Lesson 12: Cold War Foreign Policy Vocab

Vocab words

Nations that are politically and economically dominated or controlled by another another more powerful country

satellite nations

Political and military barrier that separated Communist East and Capital West in Europe

iron curtain

The strategy by which as long as two countries can destroy each other with nuclear weapons, they will be afraid to use them

mutual assured destruction

A military approach that relies more heavily on conventional means than nuclear weapons

flexible response

Informal relationship that some people believe exists between the U.S. military and the defense industry

military industrial complex

High standing or a position of respect and authority

prestige

Economic system characterized by the private or corporate ownership of goods with the distribution of goods determined by competition in a free market

capitalism

A chronic disease that thickens and harden artery walls, which can then restrict blood flow to tissue

arteriosclerosis

aka constitution

charter

a state of oppression or domination

tyranny

A term used to describe the conflict over ideological differences that did not involve warfare or overt military action

cold war

lacking interest or concern

complacent

meeting between government leaders

summit

A state of barrenness or absolute solitude

desolation

Soviet policy that allowed for the open discussion of political and social issues and freer dissemination of news and information

glasnost

The expulsion, imprisonment, or killing of ethnic minorities by a dominant, majority group

ethnic cleansing

not openly shown or engaged in

covert

The removal or reduction of restrictions placed on some forms of economic activity

liberalization

The accumulate or gain

accure

Able to last for a long time

durability

A willingness to go to the brink of war to force an opponent to back down

brinkmanship

Policy or economic and government restructuring implemented by Gorbachev in the soviet Union in the 1980s

perestroika

Nations with primarily agricultural economies

developing nations

Policy in which the hostilities of two countries toward one another are exploited to the benefit of a third country

triangulation

Economic system in which the production of goods is controlled by the state

communism

To prevent the expansion of

containment

Conflict fought with limited commitment of resources to achieve a limited objective

limited war

Policy that attempts to relax or ease tensions between nations

détente

Policy that involves threatening the use of nuclear weapons to avoid a potential war

massive retaliation

Temporary or for a limited time

interim

Economic program designed to aid European countries affected by WWII. Proposed in 1947.

Marshall Plan