The Cold War

NATO

Military alliance of Western nations formed in 1949 to counter Soviet power in Europe, based on collective defense principles.

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance of Soviet-aligned Eastern European countries established in 1955 for mutual defense and to maintain Soviet influence.

Iron Curtain

Term by Winston Churchill describing the ideological and physical division of Europe into Western and Eastern blocs.

Containment

US policy to prevent the spread of communism through military alliances, economic aid, and interventions.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Doctrine ensuring nuclear attack consequences would lead to the destruction of both parties, deterring nuclear war.

Domino Theory

Belief that the spread of communism in one country would lead to neighboring countries falling, justifying US involvement in conflicts.

The Arms Race

Competition between the US and the Soviet Union to build powerful nuclear weapons, resulting in massive stockpiling.

The Space Race

Competition for space exploration milestones between the US and the Soviet Union, showcasing technological and ideological prowess.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet Union leader (1985-1991) who introduced reforms like Glasnost and Perestroika, playing a role in ending the Cold War.

Glasnost

Soviet policy of increased transparency and freedom of information, allowing open discussion of political, social, and economic issues.

Perestroika

Soviet economic and political restructuring policy introducing market elements and reducing central control.

Ideology (US and Soviet Union)

Contrasting systems of capitalism and democracy in the US versus communism and one-party rule in the Soviet Union.

Korean War (38th Parallel)

Conflict starting in 1950 between North and South Korea, involving US and UN to repel communist forces.

Vietnam War

Conflict stemming from the division of Vietnam into communist North and anti-communist South, ending in 1975 with communist victory.

Growth of Capitalism in the 1980s

Global trend of deregulation, privatization, and free market policies, led by leaders like Reagan and Thatcher.

Cold War End

Economic strain, Gorbachev's reforms, and political change led to the end, marked by 1989 revolutions and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.