Cold War Beginnings and Mao’s China

Cold war

A long period of tension and rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union after World War II, without direct large-scale fighting.

Denazification

The process of removing Nazi influence and leaders from Germany after World War II

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy introduced by Harry S. Truman to stop the spread of communism by supporting threatened countries

Iron Curtain

A term used to describe the division between Western democratic countries and Eastern communist countries in Europe.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program that gave financial aid to rebuild European countries after World War II and prevent communism.

Berlin Airlift (Berlin Crisis)

A mission where the Western Allies flew supplies into West Berlin after the Soviet Union blocked land access in 1948–1949.

NATO

A military alliance formed in 1949 by Western countries to defend each other against attacks.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist countries in Eastern Europe led by the Soviet Union, created in response to NATO.

United Nations

An international organization formed in 1945 to promote peace, cooperation, and security among countries.

Mao Zedong

The communist leader of China who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Great Leap Forward

A campaign led by Mao Zedong to rapidly industrialize China, which caused economic failure and famine.

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

A movement started by Mao Zedong to enforce communist ideology, leading to chaos and persecution.

Little Red Book

A collection of quotes from Mao Zedong that became a symbol of communist ideology in China.