Main events Flashcards
What event marked the beginning of the Cold War?
The end of World War II and the division of Europe in 1945.
True or False: The Iron Curtain was a physical barrier between Eastern and Western Europe.
False; it was a metaphorical division.
What was the significance of the Truman Doctrine?
It established the policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism.
Fill in the blank: The _____ Plan provided economic aid to European countries to help rebuild after WWII.
Marshall
What was the Berlin Blockade?
A Soviet attempt to cut off access to West Berlin in 1948-1949.
How did the United States respond to the Berlin Blockade?
By organizing the Berlin Airlift to supply West Berlin.
What military alliance was formed in 1949 in response to the threat of the Soviet Union?
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
True or False: The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance formed by Western nations.
False; it was formed by Eastern Bloc countries.
What was the significance of the Korean War (1950-1953)?
It was the first armed conflict of the Cold War, establishing the precedent for U.S. intervention in Asia.
Which event in 1961 escalated tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union?
The construction of the Berlin Wall.
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A 13-day confrontation in 1962 over Soviet missiles in Cuba.
What was the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba, and the USSR removed its missiles.
Fill in the blank: The policy of _____ involved negotiations to ease tensions between the superpowers.
Détente
What was the significance of the Vietnam War?
It was a major conflict that showcased the limits of U.S. military power and led to widespread protests.
True or False: The U.S. successfully prevented the fall of South Vietnam to communism.
False; South Vietnam fell in 1975.
What was the purpose of the SALT treaties?
To limit the number of nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and the USSR.
What event marked the end of the Cold War?
The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s.
Perestroika
What was the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989?
It symbolized the end of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and the Cold War.
Which doctrine justified U.S. intervention in Latin America during the Cold War?
The Monroe Doctrine.
True or False: The Space Race was a competition between the U.S. and the USSR for technological superiority.
True.
What was the first artificial satellite launched into space?
Sputnik, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.
What role did NATO play during the Cold War?
It served as a military alliance for collective defense against Soviet aggression.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a failed U.S. invasion of Cuba in 1961.
Bay of Pigs
What was the significance of the Prague Spring?
It was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia that was crushed by Soviet intervention in 1968.
What did the term ‘McCarthyism’ refer to during the Cold War?
The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence.
True or False: The Cold War was characterized by direct military conflict between the U.S. and the USSR.
False; it was primarily a war of ideologies and proxy wars.
What was the significance of the Helsinki Accords in 1975?
They were a major diplomatic agreement that aimed to improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a U.S. initiative to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East.
Eisenhower Doctrine
What was the significance of the U-2 incident in 1960?
It heightened tensions after a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union.
What was the significance of the ‘Domino Theory’ during the Cold War?
It suggested that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the fall of neighboring countries.
Fill in the blank: The _____ War was a proxy conflict in which the U.S. supported anti-communist forces in Afghanistan.
Soviet-Afghan
What was the significance of the Berlin Airlift?
It demonstrated U.S. commitment to protecting West Berlin and resisting communism.
What was the role of the CIA during the Cold War?
To conduct covert operations and gather intelligence to counter Soviet influence.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of nuclear tests conducted by the U.S. in the Pacific during the Cold War.
Operation Crossroads
What was the significance of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
It authorized U.S. military involvement in Vietnam based on alleged attacks on U.S. ships.
What was the significance of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
It aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.
True or False: The Cold War ended with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
True.
What was the significance of the Yalta Conference in 1945?
It set the stage for post-war Europe and the division of Germany.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a military conflict that occurred in 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
Soviet-Afghan War
What was the significance of the Treaty of Paris (1973)?
It aimed to establish peace in Vietnam and end U.S. involvement.
What was the significance of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)?
It aimed to develop a missile defense system to protect the U.S. from nuclear attack.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of reforms in the USSR aimed at political openness.
Glasnost
What was the significance of the 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott?
It was a protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
What was the significance of the Berlin Wall’s fall in 1989?
