The Origins Of The Cold War

Question 0

Iron Curtain

Answer 0

Term coined by British Prime Minister Weston Churchill. Churchill forcefully proclaimed that the Soviet Union was establishing an “iron curtain” between the free countries of Western Europe and the communist-controlled countries of Eastern Europe.

Question 1

Satellite Countries

Answer 1

Eastern European countries that came under the control of the Soviet Union after WWII

Question 2

Containment policy

Answer 2

Policy devised by American diplomat George F. Kennan- he believed that the united states needed to implement longterm military, economic, and diplomatic strategies in order to “contain” the spread of communism.

Question 3

Truman Doctrine

Answer 3

1947- policy stated that the United States would support any democratic nation that resisted communism

Question 4

Marshall Plan

Answer 4

American plan that spent $12 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe after WWII; the plan produced an economic revival and helped stave off the growth of Communist influence.

Question 5

Berlin Airlift

Answer 5

American effort that flew in supplies to west berlin after the soviet union and the east german govt blocked the roads to that city in 1948- american planes flew in goods for 15 months causing the soviets to call off the blockade.

Question 6

NATO

Answer 6

North Atlantic Treaty Organization- military alliance between the US and Western European countries formed in 1949

Question 7

Warsaw Pact

Answer 7

A military pact formed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and its eastern european satellite countries.

Question 8

HUAC

Answer 8

House Un-American Activities Committee; in 1947 this committee began to investigate the entertainment industry for Communist influences.

Question 9

Blacklist

Answer 9

List created by HUAC- listed people in the entertainment industry that might be communist- this caused the people on this list to not get work in the industry until the 1960s

Question 10

McCarthyism

Answer 10

Term used to describe the accusations by Joseph McCarthy that certain people in govt, academics and arts were secret communists

Question 11

Domino Theory

Answer 11

Theory that if one country in a region fell under communist rule, then other countries in the region would follow; this theory would be used to justify American involvement in Vietnam.

Question 12

Sputnik

Answer 12

The first artificial satrllite, launched in 1957 by the Soviet Union; the fact that the Soviets launched a satellite before the US shocked many in the American scientific community.

Question 13

Yalta Conference

Answer 13

Meeting between Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt- stalin agreed to assist the Americans against the Japanese after the Germans were defeated- Germany would be divided into two zones (held by the victors)- and stalin promised to hold free elections (which he didnt)

Question 14

Potsdam Conference

Answer 14

1945- meeting between Truman, stalin, and Atlee (replaced churchill): truman expressed reservations about the future role of the soviet union in Eastern Europe at this conference.

Question 15

“West Germany”

Answer 15

French, English and American zones of occupation were joined together into “West Germany”

Question 16

Hydrogen Bomb

Answer 16

Atomic weapons much more powerful than those used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki (dropped in 1945) and the hydrogen bombs were tested by both the US and Soviet Union in the 1950s

Question 17

Loyalty Review Board

Answer 17

Established in 1947- effort to control possible communist influence in the american government. Some employees were released bc of their affiliation with “unacceptable” political organizations or bc of their sexual orientation.

Question 18

Korean war

Answer 18

1950-1953

US and UN fought to stop communist aggression against south korea.

Question 19

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Answer 19

1954 victory of Vietnamese forces over the french, causing the french to leave vietnam and all of indochina; Geneva Peace Accords that followed established North and South Vietnam.

Question 20

Eisenhower Doctrine

Answer 20

Promised military and economic aid to “friendly” nations in the middle east- policy was made to prevent communism from spreading.

Question 21

Rio Pact

Answer 21

1947 treaty signed by US and most latin american countries stating that the region would work together on economic and defense matters