History of the Cold War Midterm Study Guide

Operation Paperclip

1945, A secret United States intelligence program in which German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from former Nazi Germany to the U.S. for government employment after the end of World War II. Both the United States and USSR completed this operation. Operation Paperclip was part of a broader strategy by the US to harness German scientific talent in the face of emerging Cold War tensions.

Revolt in Vietnam

1945, A post–World War II armed conflict involving a British/French task force and Japanese troops, versus the Vietnamese communist movement for control of the country, after the Japanese surrender. The movement was defeated by the combined British/French/Japanese forces, and southern control of Vietnam was reasserted by the French colonial empire. This was done, so communism would have not gain support in Vietnam.

The Truman Doctrine

1948, An American foreign policy that pledges American support for democracies against authoritarian threats. The doctrine originated with the primary goal of countering the growth of the Soviet bloc during the Cold War. The Truman Doctrine was informally extended to become the basis of American Cold War policy throughout Europe and around the world. It became a metaphor for aid to keep a nation from communist influence.

The Marshall Plan

1948, An American initiative enacted to provide foreign aid to Western Europe. Providing economic recovery programs to Western European economies after the end of World War II. The goals of the United States were to rebuild war-torn regions, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, improve European prosperity and prevent the spread of communism.

The Organization of American States

1948, founded to promote cooperation among its member states within the Americas. The goal was to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence.

The Berlin Blockade

1948, The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. The Soviets offered to drop the blockade if the Western Allies withdrew the newly introduced Deutsche Mark from West Berlin. Near the start of the blockade, the Western powers had established an embargo on exports from the entire Eastern bloc, severely hampering the East German economy in particular. The blockade was lifted a year later.

Coup in Czecjoslovakia

1948, The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia through a coup. The coup completed the formation of a monolithic Soviet bloc and concluded the partition of Europe. It helped unify Western countries against the Communist bloc. The coup became synonymous with the Cold War. The loss of the last remaining liberal democracy in Eastern Europe.

NATO

1949, An intergovernmental military alliance of European and North American states. A collective security system, its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties. During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union.

Revolution in China

1949, The Chinese Communist Revolution, was a social revolution in China that began in 1927 and ended in 1949. The revolution was led by the Chinese Communist Party. The revolution resulted in major social changes within China and has been looked at as a model by revolutionary Communist movements in other countries.

Radio Free Europe

1949, An American government-funded organization that broadcasts and reports news, information, and analyses to Eastern Europe. It was established during the early Cold War, with the goal of providing reliable and independent news to audiences living under authoritarian regimes.

War in Korea

1950, An armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea was supported by the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, while South Korea was supported by the United Nations Command led by the United States. Fighting ended in 1953 with an armistice.

Revolution in Egypt

1952, a period of profound political, economic, and societal change in Egypt. The Revolution ushered in a wave of revolutionary politics in the Arab World, and contributed to the escalation of decolonization, and the development of non-aligned countries, during the Cold War.

Uprising in Berlin

1953, an uprising that occurred in the German Democratic Republic. Demonstrations in East Berlin turned into a widespread uprising. Protests against declining living standards and unpopular Sovietization policies led to a wave of strikes and protests that were not easily brought under control. The uprising in East Berlin was violently suppressed by tanks of the Soviet forces in Germany

Coup in Iran

1953, Iranian army-led overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister. The objectives being to protect British oil interests in Iran after its government refused to concede to western oil demands. The coup caused long-lasting damage to the U.S. reputation.

Atoms for Peace

1953, the title of a speech delivered by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The United States then launched a program that supplied equipment and information to schools, hospitals, and research institutions within the U.S. and throughout the world. It brought the atomic issue which had been kept quiet for "national security" into the public eye, asking the world to support atomic ideas.

Coup in Guatemala

1954, deposed the democratically elected Guatemalan President. The coup installed the military dictatorship of Carlos Armas. The coup was largely the result of a CIA covert operation. The U.S. government feared that Guatemala's example could inspire nationalists wanting social reform throughout Latin America.

Warsaw Pact

1954, a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe. It was established as a balance of power or counterweight to NATO. This led to the expansion of military forces and their integration into the respective blocs.

