Cold War and Space Race Flashcards
Describe the Iron Curtain.
Soviets made a barrier that separates Communist East from Non-Communist West with satellites.
Discriminate between Socialism and Capitalism. What do the Soviets believe will win out as a government?
The Soviets believe communism will overthrow Capitalism.
Capitalism (buying and selling of goods)
Socialism (advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole)
Who was Nikita Khrushchev? Who did Nikita replace?
Nikita was the leader of Russia. He replaced Stalin.
What was George Kennan’s idea to stop Communism?
Containment Policy
Define containment.
Principle that communist governments will eventually fall apart as long as they are prevented from expanding their influence
Describe the crisis in Iran solved by the Truman Doctrine.
Before WWII, GB and SU took over Iran to prevent Germany from taking it. They agreed to leave after WWII. Split Iran into 2 parts: Russia gets North; GB gets South
After WWII, GB leaves and SU takes control. The US implied a threat to SU with their fleet and SU left
What was the best fleet?
US 7th Fleet
Describe the Crisis in Greece/Turkey
Civil war breaks out
Communist leave for WWIII -> they come back and start the Civil War again
Which countries backed the Communist?
Albania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria
Tell how much money Truman Doctrine pumped into Greece and Turkey.
400 million dollars
Describe the Marshall Plan
aka European Recovery Plan:
provided economic aid to Western Europe and prevented the spread of Communism
Who was George C. Marshall
The secretary of State
he made a speech at Harvard for his economic plan for Europe -> the Marshall plan
Between 1948-1951, how much did the US give to West Europe?
$13 billion
What countries received 1/2 of the money?
GB, France, West Germany
What is COMECON?
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
Soviet response to the Marshall Plan
1. aided east europe
2. controlled the economy of East Europe
What countries participated in COMECON?
Albania, Czech, Hungary, POland, Romania, SU, Bulgaria, East Germany, Mongolia, Cuba, Vietnam
What was COMECON used for?
Aid east europe and control the economy of east europe
Describe the Berlin Blockade.
SU cut off all land routes from West Germany to West Berlin. The US couldn’t get the supplies to Berlin. SU tried to make the US look bad; it backfired.
Describe the Berlin Airlift.
The US sends planes into West Berlin to give them supplies and food. In 324 days, we sent 200,000 flights into West Berlin. After that, the blockade ended.
Describe the Berlin Wall: date built and date came down.
After WWII, refugees came from East Berlin, East Germany, and east Europe to the west. To stop this, the Russians built the Berlin Wall in 1961. West Germany was united in 1949. Wall came down in 1989.
What countries did refugees come from?
East Berlin, East Germany, and East Europe
Describe NATO. Give 2 reasons it was created.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- Defense alliance was set up to prevent the spread of communism: containment plan set up by Europe
1. take over Czechoslovakia
2. The Berlin Blockade
Name 2 events that made NATO stronger
- when SU created an atomic bomb
- SU invasion of North Korea
Name the importance of NATO. When was it created?
NATO is the first time in history that the US signed an alliance during peacetime.
Describe the Warsaw Pact. What nations participated? Who didn’t join?
Soviet response to NATO
Czech, SU,Bulgaria, Albania, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania
Yugoslavia and China did not join
Define Détente. Which countries participated in Détente?
Détente - easing of tensions; US and SU
What is a Summit? Give an example. What is the purpose of the Summit?
When world leaders meet face-to-face to reach an agreement on issues.
Ex: Helsinki Agreement in Finland. Purpose: to help UN settle disputes; concluding détente, didn’t accomplish much
How many showed up?
35 countries
Define destalinization.
When Khrushchev made a speech that denounced Stalin.
Describe the Korean War. Who attacks who? Who is asked for help?
Communist NK attacks SK. SK asks the UN for help.
Who helps SK? Who helps NK?
The US and the Free World help SK
China helps NK
describe Incon Landing.
General MacArthur - Leader. NK retreats back from SK. SK pushes Nk back to the Chinese border. MacArthur wants to invade China and drop a bomb. Chinese invade to help NK (US retreat) border put pack at the 38th parallel
Describe the Domino Theory.
If one country falls to Communism, then the countries around it will too.
What happened to Kennedy? Who becomes president?
Kennedy was assassinated. Johnson became president.
What are people who protest the Vietnam War called?
hippies
How many Vietnamese were killed? How many Americans were killed and wounded? How much did it cost the US?
3 million Vietnamese were killed.
58,000 Americans killed
300,000 Americans wounded
Costs the US 150 billion
What was the name of the first space satellite sent up by russia + date?
Sputnik I - 1957
What is the name of the 2nd Satellite?
Sputnik II
What is NASA? When was it formed?
NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
It was formed in July of 1958. It was a response to Soviet development, American fears, and the desire to advance further than the SU
What is the name of the dog that was sent up into space? What date?
Laika - 11/3/57
What was the first manned program of NASA?
Project Mercury
What happened to Apollo I?
explode
What was the arms race?
Who can produce the best weapons
Describe what happened on May 1, 1960. Who was responsible?
A spy plane taking pictures of Russian military plans was shot down by Russia. The CIA was responsible.
Who was the pilot? What happened to him?
Gary Powers: he was tried for espionage and found guilty as a spy. he is given 3 years of prison and 7 years of hard labor. the US was holding a SU spy named Abel, they traded spies -> made Eisenhower look bad
Describe the Kennedy-Khrushcehv years.
Berlin crisis: berlin wall is built, SU tried running US out of Berlin
Who ruled CUba? Who supported Cuba?
Batista ruled Cuba for a while. The US supported him.
How do the US and SU feel about Castro?
dont like
describe the Bay of Pigs
Batista ruled Cuba for a long time. US supported him, but he was a crook; he lost popularity and support. A cuban revolution occurred. Castro takes over. The US and Su dont like him. Eisenhower decides to overthrow Castro March 17, 1960. US broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba.
During the overthrowing of Cuba, how many were killed? How many are captured?
100 exiles are killed
1197 POWs are captured
How much are exiles ransomed for?
53 mill in food and medicine
Describe the Cuban Missile Crisis
Lasted 13 days, Khrushchev placed missiles in Cuba. They were aimed at the US. Kennedy told Khrushchev to remove them or he would be bombed. The US placed missiles in Turkey aimed at the SU. Khrushchev removed the missiles and it made him look bad.
What happens to Khrushchev? Who replaces him?
fired and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev
Describe the 2 Summit meetings.
- Nixon and Brezhnev had SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) in 1972 purpose was to determine the amount of weapons that can be produced
- Jimmy Carter SALT II - 1976 - never appointed by COngress, Reagan made sure it was not passed
Describe the Kitchen Debate
July 1959
We need relations between the US and SU to improve, so Nixon and Khrushchev have this debate to improve relations. It took place in Moscow, they walked in front of the Kitchen while debating. they disliked each other. They debate the pros and cons of communism and capitalism. argument heats up
What did Nixon do to Khrushchev?
poke in face
What warning was given?
if either country started a nuclear war, both would be destroyed
Describe the Maastricht Treaty. What did it create?
Creation of European Union EU -> 1993
Who was Charles de Gaulle and what were his goals?
He was President of France. He wanted to kepp GB out of the UE. He vetoes the GB army and takes 1/3 of his troops from NATO. Charles dies and GB joins the EU.
Name 5 countries that were members of the EU.
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, GB
Name 2 benefits of the EU.
- reduce the threat of conflict
- made it possible for the EU to compete with Asia and North America in the world market.
