Cold War through the Korean War

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the Cold War period through the Korean War.

Cold War

The hostile but nonviolent struggle for power between the United States and the Soviet Union from the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Yalta Conference

A conference held in February 1945 among Allied leaders to discuss the postwar reorganization of Europe.

Potsdam Conference

A conference in July and August 1945 that finalized post-World War II plans for Europe.

Proletariat

The working class in society.

Collectivism

An economic system where people jointly own the means of production and distribution under state supervision.

Containment

U.S. foreign policy aimed at restricting the expansion of Soviet influence after World War II.

Iron Curtain

The ideological barrier separating Eastern and Western Europe from 1945 to 1990.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy of providing economic and military aid to countries resisting communism, established in 1947.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative to aid the economic recovery of Europe after World War II by providing substantial funds.

Berlin Blockade

The Soviet blockade of Berlin from 1948 to 1949 aimed at forcing Allied powers to abandon their plans for West Germany.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 that began when communist North Korea invaded South Korea, prompting U.S. intervention.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

An area where no military forces are permitted, often established along borders between adversarial states.

Arms Race

A competition between nations to accumulate more powerful weapons.

H-bomb

A hydrogen bomb, which is more powerful than an atomic bomb; first tested by the U.S. in 1952.

Brinkmanship

A foreign policy approach that involves pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war.

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

A doctrine in arms races where two sides would respond to a nuclear attack with their own, preventing war.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Blacklist

A list of individuals or groups excluded from opportunities due to suspicion or accusations.

Perjury

The act of lying while under oath.

Censured

To formally reprimand or scold someone, often in a political context.