Cold War History Mystery

Grand Alliance

Alliance between the US, USSR, and Britain to defeat Nazi Germany (1941-1945)

“Orthodox” Interpretation

The view that the West was always right and blames the USSR for the start of the conflict

“Revisionist” Interpretation

The view that the US is to blame for the conflict

“Post-Revisionist” Interpretation

The view that both sides had a hand in starting the conflict

Greek Civil War

One of the first “proxy wars” (1946-1949), The US believed (incorrectly) that there was Soviet pressure and aid in the communist rebellion

Containment

US policy to prevent the spread of Communism

Truman Doctrine

The “declaration of the Cold War,” and the main cause of the US intervention in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Created in response to Soviet blockade of western Berlin. The defensive military alliance against the Soviet Union

Collective Security

Proposed by Truman and ratified at the Rio Conference of 1947. Stated that “an attack on one American nation would constitute an attack on all”

Organization of American States (OAS)

Laid the groundwork for hemispheric strategizing against communism.

Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)

Established by the UN, criticized US economic policies in Latin America and stated that their poverty rates were due to their role as raw material suppliers to the states (exploitation)

The Red Scare

“Era of unprecedented anti-communist hysteria”

House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)

investigated supposed left-wingers. Persecuted the “Hollywood 10,” a group of 10 former or current members of the communist party

McCarthy and McCarthyism

Congressional investigations of every sector. State/local government representatives, school teachers, and college professors were fired. Hunted down literature representing socialist ideas (Huckleberry Finn)

Pusan Perimeter

Area in the south-eastern corner of the Korean peninsula where US/UN/Korean troops were pushed back and pinned down in 1950. Last stand managing to push back the North Korean troops thanks to arrival of US tank battalion.

Inchon

Amphibious attack by US troops that captured the cities of Inchon and Seoul

New Look (“massive retaliation”)

Eisenhower’s policy for reduction of conventional weaponry and a focus on a nuclear arsenal

Quemoy and Matsu

Islands in the Taiwanese Strait threatened by PRC troops that fell under Eisenhower’s New Look policy meaning that US aid would mean nuclear action on these islands (he decided against it)

Rollback

idea of pushing communism back to places it was previously established

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)

established to facilitate interception of Soviet bombers over Canada

Council on Foreign Relations

American non-profit, non-partisan body specializing in US foreign policy information and publications

Operation Pan America

proposed by Brazilian president, Marshall Plan for Latin America (never amounted to anything)

Ngo Dinh Diem

leader of South Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh

Leader of North Vietnam

Rolling Thunder

frequent bombing campaign over Viet Nam

Tet Offensive

North Viet communists and Viet Cong launched an attack on South Viet Nam, communists defeat because failed to keep any captured territory and Viet Cong southern infrastructure devastated

Sino-Soviet Split

Presented the opportunity to play China and USSR against eachother

Paris Peace Accords

Declared a

• Ceasefire in Viet Nam

• US soldiers leave south but not north

Moratorium Protest

anti-war protest under Nixon regime

Campaign to Re-Elect the President (Creep)

Campaign to win Nixon the election. His campaign staff broke into Democrat offices in Watergate (exposed as the Watergate Scadal)

International Control Commission (ICC)

Canadian, Polish, Indian body to monitor the implementation of the Geneva Accords

Geneva Accords

Established a demarcation line along the 17th parallel in Viet Nam

Lester Pearson

Prime Minister of Canada 1963-1968, anti-communist

Harry Truman

US President 1945-1953, Collective Security

Richard Nixon

US President 1969-1974, talks in Latin America

Lyndon B. Johnson

US President 1963-1969, escalate cold war tensions

John F. Kennedy

US President 1961-1963, Alliance for Progress

Dwight D. Eisenhower

US President 1953-1961, policy of massive retaliation

Alliance for Progress

Established by JFK, foster economic cooperation between North and South America, focused on quelling the communist threat in Cuba

Operation Pedro-Pan

move 14000 Cuban children to the US to avoid communist indoctrination

Quagmire Theory

Theory that the US got increasingly involved in Vietnam due to ignorance and overconfidence

Stalemate Theory

the idea that the US got increasingly involved in Vietnam not to win but avoid loss

Commitment Trap Theory

Idea that the US escalation of the Vietnam war was due to inherited obligation from predecessors