Cold War Quiz

NATO

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to defend against Soviet aggression.

Cold War

A period of political and military tension (1945–1991) between the United States and the Soviet Union without direct large-scale fighting.

Containment

A U.S. policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism around the world.

Truman Doctrine

A policy where the U.S. promised to support countries resisting communism, especially Greece and Turkey.

Satellite nations

Countries in Eastern Europe controlled politically and militarily by the Soviet Union.

Berlin Airlift

A U.S. and Allied effort to fly supplies into West Berlin after the Soviets blockaded the city.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program that gave economic aid to rebuild Western Europe and prevent the spread of communism.

United Nations

An organization formed in 1945 to promote peace, cooperation, and security among nations.

HUAC

A U.S. government committee that investigated suspected communist influence in America.

McCarthyism

The practice of accusing people of being communists without solid evidence, led by Joseph McCarthy.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A policy stating the U.S. would defend Middle Eastern countries from communism.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

A U.S. government agency that gathers intelligence and conducts secret operations abroad.

Brinkmanship

A strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war to force the other side to back down.

John Foster Dulles

Eisenhower’s Secretary of State who strongly supported brinkmanship and anti-communist policies.

Francis Gary Powers

An American pilot whose spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union.

U-2 incident

The event where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR, increasing Cold War tensions.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries formed in response to NATO.