COLD WAR VOCAB QUIZ

European Economic Community (European Union)

An alliance of six Western European Countries dedicated to developing common trade policies and reducing tariffs.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing economic aid to help rebuild European economies after World War II.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Military alliance between the U.S. and various European countries; largely aimed at defending against the threat of Soviet aggression during the Cold War

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance between the Soviet Union and communist states in Eastern Europe to counter NATO.

Great Leap Forward

Communist push for collectivization that creates “people’s communes” and aimed to mobilize China’s population for rapid development.

Chinese Cultural Revolution

The Revolution in China aimed to combat capitalism and preserve communism in China.

Tiananmen Square Massacre

Student protests for democratic reforms were crushed by government soldiers crushed protest using tanks and guns, killing hundreds; Chinese government denies events.

Proxy war

War fought between smaller countries that represent the interests of other larger powers who might support said smaller countries.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Military doctrine where no matter which country might launch first, both would be destroyed, resulting in a balance of terror that would stabilize peace.

Non-aligned movement

countries that stayed out of formal alliances and played each side against the other in return for financial assistance.

Civil disobedience

deliberate and public refusal to obey an unjust law

Cuban Missile Crisis

Major standoff between US and Soviet Union where Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba led to compromise where US agreed to not invade Cuba if Soviet Union removes missiles from Cuba.