social studies

Analyse

Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure.
(Break it apart and explain the important bits.)

Compare

Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.
(Show what’s the same between two things.)

Contrast

Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.
(Show how two things are different.)

Define

Give the precise meaning of a word, phrase, concept or physical quantity.
(Give the dictionary meaning — no extra fluff.)

Describe

Give a detailed account.
(Say what something is and what it’s like.)

Discuss

Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

(Talk about both sides and give your opinion with reasons.)

Distinguish

Make clear the differences between two or more concepts or items.
(Say how things are not the same.)

Evaluate

Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.
(Judge the good and bad parts and decide how strong it is.)

Examine

Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issue.
(Look closely at the idea and how the parts connect or rely on each other.)

Explain

Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.
(Tell how or why something happens.)

Identify

Provide an answer from a number of possibilities.
(Pick the correct one from options.)

Justify

Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion.
(Prove your answer with reasons or facts.)

Outline

Give a brief account or summary.
(Give the main idea without details.)

Suggest

Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer.
(Give an idea or answer that might work.)

To what extent

Consider the merits or otherwise of an argument or concept. Opinions and conclusions should be presented clearly and supported with appropriate evidence and sound argument.
(Say how much something is true, and give proof for your view.)

Cold War

A state of political and military tension after World War II between the US and the Soviet Union, without direct warfare. (No actual fighting — just threats, spies, and nuclear flexing.)

Containment

US foreign policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism. (Keep communism in its box.)

Domino Theory

The idea that if one country falls to communism, its neighbors will too. (One commie domino knocks down the rest.)

Truman Doctrine

A US policy to support countries resisting communism, especially in Greece and Turkey (1947). (We’ll send cash and guns if you say no to Stalin.)

Marshall Plan

US program giving $13B to rebuild Europe and prevent communist takeovers. (Money = loyalty.)

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

A military alliance of Western democracies formed in 1949 to counter Soviet threats. (You bomb one of us, you bomb all of us.)

Warsaw Pact

Soviet military alliance formed in 1955 in response to NATO. (The USSR’s own gang of communist homies.)

Berlin Blockade (1948-49)

Stalin blocked Allied access to West Berlin; the US responded with the Berlin Airlift. (Soviets block, Allies drop supplies from the sky.)

Berlin Airlift

Massive air campaign by the US and UK to supply West Berlin during the blockade. (Democracy with wings.)

Berlin Wall

Wall built in 1961 by East Germany to stop East Berliners from fleeing to the West. (Concrete Iron Curtain.)

Iron Curtain

Metaphor for the division between capitalist West and communist East Europe. (Not an actual curtain. But real tension.)

Arms Race

Competition between US and USSR to build more powerful nuclear weapons. (Missile flex-off.)

Space Race

Competition between the US and USSR to dominate space exploration. (Rocket-measuring contest.)

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

The idea that nuclear war would destroy both sides, so no one dares start it. (If we go, we go together — in flames.)

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Standoff between US and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba. (Closest we got to WWIII.)

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Failed 1961 CIA-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro. (Big L for the US.)

Fidel Castro

Communist leader of Cuba who aligned with the USSR. (US’s bearded nightmare.)

Detente

A period of relaxed Cold War tensions in the 1970s. (Chill time between nuclear threats.)

Red Scare

Periods of intense fear of communism in the US (1919 and 1950s). (People thought communists were under their bed.)

McCarthyism

Witch-hunt-style accusations of communism led by Senator McCarthy in the 1950s. (Guilty until proven capitalist.)

Proxy War

A war where major powers support opposing sides but don’t fight directly. (You fight, I fund.)

Korean War (1950–53)

North (communist) vs South (capitalist) (1950–53), ends in stalemate at the 38th parallel. (Cold War goes hot — but only halfway.)

Vietnam War

US vs communist North Vietnam (1955–75); ends in US withdrawal and communist victory. (A long, messy L for America.)

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Alleged attack on US ships that led to deeper US involvement in Vietnam. (Questionable excuse for full-scale war.)

Ho Chi Minh

Communist leader of North Vietnam. (Vietnam’s revolutionary uncle.)

Vietcong

Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam. (They looked like civilians. Guerrilla warfare legends.)

Domino Theory (again — crucial)

Belief that a communist Vietnam would lead to a communist Asia. (The reason the US stayed stuck in Vietnam.)

Latin America in the Cold War

The US intervened in Latin countries (like Chile and Nicaragua) to stop communism. (Banana republics and CIA fingerprints everywhere.)

CIA Coups (e.g., Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954, Chile 1973)

The US secretly helped overthrow leaders they saw as pro-communist. (Toppling governments for “freedom.”)

Brezhnev Doctrine

USSR policy that it could intervene in any communist country to maintain communism. (No leaving the club.)

