The Cold War - SS 30-2

Cold War

A rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and their respected allies, that lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

Brinkmanship

the practice of trying to achieve an advantageous outcome by pushing dangerous events to the brink (edge) of active conflict. It occurs in international politics, foreign policy, labor relations, and military strategy involving the threat of nuclear weapons, and high-stakes litigation.

collective security

a system in which nations band together and pledge to join together against a nation that attacks one of the nations. Groups/countries commit to a collective response to threats to, and breaches to peace. Example: The UN (United Nations)

containment

geopolitical strategic foreign policy. The strategy is best known as a Cold War foreign policy of the United States and its allies to prevent the spread of communism after the end of World War II.

Détente

the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation.

Deterrence

the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.

Expansionism

the policy of territorial or economic expansion.

ideological conflict

A war of ideas is a clash or disagreement of opposing ideals, ideologies, or concepts through which nations or groups use strategic influence to promote their interests abroad.

liberation movements

a type of social movement that seeks territorial independence or enhanced political or cultural autonomy (or rights of various types). Examples: Cuban Revolution

non-alignment

an independent path for states that did not want to align with the US or USSR ideologies; or choosing not to align/be stuck between major powers.

pro-democracy movements

organizing a movement towards democracy.

Second World War

A global war of two opposing military alliances: the Allies (France, Britain, USA, USSR) and the Axis (Germany, Italy, and Japan). It began when Germany invaded Poland. WWII lasted from 1939 - 1945. An estimated 50-56 million people died.

sphere of influence

a region within one country over which another country claims certain exclusive rights.

Superpower

a very powerful and influential nation. The term was used to refer to the United States and the former Soviet Union when they were seen as the two most powerful nations in the world.

Alliance

an agreement between two or more nations to co-operate for specific purposes

balance of power

the distribution of power so that no country will dominate or be stronger than another country

biological weapons

the use of bacteria, viruses, or other disease-causing agents as weapons in warfare

coalition forces

an alliance of military forces from different countries

domino effect

in politics, the theory that if one country was taken over by an expansionist country, then nearby countries would also be taken over, one after the other

shock and awe

a military technique based on using overwhelming power and force to paralyze the opponent and destroy the will to fight

Star Wars

an American program, started in 1984, that explored the idea of ground- and space-based lasers used to destroy attacking missiles and warheads

Tension

a worry about a possible event. Such as a shared worry about a war occurring.

Appeasement

a diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid conflict.

SALT I & SALT II

(Strategic Arms Limitations Talks) signed by the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1972 and 1979, respectively, and were intended to restrain the arms race in strategic (long-range or intercontinental) ballistic missiles armed with nuclear weapons.

Marshall Plan

American policy of providing economic aid to countries affected by World War II

arms race

a competition among nuclear countries to determine which country would possess the most nuclear weapons

Vietnam War

started as a result of the U.S.'s strategy of containment during the Cold War, which aimed to prevent the spread of communism throughout the world. A conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1955 to 1975.

mutual deterrence

occurs when two or more countries use all possible means to prevent one another from taking military action

mutually assured destruction (MAD)

fear that if one country used a nuclear bomb to attack another country, there would be a nuclear war that would destroy the world

Gorbachev

he was the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991.

perestroika

a policy of the former Soviet Union that emphasized restructuring the economy

Glasnost

an official policy of the former Soviet Union that emphasized a more open government and wider distribution of information

Iron Curtain

an ideological line drawn between the communist countries and the democratic countries in Europe

Warsaw Pact

was established as a balance of power to NATO. A collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe in May 1955, during the Cold War.

Berlin Airlift

The United States and United Kingdom responded by airlifting food and fuel to Berlin from Allied airbases in western Germany. The crisis ended on May 12, 1949, when Soviet forces lifted the blockade on land access to western Berlin.

Berlin Blockade

During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control.

Berlin Wall

a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.

Cuban Missile Crisis

a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union initiated by the American discovery of Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba.

Resistance

a group of people or an organization that struggles to liberate its region or country from outside intervention

Hungarian Revolution

a nationwide revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956.

Truman Doctrine

an American policy to provide economic assistance to war-torn countries that needed to rebuild and to countries threatened by or attracted to communism

Isolationism

a policy to limit involvement in international matters

Disarmament

the reduction or withdrawal of military forces and weapons.

Yalta Conference

major World War II conference of the three chief Allied leaders, Pres. Roosevelt of the USA, PM Churchill of Great Britain, and Premier Stalin of the Soviet Union, which met at Yalta in Crimea to plan the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany.

al-Qaeda

an extremist Islamist movement that exists in a number of Muslim nations. They are known for its attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001.

Extremist

a person or group of people who resort to acts beyond what is considered normal

Jihad

a holy war waged by devout Muslims in defence of their faith

Taliban

an Islamist fundamentalist movement that governed Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Fighting a guerrilla war against NATO-led forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Terrorism

the unlawful use of threats, force, or violence against a group of people to impose political or ideological beliefs