Unit 6: Cold War and Beyond

Cold War

“war” between the US and USSR for economic, technological, political, etc dominance.

USSR

the communist Soviet Union

Communism

political and economic system where the government/society owns everything (land, resources, etc) and provides things equally among their people. Good on paper but not in practice.

Proxy war

a war fought between two opposing powers where neither actually fight each other but fight through others.

World Power/Super Power

a country that is influential enough to affect the entire world with its decisions or actions. During the Cold War the main world powers were the USSR and US.

Blocs

term used to label the US and its capitalist/democratic allies and the USSR and its communistic allies.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A military alliance between the U.S. and its allies in case of attack from the USSR and its allies.

Warsaw Pact

military alliance between the USSR and its allies

Containment

U.S. foreign policy strategy that Communism must be contained/isolated where it is already or it will spread to neighboring countries.

Domino Theory

belief that if one country fell to Communism, neighboring countries were sure to follow.

Brinkmanship

military strategy to push your enemy as close as possible to war in order for your enemy to back down. In other words, a game of chicken.

Capitalism

economic system where businesses and individuals interact with the economy with little to no government interference.

East Germany/East Berlin West Germany

After Germany lost WWII, Germany and its capital city of Berlin was split in 2. East Germany and East Berlin was controlled by the USSR.

West Germany/West Berlin.

After Germany lost WWII, Germany and its capital city of Berlin was split in 2. West Germany and West Berlin was controlled by the US, Britain, and France.

Berlin Wall

Wall that separated East and West Berlin. Became a symbol of the Cold War and the divide created in the world due to the US and USSR.

Space Race

a competition between the US and USSR to show intellectual and technological superiority by trying to accomplish milestones in space before the other. Led to some fearing that nuclear weapons would be launched from space by the other side.

Nuclear Weapons

destructive weapons that can level cities and kill thousands. The fear that either the USSR or US would use these on each other helped lead to the Cold War and to both countries stockpiling these weapons in an arms race

Arms Race

the competition between the US and USSR to stockpile and develop newer more destructive weapons just in case.

People’s Republic of China

China’s official name after China’s civil war in 1949 between the Nationalists (backed by the US) and the Communists (backed by the USSR).

Mao Zedong

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party who became China’s first Communist leader.

Korean War

3 year war between the North Koreans and the South Koreans. Stopped with an armistice but the war never officially ended which is why there are 2 separate Koreas today.

Armistice

another word for truce. An armistice was declared between North and South Korea which is why these 2 countries are still split up to this day.

North Korea

Communist country in Asia that fought in the Korean War backed by the USSR

South Korea

Capitalist and democratic country in Asia that fought in the Korean War and was backed by the US.

Vietnam War

20 year war in Vietnam between the North Vietnamese (supported by USSR) and the South Vietnamese (supported by US). Ended when North Vietnam took over all of Vietnam and the US withdrew their support.

United Nations

international group of countries that work together to help maintain international peace, human rights, and international cooperation

Nelson Mandela

South African anti-apartheid activist who was jailed for 27 years but later became the first Black president of South Africa

Apartheid

term given for the systematic legal discrimination and segregation against non-white South Africans during the Cold War. Ended when the USSR fell.

Genocide

the intentional attempt to exterminate all members of a certain race, nationality, religious, or ethnic group