Cold War Vocab Quiz

European Economic Community (European Union)

a regional organization thats members reduced tariffs and developed common trade policies. It was later renamed the European Union.

Marshall Plan:

A successful plan Harry S. Truman for the US to rebuild Europe from devastation of WWII. It brought in 12 billion dollars, humanitarian concern, was an effort to prevent another depression, led to better living conditions.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Defensive alliance between U.S. and Western Europe to keep peace, was the first time the U.S. entered into peacetime alliance

Warsaw Pact

Defensive alliance between Soviet Union and Eastern European Countries signed as defense treaty in response to NATO

Great Leap Forward

Mao Zedong's effort to transform the country from an agrarian society to a communist and industrialized state with the production of steel and crops, but led to massive famine.

Chinese Cultural Revolution

Led by Mao ZeDong with the goal to combat capitalism that could be infiltrating the Communist Party. It brought some more social quality through healthcare and education but also led to the creation of Red Guards

Tiananmen Square Massacre:

Public space in Beijing, China where students protested wanting political reform, Chinese government denied events and soldiers stopped protest using tanks and guns

Proxy war

A war where smaller groups countries that each represent interest of larger powers in war without direct contact.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

The Soviets test their first intercontinental ballistic missile, US tests in the same year. A doctrine that states no matter which country might launch first, both would be destroyed, resulting in a balance of terror.

Non-aligned movement

Countries that stayed out of formal alliances and played each side against the other in return for financial assistance

Civil disobedience

deliberate and public refusal to obey an unjust law, nonviolent protest

Cuban Missile Crisis

Direct confrontation between the US & USSR, the moment when the two superpowers came closest to nuclear conflict.