The Cold War Flashcards
Cold War Overview
The Cold War was fought between 1946 to 1991 and was between the US and the USSR (The Soviet Union). It was a non direct power struggle and it was primarily fought to determine which nation was the most powerful
Cold War Elaboration
Though nations were technically at peace it was characterised by it an aggressive arms race, proxy wars, and ideological bids for world dominance.
Cold War Key Features
Some key features of the war include the Space Race (where the two nations fought to achieve superior spaceflight capability - Neil Armstrong), production of nuclear weapons (if released they could destroy the world, MAD) and proxy wars including the Korean War and the Vietnam War as well as competing with and boycotting each other at world sporting events such as the Olympics
Vietnam War
Officially between the North and South Vietnam which lasted from the 1st of November 1955 to 30th of April 1975. The war was fought as North Vietnam was trying to make the South communist. Fearing Vietnam becoming a communist state and having a domino effect on southeast Asia, the US joined the war in support of South Vietnam thus bringing their allies including Australia
End of Cold War
The end of the Cold War began during 1989 and 1990, the Berlin Wall came down, borders opened, and free elections ousted the Communist regimes everywhere in eastern Europe. In late 1991, the Soviet Union itself dissolved into its components republics, thus ending the war.
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was built during the Cold War which divided East Berlin from the German Democratic Republic which was a physical barrier to symbolise political divisions. It was built on August 13th 1961. The Berlin Wall was built during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping the Soviet controlled East Berlin to West Berlin which was controlled by major Western Allies.
