The Origins Of The Cold War

Question 0

Iron Curtain

Answer 0

Coined by Winston Churchill

“Iron curtain” of communist influence between free western Europe and communist eastern Europe est. by the USSR

Question 1

Satellite countries

Answer 1

Eastern European countries that came under the control of the USSR after WWII
USSR argued gang they had liberated these countries from nazis and thus had the right to continue to influence developments there

Question 2

Containment policy

Answer 2

Proposed by George F. Kennan
Believed the US needed to implement long term military, economic, and diplomatic strategies in order to “contain” the spread of communism
Became official policies in the 1940s

Question 3

Truman doctrine

Answer 3

1947
Stated that the US would support any democratic nation that resisted communism
Enacted to help Turkey and Greece maintain their independence as the USSR tried to invade in order to gain a warm water port of the Black/Mediterranean Sea

Question 4

Marshall Plan

Answer 4

American plan that spent $12bil for the rebuilding of Western Europe after WWII
Produced an economic revival and helped starve off the growth of communist influences
USSR wouldn’t be involve because they believed it was a democratic trick

Question 5

Berlin Airlift

Answer 5

American effort that flew supplies to West Berlin after the USSR and East German government blocked the roads to that city for months
Sent supplies for 15mo.s
Caused the USSR to call off the blockade

Question 6

NATO

Answer 6

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Military alliance between the US and Western European counties that formed in 1949

Question 7

Warsaw Pact

Answer 7

A military pact between the USSR and Eastern European satellite counties

Question 8

HUAC

Answer 8

House Un-American Activities Committee
Began to investigate the entertainment industry for communist influences (ex. A Mission to Moscow and North Star)
Attacked those who plead the 5th Amendment

Question 9

Blacklist

Answer 9

List created by HUAC and various private individuals in the entertainment industry who might be communists or night have been influenced by communists in the past

Question 10

McCarthyism

Answer 10

Describes the accusations by WI Senator Joseph McCarthy and his supporters in the early 1950s that certain people in the government, academia, and arts were secret communists
Charges were legally unsubstantial
Ex. Alger Hiss case and the Rosenberg trial

Question 11

Domino theory

Answer 11

If on country in a region fell under communist rule then other counties in the region would follow
Justified American involvement in Vietnam

Question 12

Sputnik

Answer 12

First artificial satellite launched in1957 by the USSR

The fact they they beat United States in the space race shocked Americans in the scientific community

Question 13

Revisionists

Answer 13

American historians who claim that the USSR’s formation of the iron curtain was a necessary response to America’s perceived aggressiveness

Question 14

Potsdam Conference

Answer 14

Truman’s first face to face conference with Stalin along with Atlee (replaced Churchill)
For discussing the future of Eastern Europe
Decided to hold wartime crime trials against nazi leaders (Nuremberg trials)
Truman told Stalin about the atomic bomb

Question 15

Hydrogen bomb

Answer 15

Tested at bikini atoll

More powerful than the atomic bomb

Question 16

What did Americans want to do in the Middle East in the years proceeding the Cold War

Answer 16

1. Ensure that the region would not be vulnerable to potential attacks by the USSR
2. Utilize the region as a staging point for potential military advances against the USSR (US placed nuclear missiles in Turkey)

Question 17

Mohammad Mossadeq

Answer 17

Iranian prime minister
Opposed British control which led to British imposed oil embargo on Iran
President Eisenhower feared Iranian nationalism and sent the CIA to est. anti-Mossadeq demonstratons that put a very religious shah in power and strengthened anti-west feelings in the Middle East

Question 18

McCarran-Walter Act

Answer 18

Followed the McCarran Internal Security Act that investigated potential communists
Greatly limited the number of immigrations from asia and Eastern Europe

Question 19

Korean War

Answer 19

Korea was divided into communist USSR north and democratic US south long the 38th parallel
Aggressor: north
Douglas MacArthur was the leader of the UN “peace” forces but Truman fired him because of his insubordination regarding the invasion of China
Armistice reaffirmed boundary at the 38th parallel
Aka the “forgotten war”

Question 20

Army-McCarthy Hearings

Answer 20

McCarthy accused the American military to be full of communists
Proved that he had little proof of his claims
Revealed that McCarthy HAD asked for special favors for his aide who was drafted into the army with bullying tactics
Televised
Made McCarthy lose his power

Question 21

Massive retaliation

Answer 21

Proposed by Eisenhower’s Sec. Of State, John Foster Dulles
Believe than containment wasn’t enough to stop communist aggression
Eisenhower just hoped the death of Stalin and rise of Khrushchev would calm everything down and HE LATER WARNED OF THE DANGERS OF MILITARY BUILD UP

Question 22

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Answer 22

French defeat by the Vietnamese over colonization

Question 23

Geneva Accords

Answer 23

Est. a north Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh and a south Vietnam under Bao Dai
Promised elections to be held in the south BUT it was overthrown by communists so the US intervened on behalf of the south

Question 24

Suez Canal crisis

Answer 24

1. Egyptian leader Cnl. Gamal Abul Nasser wanted the US to help build the Aswan Dam but America’s refusal sent them for British aid
2. The US cut off Egyptian loans
3. Nasser nationalized the British owned Suez Canal
4. The British and French attacked Egypt
5. Americans wouldn’t help so England and France retreated

Question 25

Eisenhower Doctrine

Answer 25

Desperate attempt to prevent the spread of communism by Eisenhower and Dulles
Stated that American arms would be used in the Middle East to prevent communist aggression
Ex. Sent troops to Beirut, Lebanon to put down a rebellion

Question 26

Rio Pact

Answer 26

Est. a defensive alliance in the Western Hemisphere to prevent communism
Eisenhower wanted to protect US business interests in Latin America
Ex. CIA intervention in Guatemala
Led to problems to Fidel Castro’s rise to power after Batista was overthrown

Question 27

U-2

Answer 27

US spy plane
Pilot: Francis Gary Powers
Shot down before US/USSR meeting
Eisenhower took full responsibility