Section 2 Quiz Or Sum Flashcards
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong (1893–1976) was the leader of the Communist Party in China from 1935 until his death. He also served as the chief of state of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1959.
Korean War
After World War II, Korea had no government in place. The country was divided along the 38th parallel. Soviet forces occupied the north, while U.S. forces were stationed in the south. By 1948, the two halves were still unable to agree on a unified government. The United Nations proposed creating a separate nation of South Korea, and so the Republic of Korea came into being. Communist forces were gaining strength in the north supported by assistance from the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union. Both communist countries opposed the move to create a separate nation. In 1950, with the promise of support from Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin, North Korean forces pushed across the 38th parallel, launching an invasion of South Korea.
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. It lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 until the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. The United States and the Soviet Union saw each other as threats. The United States had a market economy and a democratic government, while the Soviet Union had a command economy and a communist government in which the people had little control over their government
Joseph McCarthy
McCarthyism is a term derived from the name of Joseph McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin from 1947 to 1957. McCarthy believed that the U.S. government in general and the State Department in particular had been infiltrated by communists. McCarthy vowed to expose them and run them out of government. He told Americans that Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman had been victims of communist treason. McCarthy’s investigations were an offshoot of the House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee.
Arms Race
An arms race occurs when two or more nations compete to develop the newest, most technologically sophisticated, and most lethal weapons. Such races have occurred throughout history as a way for one nation to assert its power over all others. The most famous and potentially dangerous arms race took place between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War after World War II.
Sputnik
On October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite was launched by the Soviet Union. The metal, beach ball—sized object took about 98 minutes to orbit the earth. Its successful launch marked the beginning of the Space Race.
