Cold War Exam Review and Key Concepts

Perestroika

Policies meant to restructure the Soviet Union.

Glasnost

Term that means 'Openness'.

Containment

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

The 'Velvet Revolution'

The name given to the peaceful revolution in Czechoslovakia.

Truman Doctrine

Main goal was to stop the spread of communism by providing aid to countries resisting it.

Marshall Plan

Primary purpose was to provide aid and rebuild the economies of European countries after World War II.

Korean War

The main reason for U.S. involvement was to stop the spread of communism in Asia.

Stalemate

Result of the Korean War where the country remained divided.

Naval blockade

U.S. response to Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance of communist countries formed in response to NATO.

Berlin Airlift

Main purpose was to deliver supplies to West Berlin during a Soviet blockade.

Arms Race

Competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Deterrent strategy to prevent nuclear war by threatening total destruction.

Eastern Europe

Region where the Soviet Union wanted to control governments after World War II.

Economic aid

Support provided by the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western European economies.

Military superiority

Goal of both nations during the Arms Race.

Nuclear weapons

Advanced weapons developed during the Arms Race.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)

Type of advanced weapon created during the Arms Race.

Nuclear submarines

Another type of advanced weapon developed during the Arms Race.

Czechoslovakia

Country where the Velvet Revolution took place.

Soviet blockade

Action that led to the Berlin Airlift.

Communist governments

Type of governments elected by Eastern European people after World War II.

Economic support

Assistance provided to countries resisting communism as part of the Truman Doctrine.

Divided Germany

Result of post-World War II occupation by the U.S., Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France.

Coup D' Etat

The attempted military takeover of the Soviet government.

Velvet Revolution

The name given to the revolution in Czechoslovakia.

Cold War

A period of intense rivalry and tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, marked by political, economic, and military competition.

Nationalistic movements

Demands for independence from Soviet republics that contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union.

Economic stagnation

A significant challenge faced by the Soviet Union by the late 1980s.

Fidel Castro

Leader of Cuba whose government was targeted during the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Soviet Union

The political entity that dissolved in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War.

Economic reforms

Changes intended to improve the economy of the Soviet Union under Gorbachev.

U.S. response to Soviet missiles in Cuba

Set up a naval blockade to prevent more missiles from arriving.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

The invasion failed, leading to an embarrassment for the U.S. government.

Fall of the Soviet Union

Nationalistic movements and demands for independence from Soviet republics.

Civil War in Yugoslavia

Bosnia and Herzegovina saw the most violence during the civil war.