Reagan Doctrine

US policy to support anti-communist movements worldwide during the 1980s. (Guns and money to anyone fighting the Reds.)

Capitalism:

Private ownership, democracy, individual rights

Communism:

State ownership, one-party rule, collective goals

Gorbachev

Soviet leader who reformed the USSR and accidentally helped end it. (Communist boss who made it too open.)

Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

Symbolic end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification. (The wall fell — and so did the USSR, soon after.)

USSR Collapse (1991)

The Soviet Union dissolved into 15 independent countries. (Endgame.)

Non-Aligned Movement

Countries that didn’t side with the US or USSR during the Cold War. (“We’ll pass on your Cold Beef, thanks.”)

Brinkmanship

Pushing a conflict to the edge of war without actually starting it. (Nuclear chicken.)

Satellite States

Eastern European countries under Soviet control after WWII. (Puppet regimes with Moscow strings.)

Eastern Bloc

Group of communist countries aligned with the USSR. (Red team.)

Western Bloc

US and allies promoting capitalism and democracy. (Blue team.)

What triggered the Berlin Airlift?

The USSR blockaded West Berlin in 1948 to force the Allies out of the city and assert control over the entire capital. It cut off all rail, road, and canal access, isolating over 2 million civilians in West Berlin.

What was the U.S. and British response to the blockade?

The Allies organized a massive airlift, flying in food, fuel, and supplies nonstop for 11 months. At the peak, a plane landed in West Berlin every 30 seconds.

What was the outcome of the Berlin Airlift?

Stalin lifted the blockade in May 1949, having failed to drive the Allies out. It was seen as a major victory for U.S. containment strategy.

Why was the Berlin Airlift significant to the Cold War?

It was the first major Cold War crisis and symbolized the division of East and West. It showed that the U.S. would not back down and would support freedom without firing a shot.

What were the long-term effects of the Berlin Airlift?

It led to the creation of West Germany (FRG) and East Germany (GDR), and cemented the division of Europe. It also led to the formation of NATO in 1949.

Berlin Airlift (1948–1949) – 4 sentence summary

In 1948, the USSR blockaded West Berlin to try to force Allied powers out of the city. The U.S. and Britain responded with the Berlin Airlift, flying in vital supplies daily for almost a year. The effort symbolized Western commitment to resisting Soviet expansion without direct conflict. Stalin ended the blockade in 1949, marking a clear success for the U.S. policy of containment.

What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis?

After the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuba turned to the USSR for protection. Khrushchev secretly placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, aiming to counter U.S. missiles in Turkey and intimidate the U.S.

How did the U.S. respond to the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba?

President Kennedy imposed a naval “quarantine” around Cuba and demanded the removal of Soviet missiles. The world teetered on the brink of nuclear war during the 13-day standoff.

How was the crisis resolved?

Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in exchange for a U.S. public promise not to invade Cuba and a secret agreement to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey.

What was the significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

It was the closest the world came to nuclear war and showed the need for better communication. A direct hotline was established between Washington and Moscow, and arms control talks soon followed.

What were the consequences for Cuba and Castro?

Although Cuba remained a communist state, Castro was excluded from the final deal. This led to tensions with the USSR and a stronger Cuban push for independence in foreign policy.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) – 4 sentence summary

In 1962, the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense 13-day standoff. President Kennedy responded with a naval blockade and demanded the missiles' removal. The crisis ended peacefully when Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles in return for U.S. non-invasion guarantees and secret U.S. missile withdrawals from Turkey. The event marked the peak of Cold War tension and led to better communication and future arms control between the superpowers.

What caused the Korean War?

After WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel, with the North backed by the USSR and the South by the U.S. In June 1950, North Korea invaded the South in an attempt to unify the country under communism.

How did the international community respond?

The U.S. led a UN coalition to defend South Korea, pushing the North Koreans back to the Chinese border. In response, China entered the war, pushing UN forces back.

What was the outcome of the Korean War?

The war ended in 1953 with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The 38th parallel remained the dividing line, and both Koreas were devastated.

Why was the Korean War important in the Cold War?

It was the first armed conflict of the Cold War and showed the willingness of the U.S. to use military force to contain communism. It also set a precedent for future proxy wars.

What were the consequences for Korea and the world?

Korea remains divided to this day, and the war solidified the Cold War rivalry in Asia. It contributed to the militarization of the Cold War and increased U.S. defense spending.

Korean War (1950–1953) – 4 sentence summary

The Korean War began in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the country under communism. The U.S. led a UN force to defend the South, and after dramatic swings in control, China intervened to aid the North. The war ended in 1953 with a ceasefire, leaving Korea divided at the 38th parallel. It was the first major proxy war of the Cold War and demonstrated how far the superpowers would go to contain or spread communism.