The Cold War (1945-1989) Flashcards

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1
Q

What was The Cold War?

A
  • Competition between the US & Soviet Union
  • 1945-1989
  • Also involved allies of the US & USSR
  • Competed for global influence
  • Which system would be superior?
  • Called a Cold War because the two sides never actually fought
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2
Q

How did communism expand in Europe during the Cold War?

A
  • Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe after WW2
  • Stalin imposed communist governments to create a “buffer zone” between USSR & Europe
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3
Q

Which European countries did Russia impose communism in?

A
  • Poland
  • Czechoslavakia
  • Romania
  • Hungary
  • Bulgaria
  • East Germany
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4
Q

What was Western Europe like politically during the Cold War?

A
  • American sphere of influence
  • Democratc, capitalist, societies
  • NATO
  • Millitary alliance between US & Western European states
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5
Q

What was Eastern Europe like politically during the Cold War?

A
  • Soviet Sphere of Influence
  • Communist Dictatorships
  • Forced imposition of communism
  • Warsaw Pact
  • Millitary alliance between USSR & E. European states to oppose NATO
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6
Q

What was the nickname given for the division of communism and democracies within Asia during the Cold War?

A

The Bamboo Curtian

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7
Q

How was Korea politically divided during the Cold War & what conflict was a result of the division?

A
  • Communist North supported by USSR
  • Capitalist South supported by US
  • US military involvement from 1950-1953 known as Korean War
  • Division exists today
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8
Q

How was Vietnam politically divided before the Vietnam War?

A
  • Communist North supported by the USSR
  • Capitialist South supported by US
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9
Q

When was the Vietnam War?

A

1960s and 1970s

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10
Q

What was the result of the Vietnam War?

A

Communism won and Vietnam was unified under communism in 1975

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11
Q

What other 3 Asian states aside from Korea and Vietnam that were communist during the Cold War?

A
  • Mongolia
  • Laos
  • Cambodia
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12
Q

What are two examples of Proxy Wars in Asia during the Cold War?

A
  • Vietnam War
  • Korean War
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13
Q

The US became the leader of the Western world because:?

A
  • Educated & industrial capitalist democracy
  • American pop culture goes global
  • Only major WW2 participant not to be bombed
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14
Q

What were the effects of the US leading the charge against communism?

A
  • An “Imperial presidency” with expanded powers
  • Increased power of defense & intelligence agencies making a “national security state”
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15
Q

When was the first atomic weapon developed in the US and where were they used?

A

In 1945 on Hiroshima & Nagasaki

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16
Q

When did the USSR test its first atomic bomb?

A

In 1949

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17
Q

What nuclear developments occur during the Cold War between the USSR & US?

A
  • Both countries rapidly stockpile nuclear weapons, and improve ways to deliver them
  • Bombers, submarines, missiles
  • about 60,000 warheads by 1989
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18
Q

What was M.A.D and how did prevent direct confrontation between the US and USSR?

A

Mutually Assured Destruction
The US and USSR carefully avoided direct confrontation because of fears that global nuclear war would result in human extinction

19
Q

What were examples of Cold War Characteristics?

A
  • Nuclear Arms Race
  • Space Race
  • Proxy Wars
  • Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Eastern European Revolutions
20
Q

What was the Space Race?

A
  • Emphasis on science and technology
  • USSR & US compete scientifically to see which country was the most scientifically advanced
21
Q

What were some major events during the Space Race?

A
  • 1957 - USSR launches first man-made satellite into orbit (Sputnik)
  • 1961 - USSR launches first human into space (Yuri Gagarin)
  • 1969 - US sends humans to the moon and back successfully (Apollo 11)
22
Q

What were Proxy Wars?

A

While avoiding direct confrontation, the US and USSR often supported opposing sides in regional conflicts around the world

23
Q

What are some examples of Proxy Wars?

A
  • Korea
  • Vietnam
  • Cuba
  • Afghanistan
  • Nicaragua
  • Newly-independent African states
24
Q

Which Proxy Wars resulted in communinst victories during the Cold War?

A
  • Vietnam
  • Cuba
25
Q

Which Proxy Wars resulted in a stalemate during the Cold War?

A
  • Korea
  • Nicaragua
26
Q

Which Proxy War resulted in a non- communinst victory during the Cold War?

A

Afghanistan (1980s)

27
Q

Who was Fidel Castro?

A
  • The leader of a communist revolution within Cuba in 1959
28
Q

What event marked a failed American effort to invade & get rid of communism during the Cold War in the Americas?

A
  • Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)
29
Q

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962?

A
  • USSR places nuclear missiles in Cuba (90 miles from US)
  • After a tense standoff, USSR withdraws missiles in exchange for US pledge not to invade Cuba again, and for US removal of missiles in Turkey
  • Closest the US and USSR were to direct confrontation
30
Q

Who was Mikhail Gorbachev & what did he do?

A
  • Became leader of USSR in 1980s
  • Lifted bans on censorship & permitted free expression of ideas & religions
  • Unilateral military cuts
  • Reformed the stagnant economy with modest capitalism
31
Q

What did Mikail Gorbachev oppose?

A

Soviet military intervention to suppress anti-communist movements

32
Q

What were 2 policies implemented by Mikhail Gorbachev?

A
  • Perestroika - restructuring
  • Glasnot - openness
33
Q

How did communism collapse in Europe (1989)?

A
  • Eastern Europe countries in the Warsaw Pact broke free of Soviet control & began democratic & capitalist reforms
  • USSR does not intervene
  • Protests within USSR itself for democracy & independence gain steam
  • USSR dissolves into 15 independent countries
34
Q

Why did communism fail?

A
  • Oppresive political system
  • People tend to like democracy, free speech, free religion
  • Communism was not as good at producing BOTH military & consumer goods compared to communism
35
Q

What reforms have been made in China since Mao?

A

Deng Xiaoping took over in 1976 & began reforms:
- Eased censorship
- dismantled collectived agriculture
- Opening to capitalist ideas and the world market

36
Q

What were the results of China opening to capitalist ideas and the World Market?

A
  • Great economic growth
  • Led to inequality, consumerism, pollution, and corruption
37
Q

How has the CCP maintained its status as the only political authority China in the late 20th century?

A
  • Democracy movements repressed
  • Tiananmen Square Massacre
38
Q

What was the Tiananmen Square Massacre?

A

Pro-democracy activists killed/imprisoned

39
Q

What are some examples of traditional values that some Chinese people have returned to since Mao?

A
  • Confucianism
  • Daoism
  • Buddhism
40
Q

What has China been like overall since 1976?

A
  • Eased censorship
  • Dismantled collectivized agriculture
  • Opening to capitalist ideas and world market
  • CCP is still only political authority
  • Some return to traditional values
41
Q

What’s the only true communist state today?

A

North Korea

42
Q

What states today are “communist” in name, one party control, but have made some capitalist economic reforms?

A
  • China
  • Laos
  • Vietnam
  • Cuba
43
Q

What state has one party control but is not communist anymore?

A
  • Russia