It symbolized the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany.
What was the significance of SALT II?
It aimed to limit the number of strategic nuclear weapons but was never ratified by the U.S. Senate.
What was the significance of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)?
It served as a buffer zone between North and South Korea, established after the Korean War.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a conflict where the U.S. supported anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua.
Iran-Contra Affair
What was the significance of the Warsaw Pact’s dissolution?
It marked the end of the Soviet-led military alliance and facilitated the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.
What was the significance of the Camp David Accords?
They were a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, facilitated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
What was the significance of the Suez Crisis in 1956?
It highlighted the decline of British and French influence and the rise of U.S. and Soviet power in the Middle East.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a conflict that involved U.S. support for anti-communist forces in Angola.
Angolan Civil War
What was the significance of the Bay of Pigs invasion?
It was a failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, which embarrassed the U.S. and strengthened Cuba’s ties to the USSR.
What was the significance of the Tet Offensive in 1968?
It was a major escalation in the Vietnam War that shifted U.S. public opinion against the war.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a U.S. policy aimed at containing communism in Latin America.
Good Neighbor Policy
What was the significance of the Helsinki Final Act?
It was a diplomatic agreement that improved East-West relations and included human rights provisions.
What was the significance of the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty?
It prohibited nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in space.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of U.S. interventions aimed at preventing communist expansion in Southeast Asia.
Domino Theory
What was the significance of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty?
It limited the development of missile defense systems and aimed to stabilize nuclear arms competition.
What was the significance of the Gulf War in 1990-1991?
It marked a significant U.S. military action after the Cold War and showcased U.S. power in the post-Cold War world.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a term used to describe the Soviet Union’s efforts to expand its influence in Asia and the Middle East.
Brezhnev Doctrine
What was the significance of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests?
They were a pro-democracy movement in China that was violently suppressed, highlighting the repressive nature of communist regimes.
What was the significance of the 1968 Prague Spring?
It represented a brief period of liberalization in Czechoslovakia that was crushed by Soviet intervention.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a military alliance formed in response to NATO.
Warsaw Pact
What was the significance of the 1979 Iranian Revolution?
It led to the establishment of an Islamic Republic and a significant shift in U.S.-Iran relations.
What was the significance of the Berlin Crisis of 1961?
It escalated tensions between the U.S. and the USSR and led to the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of U.S. policies aimed at containing the spread of communism in Asia.
Containment Policy
What was the significance of the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983?
It was a U.S. intervention to overthrow a Marxist government and restore a pro-American regime.
What was the significance of the 1980 presidential election in the U.S.?
Ronald Reagan’s election marked a shift towards a more aggressive anti-communist foreign policy.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was an initiative aimed at rebuilding Europe after WWII, primarily through economic aid.
Marshall Plan
What was the significance of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973?
It marked the end of direct U.S. military involvement in Vietnam and led to the eventual fall of Saigon.
What was the significance of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster?
It highlighted the dangers of nuclear power and the failures of the Soviet system.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was the U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism in Europe and Asia.
Truman Doctrine
What was the significance of the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
It outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, impacting social movements during the Cold War.
What was the significance of the 1947 National Security Act?
It established the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the U.S.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a series of agreements aimed at reducing nuclear arms during the Cold War.
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)
What was the significance of the United Nations during the Cold War?
It served as a platform for dialogue and resolution of conflicts between superpowers.
What was the significance of the 1972 SALT I treaty?
It was the first agreement between the U.S. and the USSR to limit nuclear weapons.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a conference that aimed to improve relations between the East and West.
Helsinki Conference
What was the significance of the 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)?
It proposed the development of a missile defense system to protect against nuclear attacks.
What was the significance of the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
It marked a significant escalation in Cold War tensions and led to U.S. support for Afghan resistance.
Fill in the blank: The _____ was a period of heightened tensions and military buildup between the U.S. and the USSR in the 1980s.
Second Cold War
