The Cold War

Bolsheviks

Radical faction advocating for a communist revolution.

Cold War

the period after WWII (1945 — 1989) that involved the political, economic, and military rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union

How did Truman attempt to stop the spread of communism?

Containment via Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

containment

foreign policy adopted by Tuman in which the US allied with/gave aid to countries vulnerable to communism in order to slow/stop its spread

NATO

Military/Defensive alliance that was supposed to protect members if they were attacked by the USSR

United Nations

Peace-Keeping organization made after WWII to help sort problems out beforehand so war can be avoided

Joseph McCarthy

US Senator tasked with uncovering communist spies and citizens during the Cold War

Kim II Sung

Leader of North Korea during the Korean War

Major events in Korean War

North Korea invades South Korea

UN decides to step in and help supply South Korea with supplies and troops

North Korea gets pushed back to China: China gets scared and declares war on South Korea

1951 stalemate for about 2 years before armestice

Harry S Truman

US President that stepped into the Korean War to help South Korea with other UN members/leaders

Douglas MacArthur

General placed in charge of the US troops in Korean War.Fired for wanting to nuke the opposing side and slandering Truman

Dwight D Eisenhower

US President at the end of Korean War who signs a ceasefire agreement and set up DMZs near the borders of both countries

Stalemate

A position in a conflict where it physically cannot go anywhere — no side is winning or losing

Korean War results

Remained separate countries, north and south. Landmasses still the same size and divided at the 38th parallel

John F. Kennedy

Winner of the 1960 presidential election. The plan called the New Frontier — helped lower taxes, raise minimum wage, provide affordable housing, and establish Peace Corps. Failures: Bay of Pigs Invasion. Successes: Pushed for the US to send a man to the moon, drafted Civil Rights Act of 964 (signed by Johnson), stopped the Cuban Missile Crisis

Bay of Pigs Invasion

April 1961

Attempt planned by JFK to overthrow Fidel Castro, Cuba’s new communist dictor

Failed because Cuba found out about it: everything went downhill from there

Fidel Castro

Leader of Communist Cuba around the period of JFK’s presidency

Cuban Missile Crisis

October 1962

Cuba, right off the coast of Florida

Started when the US placed missiles in Turkey to threaten the USSR

USSR set up missiles in Cuba as a response

JFK surrounded Cuba and demanded the USSR revoke their missiles

Soviet navy ship sends more missiles heading towards the US blockade, but turns around at the last minute (game of chicken)

Lasted 13 days and ended safely, with both nations agreeing to revoke their weapons and leave Cuba alone

Closest we have ever come to nuclear warfare

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis, replaced in the next Soviet election because he looked weak to his people

Domino Theory

President Eisenhower’s theory that once a country fell to communism, those around it would fall as well in a domino effect

Used to justify US involvement in the Vietnma War

Proven false when Thailand did not fall because of pressure from Laos or Cambodia

Vietnam War

Sides: North Vietnam (backed by USSR), South Vietnam (backed by US)

Divided at the 17th parallel

Leaders: Ho Chi Minh (North), Ngo Dinh Diem (South)

Ended in Vietnam being unified as one big communist country

Brezhnev

USSR’s leader after Krushchev is kicked out; leader during the height of the Vietnam War

Ho Chi Minh

North Vietnam’s communist leader who was vewed as a hero by most of the land; led a revolution against France and was trying to unite the country

What event marked the end of the Cold War?

The fall of the Berlin Wall

Glasnost

New policy implemented by Gorbachev that would allow people to speak their mind about the USSR without facing harsh penalties

Sputnik

First man-made object/satellite to orbit the Earth — made by USSR