The Cold War Test Review

when World War II ended

When did the Cold War begin?

cause of the Cold War

basic political and economic differences between the United States and the Soviet Union

the cold war

a conflict between the US and the Soviet Union; two sides did not engage each other directly in a military conflict

containment policy

its goal was to prevent the further spread of communism

iron curtain

a symbol of the division between Communist Eastern Europe and Western democracies.

Truman Doctrine

the U.S. pledge to promote democratic governments and help nations struggling against communism

Marshall Plan

The United States program that gave assistance to Western European countries to rebuild after the war in order to stimulate foreign demand for American products; one of the goals was to contain (prevent the spread) of communism

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

military alliance created by U.S., Canada, and other countries of the west to help each other if one is attacked by the Soviet Union

Warsaw Pact

an alliance between the Soviet Union and other Eastern European nations. This was in response to the NATO

collective security

a system in which a group of nations acts as one to preserve the peace of all

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 situation that arose between the United States and the Soviet Union over a Soviet attempt to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba; brought the world to the brink of nuclear war

mutually assured destruction

if either US or the USSR was hit with a nuclear weapons they would respond with the same; fear of this prevented both sides from using nuclear weapons

Red Scare

fear that communists were working to destroy American life created a reaction known as the

Joseph McCarthy

This senator played on American fears by accusing many people, most falsely, of having Communist ties. His hearings were televised spread the fear of communism in American society.

McCarthyism

extreme, reckless charges against a person without any proof

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives to investigate radical groups in the United States; it later came to focus on the threat of communism during World War II and the Cold War

Berlin Airlift

the dropping of supplies into the city of West Berlin after the Soviet blocked off all ground routes into the city

Korean War

This "war" was a stalemate and ended up with a country that is still divided today; North remained communist while South remained a democracy.

domino theory

the belief that one communist victory would lead to many others

superpowers

nations that are stronger than other powerful nations

Ngo Dinh Diem

American-supported leader of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War

Ho Chi Minh

the communist ruler of North Vietnam after 1954

Fidel Castro

led the Cuban Revolution

Nikita Khrushchev

the new Soviet Leader after Stalin's death

detente

the relaxation of tensions between the superpowers at the end of the Cold War

United Nations

United States was involved in the Korean War as part of the forces sanctioned by

Vietnam War

divided the country politically and led to numerous civilian protests against the war; resulted in the unification of this country under a single, communist government

China

contributed to communist forces in the Korean and Vietnam Wars

Soviet Union

developed space flight before any other country

Mohandas Gandhi

an Indian political leader who believed in nonviolence to achieve political change. He rallied peasants, farmers, and workers in India to help the country became independent of foreign rule.