Cold War Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the Cold War period, including major events, policies, and figures.

Cold War

A global confrontation between the Soviet Union and the U.S.A. avoiding direct war, fought through smaller countries, science, and culture.

Yalta Conference

Meeting where Allies split Germany and Berlin into zones controlled by Britain, U.S., USSR, and France.

United Nations

Founded in 1945 to promote peace, justice, and solve international problems, consisting of a General Assembly and a Security Council.

Iron Curtain

A term describing the division of Europe into East and West, representing communist and democratic countries.

Containment

U.S. policy to prevent the spread of communism, including the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.

Berlin Airlift

The operation in 1948 where Allies supplied West Berlin after Stalin closed access, leading to the creation of West Germany.

NATO

Military alliance formed by Western Allies in 1949, stating an attack on one is an attack on all.

Brinkmanship

The practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge of disaster to achieve results, notably used by John Dulles.

ICBM

Intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering nuclear weapons across continents.

Domino Theory

The belief that the spread of communism in one nation could lead to the spread in others.

Vietnamization

Nixon's plan to train South Vietnamese forces to take over the military role in the Vietnam War.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A standoff between the U.S. and USSR in 1962 over Soviet missiles in Cuba, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Détente

The easing of hostilities between the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War, particularly during Nixon's presidency.

Glasnost

Policy introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev for social reform, ending religious bans and censorship in the USSR.

Perestroika

Economic reform policy introduced by Gorbachev to revitalize the Soviet economy.

Berlin Wall

Barrier that separated East and West Berlin, symbolizing the Cold War division, destroyed in 1989.

End of the Soviet Union

The 1991 collapse of the USSR following failed reforms, leading to Boris Yeltsin's declaration ending the Communist party.