U-2 incident while spying over Soviet territory.
Who was Fidel Castro?
Communist leader of Cuba who came to power in 1959 and aligned with the USSR.
Who was President Nixon?
Advocated for détente and opened diplomatic relations with China.
Who was President Ronald Reagan?
Took a hardline stance against the USSR, called it the ‘Evil Empire,’ and promoted military expansion.
Who was Mikhail Gorbachev?
Soviet leader who introduced glasnost and perestroika, leading to the end of the Cold War.
