Cold War Beginnings and Mao's China

Unit 4: Section 1

Cold War

A long period of tension (no direct war) between the US and the USSR. From 1945 to 1991

Denazification

The process of removing Nazi influence from Germany after WW2

Truman Doctrine

Policy by Harry Truman (USA president) to stop the spread of communism

Iron Curtain

The division between communist Eastern Europe and capitalist Western Europe

Marshall Plan

US financial aid to rebuild Europe and stop communism spreading

Berlin Airlift (Berlin Crisis)

Western Allies flew supplies into West Berlin after the USSR blocked land routes

NATO

Military alliance of Western countries formed in 1949 for defense against communism

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance of communist countries led by the USSR (formed in 1955)

United Nations

International organization formed to maintain peace and cooperation between countries

Mao Zedong

Communist leader of China who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949

Great Leap Forward

Mao’s plan to rapidly industrialize China; it failed and caused famine.

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Campaign by Mao (1966–76) to remove opposition and enforce communist ideas

Little Red Book

Collection of sayings by Mao Zedong used to spread his ideology