US - Cold War

Cold War

(1945-1991) The period after WWII marked by rivalry and tension between the two nuclear superpowers, the U.S. and Soviet Union.

Cold War Cause

Different intentions between U.S. and Soviet Union about the political and economic rebuilding of Eastern Europe after WWII.

Cold War End

The Cold War ended when the Soviet government collapsed.

Sputnik

First artificial Earth satellite launched by Soviet Union in 1957. Heightened the space race as a form of Cold War competition.

Truman Doctrine

President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism mainly helped Turkey and Greece.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program of economic aid (money) for the reconstruction of Europe to stop the spread of communism.

Bay of Pigs

An unsuccessful invasion of Cuba by the U.S. to overthrow Cuban communist dictator Fidel Castro.

Collective Security

A system in which a group of nations acts as one to preserve the peace of all ("an attack on one shall be an attack on all").

Berlin air-lift

A 327 day operation in which the U.S. and British planes flew food and supplies into West Berlin.

Senator Joseph McCarthy

A Senator from Wisconsin that started a nation-wide conspiracy theory about communist infiltration and led the search for communists in the U.S.

Second Red Scare/McCarthyism

A fear of communism threatened U.S. citizens civil liberties and caused many people to be ruined by false accusations of disloyalty.

Iron Curtain

Name given to the imaginary line that separated Europe into Communist (Soviet Eastern Europe ) and Non-Communist (Western Europe).

House Un-American Activities Committee

A congressional committee created to search for disloyal Americans and Communists.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an international alliance created for collective security.

Communism

An economic system in which the government has complete control over the economy, government controls businesses and means of production.

Capitalism

An economic system in which people have control of businesses and property.

Containment

The United States policy of stopping the spread of communism.

Berlin Blockade

All transportation to West Berlin (U.S./Allied controlled) was cut off in hopes to force the U.S./Allies to give up West Berlin.

Berlin Wall

A physical structure that separated East Berlin (Communist) from West Berlin (Capitalist).

Arms Race

The fight between the Soviet Union and U.S. to have the best and most weapons.

Space Race

The fight between the Soviet Union and U.S. to get satellites and people into space and to get to the moon.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 confrontation between U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Proxy War

A war in which two powers use other countries as substitutes for fighting each other directly (U.S. supported South Vietnam/South Korea against communist North Vietnam/North Korea).

Domino Theory

A U.S. theory that stated, if one country falls to Communism, then they all would fall to Communism.

38th Parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea

Division of Germany and Berlin

Germany and Berlin were divided into US, Soviet, French, and British sectors. US, French, and British sectors combined into West Germany in an attempt to unite Germany, but the USSR refused to give back their part b/c they wanted "protection"

Arms Race

Cold War competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to build up their respective armed forces and weapons

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

The idea that both sides would face certain destruction and death in a nuclear war… one wins