Cold War Test Flashcards
Cold War definition
A state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures just short of war.
Why did the Cold War start?
There were two different ideas about how European countries should be run politically.
What were the Satilight Nations? (aka Buffer Zones)
Nations aligned with but also under pressure and influence by the Soviets.
Who were Ethel and Julius Rosenburg?
They were Soviet spies. They stole the A-bomb plans.
Who was Alger Hiss?
He was accused of being a Communist. Whittier Chamber “found” (aka planted) many classified documents in Hiss’s Maryland pumpkin patch.
What was the CIA?
Central Intelligence Agency. They helped to guide the military and foreign decisions during the Cold War
What was the KBG
The Russians response to the American CIA
What was/is NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
This was a military alliance between democratic countries.
What was the Warsaw Pact?
Soviets response to NATO
Who were the USSR leaders during the Cold War?
Joseph Stalin (1922-1953)
Nikita Khrushchev (1958-1954)
Who were the US presidents during the Cold War?
Harry Truman (1945-1953)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
What was the Kitchen Debate?
Nixion (before running for president) vs. Khrushchev. Argues about the US and the USSR over kitchen appliances.
What was a “flexible response”?
US defense strategy in which a wide range of diplomatic, political, economic, and military options are used to deter an enemy attack.
Who was John Foster Dulles?
The man who created Brinkmanship
What was Brinkmanship?
The practice of threatening an enemy with massive military relations for any aggression in the homes they back down
What was the Berlin Airlift?
The US’s tactic to give the people in West Berlin the supplies they needed to survive.
What was Sputnik?
The first satalight in orbit. Soviets sent it out into space. The US thought we fell behind in the Space Race.
What was the Summit in Geneva?
This was where the Open Sky proposal was made
What was the Bay of Pigs
A failed military landing in Cuba by Cuban immigrants. Its goal was to overthrow the communist government.
What was the Truman Doctrine?
The plan to give Turkey and Greece $400 million in economic and military aid.
What is containment?
The attempt to keep communism from spreading through the world.
What was the Marshal Plan?
A plan to provide food, equipment, and economic aid to all European countries that have yet to fall to communism in an attempt to keep communism from spreading.
What was M.A.D.?
Mutually Assured Destruction.
What was the Open Skies Proposal?
Russia and the US agreed to allow spy planes to go over each other’s countries. No bombers allowed.
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The US had evidence of missiles in Cuba
What was McCarthyism?
The act of making public accusations without having strong evidence.
What was the Red Scare?
The fear that communism was common among a single race.
What was the Korean War
A war between North and South Korea about communism and non communism
What was the Hot Line?
A phone that connects the US directly to the Soviets
What was the Iron Curtain?
Europe is cut in half. USSR use this to spread their influence over other countries.
What was communism in China?
China falls to communism
Who was MacArthur?
He was a senator in Wisconsin who “exposed” all of the communists. Downfall: accused the US army of being comunist.
What was the 1960 Televised Debate?
The debate between very formal and prepared Kennedy and unprepared and casual Nixion.
Stance in Essay?
US was winning
First paragraph in essay
Second paragraph in essay
Third paragraph in essay
