Cold war

Cold War

Definition: A period of political tension (1945–1991) between the U.S. and Soviet Union.
Key Idea: No direct fighting; conflict through ideology, arms race, and proxy wars.

Denazification

Definition: The process of removing Nazi influence from Germany after WWII.

Truman Doctrine

Definition: U.S. policy (1947) to stop the spread of communism.

Iron Curtain

Definition: Term describing the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.

Marshall Plan

Definition: U.S. program giving economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII.
Key Idea: Helped prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift (Berlin Crisis)

Definition: U.S. and allies flew supplies into West Berlin (1948–1949).

NATO

Definition: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949), a military alliance.

Warsaw Pact

Definition: Military alliance of Soviet-controlled Eastern European countries (1955).

United Nations

Definition: International organization formed in 1945 to promote peace.

Mao Zedong

Definition: Communist leader of China who founded the People’s Republic of China (1949).
Key Idea: Led China under communist rule.

Great Leap Forward

Definition: Mao’s plan (1958–1962) to rapidly industrialize China.
Key Idea: Failed; caused widespread famine.

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Definition: Campaign (1966–1976) to enforce communist ideology in China.
Key Idea: Led to chaos, persecution, and destruction of culture.

Little Red Book

Definition: Collection of Mao Zedong’s quotes.