U.S History - Chapter 11 - The Cold War

Cold War

the conflict between the US and the Soviet Union which had multiple deadly threats

Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister

Berlin Wall

a wall separating east and west Germany

Iron Curtain

a curtain split between the Democratic side of Germany (west) to the Communist side (east)

Containment

the US foreign policy was used to stop the spread of communism around the world.

Truman Doctrine

Provided economic and military aid to those who are in danger of communism or totalitarian ideology.

Marshall Plan

a plan that provided economic aids to the reparation of Europe after WWII

Berlin Airlift

Airlift that supplied the west side of the Berlin Wall after the Soviet Union tried to cut off the west side to stop access to Berlin

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

an International Organization called NATO that was created for the purpose of preventing future conflicts and is still used today

38th parallel

dividing North and South Korea in which the Soviet Union allied with the North and United States allied with the South

Demilitarized Zone

a zone or region that cannot have military in it

Joseph McCarthy

a Senator who accused many people in the US Gov’t of being a communist without any evidence or proof. He took advantage of the fear of communism rising in the US.

Bay of Pigs invasion

an embarrassment of failed invasion in Cuba by the US to overthrow Fidel Castro

Cuban Missile Crisis

the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba but later withdrew them to prevent war with the US + increased the tension between the Soviet Union and the US

The Arms Race

the competition between Soviet Union and US to have the strongest powerhouse or military and weapons

The Space Race

a competition between the US and the Soviet Union to be the first in space exploration

Project Gemini/ Apollo Program

programs in the US to beat the Soviet Union in the Space Race

Domino theory

a theory that if one country falls to communism the neighboring countries would also fall into communism therefore causing the domino effect

Vietcong

Vietnam communist

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

US Congress gives permission to President Johnson to send troops to Vietnam

Military draft

a system in which a draft is used to make certain people go to military

Tet Offensive

North Vietnam and Viet Cong raiding and using military force against the capitals in Vietnam

SALT Agreement

treaty between the US and the Soviet Union to lower their nuclear power

Detente

a policy to reduce tension made in the Cold War

Glasnost

a policy of the Soviet Union Government that allowed freer discussion of social problems

Perestroika

a policy created by Mikhail Gorbachev that restricted the social and economic conditions of communist Russia

Mikhail Gorbechev

head of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991 in which he improved relations with the West and led the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe