General Cold War Knowledge and Concepts

Question 1

Who was the Cold War between and what ideological differences did they hold?

Answer 1

Mainly the United States who were democratic and capitalist and then the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) who were communists.

Question 2

Why was it called the “cold” war?

Answer 2

Because there was never any direct conflict between the USA and the USSR, just smaller proxy wars and political disputes.

Question 3

What is communism?

Answer 3

Communism is a system of governance where all property is owned by the community and everyone works for common goals. This should mean that all people are equal and there is one level of social class.

Question 4

When did the cold war start and end?

Answer 4

The cold war began in 1945 and ended in 1991.

Question 5

What pact was created in 1955 between the USSR and its Eastern European allies?

Answer 5

The Warsaw Pact

Question 6

When was the Warsaw Pact created?

Answer 6

1955

Question 7

What alliance was created between the United States and Western democratic Europe?

Answer 7

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was created in 1949

Question 8

When was NATO created?

Answer 8

1949

Question 9

What is the “domino theory”?

Answer 9

A theory that states that once one country falls to communism, the next will, and then the next, and the next just like dominoes.

Question 10

When did the threat of communism become real to Australians?

Answer 10

When China and North Korea became communist in 1949

Question 11

Who was the prime minister at the time of the cold war?

Answer 11

The liberal parties Robert Menzies was the prime minister

Question 12

True or False, Robert Menzies and the Liberal Party were anti-communist?

Answer 12

True.

Question 13

What did Robert Menzies promise to do if he was elected in 1949?

Answer 13

Outlaw the Communist Party of Australia and protect Australia from the spread of communism.

Question 14

What was Australia’s defence policy called during the cold war?

Answer 14

Forward Defence Policy.

Question 15

What is the Forward Defence Policy?

Answer 15

The Forward Defence Policy was a policy in Australia where the military (along with allies such as the US) would go overseas to fight against the spread of communism so it would never reach Australia.

Question 16

What war was Australia involved in from 1950 until 1953?

Answer 16

The Korean War.

Question 17

Why did the Korean War start?

Answer 17

After Japans defeat in WWII, the Korean peninsula was controlled by the USSR up until 38 latitude under this line was US backed and democratic South Korea. North became its own communist state in 1949 and then in 1950 invaded South Korea with China’s help. In response the US and its allies helped fight alongside South Korea to not let them fall to the communists.

Question 18

What happened on the 16th to 29th of October in 1962?

Answer 18

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 19

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 19

The USSR put nuclear weapons on the island of Cuba off the South US coast and then the US put nuclear weapons in Italy and Turkey. This was the closest point to all out war in the whole cold war but a resolution was reached and both sides stood down.

Question 20

When was the Vietnam War?

Answer 20

1955 until 1975

Question 21

When and why did Australia join the Vietnam War?

Answer 21

Australia joined in 1962. They joined to strengthen relations with United States and to help stop the spread of communism through Southern Asia.

Question 22

When did Australia leave the Vietnam War?

Answer 22

1973.

Question 23

Why did the cold war end?

Answer 23

The USSR collapsed in 1991 and this marked the end of the arms race between them and the US.

Question 24

What war was Australia involved with from 1962-1973?

Answer 24

Vietnam War

Question 25

Why did the USSR collapse?

Answer 25

Mikhail Gorbachev decided to loosen the USSR grip on its eastern states and so quick democratic momentum lead to peaceful overthrows of many of the USSR eastern states governments and the establishment of independent states. This was lead by the collapse of the Berlin wall in 1989. Russia then became an independent state on the 25th of December 1991.