The Cold War: Key Concepts and Events

Flashcards covering the origins, ideologies, arms race, key crises, Berlin/Tear-down of barriers, domino theory, proxy wars, and contemporary legacy of the Cold War.

What caused the wartime US–USSR alliance to deteriorate after 1945?

Fundamental ideological differences (capitalist democracy in the USA vs communist totalitarianism in the USSR) and growing mistrust after Germany's defeat.

What were the two competing ideologies at the heart of the Cold War?

Capitalism and democracy (USA) versus Communism and totalitarianism (USSR).

What were the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, and what did they reveal?

1945 wartime meetings that revealed growing mistrust and competing postwar interests between the Allies, laying the groundwork for Cold War tensions.

How was Europe divided after World War II?

Europe was split into spheres of influence: the USSR in Eastern Europe and Western Allies in Western Europe; Germany and Berlin were divided into four occupation zones.

When were NATO and the Warsaw Pact formed?

NATO in 1949 and the Warsaw Pact in 1955.

What did Churchill’s 'Iron Curtain' speech signify?

A warning about Soviet expansionism and the division of Europe into East and West.

Which regimes were Soviet puppet governments in Eastern Europe?

Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and East Germany.

What did the Iron Curtain symbolize beyond politics?

A physical and ideological barrier that restricted travel, communications, and trade between East and West.

By what year had the Soviet sphere in Eastern Europe largely established communist governments?

By 1948.

When did the United States drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

August 6 and August 9, 1945.

What is the Soviet nickname for its first atomic bomb test?

First Lightning (the USSR's first atomic bomb test).

What is Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)?

A nuclear deterrence concept where both sides have enough weapons to destroy the other, preventing direct war.

What are the three key components of MAD?

First strike capability, assured second strike capability, and no effective defense against nuclear attack.

Approximately how many people were killed by the Hiroshima bombing immediately or soon after?

About 140,000 people.

How many nuclear weapons did the US and USSR possess at their peak?

Over 60,000 combined.

What is the Domino Theory?

The idea that communism spreads like a contagion from one country to neighboring countries, used to justify containment.

What policy did the Domino Theory help justify?

Containment to prevent the spread of communism.

In which region did the Domino Theory have major impact, leading to increased US involvement?

Southeast Asia (notably Vietnam). (Korea is also associated in broader discussions.)

What are the main features of Capitalism (USA) as described in the notes?

Private ownership, free market driven by supply and demand, limited government regulation, democratic multi-party system, individual rights.

What are the main features of Communism (USSR) as described in the notes?

State ownership of property, centrally planned economy, resources distributed according to need, single-party system, collective good over individual rights.

What event marked the physical division of Germany and a significant escalation of Cold War tensions in Berlin?

The construction of the Berlin Wall beginning on August 13, 1961.

Why is the Berlin Wall significant as a Cold War symbol?

It embodied the Iron Curtain, visibly separating East and West and preventing East Germans from fleeing to the West.

What was Checkpoint Charlie?

A famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War.

What triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis and what was the outcome?

Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba (October 1962); Kennedy formed EXCOMM, a naval blockade (quarantine), and the crisis ended with the USSR withdrawing missiles in exchange for a US pledge not to invade Cuba; a Moscow–Washington hotline was established afterward.

What are the major proxy wars mentioned in the notes?

Korean War (1950–53) and the Vietnam War (1955–75).

What are the key takeaways about the Cold War’s modern relevance and lessons?

Enduring influence on international institutions (UN, NATO, EU) and Russia–West relations; ongoing nuclear proliferation concerns; importance of diplomacy and the dangers of fear and mistrust in international politics.