The Global Cold War and Its Fallout: From Yalta to Malta

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to the Global Cold War and its historical context.

Berlin Wall

A physical barrier separating East and West Berlin, symbolizing the ideological divide during the Cold War, constructed on August 13, 1961 and fell on November 9, 1989.

Cold War

A global conflict lasting from 1945 to 1991, characterized by ideological struggles between the USA and the Soviet Union, fought mainly through proxy wars, propaganda, and competition for influence.

Truman Doctrine

A policy established in 1947 asserting that the United States would support countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative launched in 1947 to aid European recovery post-WWII to prevent the spread of communism.

Proxy Wars

Conflicts where both superpowers, the USA and the Soviet Union, supported opposing sides instead of direct confrontation, such as in Korea and Vietnam.

Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.)

A military doctrine during the Cold War where both superpowers possessed nuclear capabilities strong enough to destroy each other, deterring direct conflict.

Détente

A period of relaxed tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union during the 1970s that included arms control agreements.

Gorbachev

The last leader of the Soviet Union known for his reform policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) that contributed to the end of the Cold War.

Glasnost

A policy introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev allowing increased transparency and freedom of information in the Soviet Union.

Perestroika

Mikhail Gorbachev's reform aiming to restructure the Soviet economy and political system, leading towards modernized governance.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 between the USA and its allies to counter Soviet expansion.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance established in 1955 among the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries in response to NATO.