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Cold War

A period of tension between superpowers, mainly the USA and USSR, characterized by political hostility and military competition without direct armed conflict.

Defection

The act of leaving one's country to join another, often for political reasons.

Gouzenko Affair

Incident in 1945 where Soviet clerk Igor Gouzenko defected to Canada with secret documents, revealing a Soviet espionage network.

Foreign Policy

A nation's strategy in dealing with other countries.

United Nations (UN)

An international organization aimed at promoting peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

The Big 5

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council: USA, Russia, Britain, France, and China.

Marshall Plan

A US initiative launched in 1948 to aid Western Europe's recovery after WWII, aiming to rebuild economies and prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Blockade

A 1948-1949 crisis where the Soviets cut off access to West Berlin, leading to a massive airlift of supplies by Western Allies.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance established in 1949 for collective defense against aggression.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in 1955 among Eastern European communist nations, led by the Soviet Union.

Nuclear Arms Race

A competition between nations, particularly the USA and USSR, to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons.

NORAD

North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning and defense.

Containment

A US foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the expansion of communism.

Espionage

The act of spying or using spies to gather secret information.

Satallite States

Countries that were nominally independent but under heavy influence or control of a superpower, particularly USSR.

Iron Curtain

A term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Western democracies and Eastern communist countries.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

American citizens convicted of espionage for allegedly transmitting atomic secrets to the USSR; executed in 1953.