Untitled Flashcards Set

United Nations

An international organization formed after World War II to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

Security Council

One of the five main parts of the United Nations that holds veto power, comprising the US, UK, Russia, France, and China.

Cold War

A period of political tension and military rivalry between the U.S. and the USSR from 1945 to 1991, without direct warfare.

Containment

U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism during the Cold War.

Domino Theory

The belief that a political event in one country will cause similar events in neighboring countries, particularly related to the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe for economic recovery post-World War II.

Berlin Blockade

A Soviet attempt to cut off access to West Berlin in 1948-1949.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1962 over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

A military strategy where both sides possess enough nuclear capability to destroy each other, deterring full-scale war.

Potsdam Conference

A 1945 meeting of Allied leaders (Truman, Stalin, Attlee) to discuss post-war Europe and Germany.

Yalta Conference

A meeting in February 1945 where Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin planned the post-war reorganization of Europe.

Vietnam War

A conflict in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975 involving communist North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Chinese Civil War

Conflict between the Nationalists and Communists in China from 1927 to 1949, ending with the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A congressional resolution that gave President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam following alleged attacks on U.S. ships.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 to counter Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of Eastern European communist countries led by the Soviet Union, established in 1955.

Great Leap Forward

Mao Zedong's campaign from 1958 to 1961 aimed at rapidly transforming China into a socialist society through industrialization.

Cultural Revolution

A sociopolitical movement in China from 1966 to 1976 initiated by Mao Zedong to enforce communism by removing capitalist elements.

Iron Curtain

A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.

Buffer Zone

Eastern European countries under Soviet control post-World War II, meant to serve as a protective barrier against Western influence.