Ultimate Cold War Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for the Cold War.

Cold War

1945–1991, tension between U.S. (democratic capitalist) and USSR (communist totalitarian).

Containment

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

Yalta and Potsdam Conferences

Divided Germany & Berlin into 4 zones.

Truman Doctrine

Aid to Greece & Turkey to prevent communism.

Marshall Plan

$13B to rebuild Europe.

Berlin Airlift

U.S. supplies West Berlin after Soviet blockade.

NATO

Military alliance formed in 1949 including the US and other democratic countries.

2nd Red Scare

Fear of spies; loyalty oaths; aggressive anti-communist investigations.

Senator Joseph McCarthy

Led aggressive anti-communist investigations.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The closest the Cold War came to nuclear war.

Détente

Easing Cold War tensions.

Helsinki Accords (1975)

Human rights deal with USSR.

Reagan Doctrine

U.S. supports anti-communist rebels.

Reagan's Policies

Massive military buildup and Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars).

Glasnost

Openness.

Perestroika

Restructuring.

INF Treaty (1987)

Eliminates intermediate-range nukes.

Containment

U.S. policy to stop spread of communism

Domino Theory

If one country in a region fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall to it

Iron Curtain

Imaginary division between East and West Europe

Red Scare

Fear of communism in U.S. (esp. 1950s)

Brinkmanship

Willingness to go to the edge of war

Vietnamization

Nixon’s policy to withdraw troops and train South Vietnamese

NATO (1949)

U.S. + Western Europe

Warsaw Pact (1955)

USSR + Eastern Europe

Tet Offensive (1968)

Psychological turning point; U.S. public doubts victory.