Key Events in Cold War History

These flashcards cover key events and terms related to the Cold War, based on the provided notes.

Tehran Conference

A meeting held in November 1943 where Allied leaders discussed strategies against the Axis powers.

Potsdam Conference

A conference in July 1945 where Allied leaders discussed postwar order and peace treaties.

A-Bomb

The atomic bomb, a nuclear weapon developed during World War II and first used in 1945.

Yalta Conference

A meeting in February 1945 where Allied leaders discussed the reorganization of postwar Europe.

Iron Curtain Speech

A speech given in March 1946 by Winston Churchill that described the division between Western nations and the Soviet sphere.

Long Telegram

A message sent by George Kennan in March 1947 that articulated the strategy of containment of Soviet expansion.

Truman Doctrine

A policy announced in 1947 by President Truman to provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from authoritarian forces.

Marshall Plan

An American initiative in January 1949 to aid Western Europe, in which the U.S. gave money to rebuild European economies after the end of World War II.

Comecon

A Soviet-led economic organization created in 1949 to promote economic cooperation among communist countries.

Warsaw Pact

A collective defense treaty established in May 1955 among the USSR and seven Eastern Bloc socialist republics.

Novikov Telegram

A 1946 telegram by the Soviet ambassador to the U.S. that criticized U.S. foreign policy.

Cominform

An organization of communist parties from around the world, established in September 1946 to promote cooperation among them.

H-Bomb

The hydrogen bomb, a thermonuclear weapon developed by the USA in 1952 and the USSR in 1953.

Berlin Blockade

A 1948 blockade by the Soviet Union of West Berlin, which led to a major crisis in the early Cold War.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in April 1949 for mutual defense against aggression.