Unit 8: Cold War 1945-1991 Flashcards
Cold War
long power struggle between the US and USSR from 1945-1991 waged mostly on political and economic issues
proxy wars
wars fought indirectly through other people i.e. Korean Conflict (US & USSR fought against each other through North & South Korea)
Marshall Plan
European Recovery Plan after WWII; US program giving money to European countries to help them rebuild after WWII
Truman Doctrine
President Truman’s policy stating that the US would assist any country fighting against communism
Korean War (Conflict)
Known as the “Forgotten War”; civil war between North (communist) and South (democratic) Korea 1950-1953; US supported South Korea to stop the spread of communism
38th Parallel
The dividing line between North and South Korea
Dwight D. Eisenhower
34th US President; wins election of 1952 promising to get US out of Korean Conflict, settles truce between the Koreas
Policy of containment
US policies to use several different methods to stop the spread of communism
domino theory
fear that if one country falls to communism the neighboring countries will as well
Berlin Airlifts
1948-1949: operation in which British and American planes dropped food and supplies on West Berlin due to the Berlin Blockade
Berlin Wall
barrier between East and West Berlin; structure was built by the USSR; becomes a symbol for the era
John F. Kennedy
35th US President; elected in 1960; helped by tv debates; enemies included Nikita Kruschev (USSR) and Fidel Castro (Cuba)
Nikita Khruschev
leader of the USSR; allies himself with Castro; puts missiles in Cuba aiming at the US
Fidel Castro
rebel leader of Cuba; ousts Cuban President Batista; defeats an invasion by 1,400 Cuban refugees
Bay of Pigs
failed US mission planned by Eisenhower’s administration but carried out by Kennedy’s administration; attempt to overthrow Castro led by CIA trained 1,400 Cuban refugees; refugees get captured and held hostage for $53 million dollars; huge embarrassment for Kennedy
Cuban Missile Crisis
October 1962 nuclear missiles spotted in Cuba by US U-S spy planes; for 13 days the US and USSR were on the brink of nuclear war
Star Wars
the space race between the US and the USSR; Soviets win when they first reach space in 1957
Sputnik
the world’s first satellite to visit space; launched by the USSR in 1957
Kennedy Assassination
Nov. 22, 1963, Dallas, TX; President assassinated while riding in an open motorcade while campaigning for the Democrats and his re-election in 1964
Lyndon B. Johnson
36th US President, President Kennedy’s VP, sworn in on Air Force One, strong Texan with an impatient personality
Vietnam
conflict in this South East Asian country that spanned 5 US Presidents, conflict between North Vietnam (Communist) and South Vietnam (Democratic); eventually the US and United Nation forces get defeated and Vietnam becomes all one communist country
Vietnamization
US policy under President Nixon to give the problem of Vietnam back to the people of Vietnam; removes US soldiers out of Vietnam and eventually accepts defeat
Arms Race
Cold war competition between the U.S. and Soviet Union to build up their respective armed forces and weapons
Division of Germany
1947 Germany got divided into 4 zones controlled by the U.S., Great Britian, France and Russia
