Key Events in Cold War History

These flashcards cover key terms and events from the Cold War era, important for understanding the geopolitical dynamics of the period.

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies, occurring from the end of World War II until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Berlin Airlift

The operation undertaken by the US and its allies to deliver supplies to West Berlin during the Soviet blockade from 1948 to 1949.

Marshall Plan

A US program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II, aimed at rebuilding economies.

Truman Doctrine

A policy declared by President Truman in 1947 aimed at containing the spread of communism.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance established in 1955 between the USSR and its Eastern European satellite states, countering NATO.

McCarthyism

A campaign led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions.

Sputnik I

The first artificial Earth satellite launched by the USSR in 1957, marking the start of the space age.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the United States and the USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, bringing the two superpowers close to nuclear war.

Dissolution of the Soviet Union

The process of the USSR breaking apart into independent countries, officially occurring in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War.