The Origins of the Cold War

These flashcards cover key concepts and events from the lecture on the origins of the Cold War, focusing on the ideological and military strategies employed by the United States and the Soviet Union.

What significant event marked the quick collapse of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union after 1945?

The wartime cooperation quickly collapsed due to territorial and economic differences.

What did the ideological cold war that emerged after 1945 pit against each other?

Democracy and capitalism against communism.

What was the primary US strategy during the Cold War?

Containment, which aimed to keep communism from spreading beyond its borders.

What doctrine gave the US major economic power and responsibility to support 'free expansive peoples'?

The Truman Doctrine.

What was the aim of the Marshall Plan launched by the US from 1948 to 1952?

To rebuild Europe economically and save capitalism.

How did the US respond to the USSR blocking supply routes to West Berlin in 1949?

The US airlifted supplies to West Berlin, marking a significant propaganda victory.

What did NATO represent in the context of post-World War II geopolitics?

America's first formal military alliance since the Revolutionary War.

What was the significance of the Korean War for US involvement in Asia?

The Korean War turned the Cold War into a global conflict and solidified the US's interest in Asia.

What symbolized America's fear of nuclear attack and fallout during the Cold War?

Fallout shelters became the most potent symbol of the Atomic Age.

What was a major criticism of the Marshall Plan from the perspective of the USSR?

It was seen as a method for the US to gain power and establish control over European nations.