Open Skies

1954, a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. The idea of allowing countries to openly surveil each other is thought to prevent misunderstandings and limit the escalation of tensions. The USSR rejected Eisenhower's proposal.

Suez Crisis

1956, an invasion of Egypt. Israel invaded with the primary objective of re-opening the Straits of Tiran. A response to the Egyptian blockade preventing Israeli passage. The crisis strengthened Nasser's standing and led to international humiliation for the British as well as the French. Egypt maintained control of the canal.

The Secret Speech

1956, a report by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. The speech was sharply critical of the rule of the deceased Premier Joseph Stalin. He charged Stalin with having fostered a leadership cult of personality despite ostensibly maintaining support for the ideals of communism. This was followed by a period of liberalization. The speech was cited as a major cause of the Sino-Soviet split by China.

Revolt in Hungary

1956, an attempted countrywide revolution against the government and the policies caused by the government's subordination to the Soviet Union. The uprising lasted 12 days before being crushed by Soviet tanks and troops.

The Little Rock Nine

1957, a group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School. Their enrollment was followed by students who initially prevented them from entering the racially segregated school, the Governor of Arkansas. They then attended after the intervention of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Coup in Indonesia

1957, order to the CIA to overthrow the Sukarno government. Deliveries of weapons packages were prepared for distribution to rebel military forces. The CIA also financed rebel forces with radio stations that issued anti-Sukarno broadcasts. The sponsored coup failed. After this incident, communist activists used Western intervention as a main point in arguments for communist rule.

Revolt in Cuba

1959, the military and political overthrow of Batista's dictatorship by Fidel Castro. The Cuban Revolution gained victory on 1 January. The Cuban Revolution was a crucial turning point in U.S.-Cuban relations. Soon coming to fear that Communist insurgencies would spread through the nations of Latin America.

The Kitchen Debate

1959, a series of impromptu exchanges through interpreters between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev, at the opening of the American National Exhibition in Moscow. It was an exchange that emphasized the riff between east and west but had little bearing on the substantive issue, more a political stunt.

U2 Shot Down

1960, a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defense Forces while conducting photographic aerial reconnaissance deep inside Soviet territory. The incident occurred around two weeks before the scheduled opening of an east–west summit in Paris. The U-2 incident prompted the cancellation of the summit in Paris and embarrassing the U.S. on the international stage.

The Sino-Soviet Split

1960, the gradual worsening of relations between the China and USSR during the Cold War. This was primarily caused by doctrinal divergences that arose from their different interpretations and practical applications of Marxism.

The Bay of Pigs

1961, a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in 1961 by the United States of America. Consisting of Cuban exiles who opposed Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution, clandestinely financed and directed by the U.S. government. The failed invasion severely embarrassed the Kennedy administration and made Castro wary of future U.S. intervention in Cuba.

The Berlin Wall

1961, a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin, separating it from East Berlin. Portrayed as protection from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the will of the people from building a communist state.

The Sino-Indian War

1962, an armed conflict between China and India. It was a military escalation of a border dispute. The Soviet Union made a major effort to support India. The United States and the United Kingdom refused to sell advanced weaponry to India, further compelling it to turn to the Soviets for military aid.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

1962, was a confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey were matched by Soviet deployments of nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Nuclear Test Ban

1963, prohibited all test detonations of nuclear weapons, except for those conducted underground. The impetus for the test ban was provided by rising public anxiety over the magnitude of nuclear tests, particularly tests of new thermonuclear weapons. It was signed by the governments of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Coup in Brazil

1964, was the overthrow of Brazilian president João Goulart by a military coup. While a part of society welcomed the revolution, another was the target of strong repression. The political class expected a quick return to a civilian government, but in the following years an authoritarian, nationalist and pro-American dictatorship was consolidated.

Gulf of Tonkin

1964, an international confrontation that led to the United States engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. United States forces were carrying out covert amphibious operations close to North Vietnamese territorial waters, which triggered a response from North Vietnamese forces. The resolution served as the legal justification for deploying U.S. conventional forces to South Vietnam and the commencement of open warfare against North Vietnam.

Apartheid and the Olympics

1964, South Africa did not compete at Olympic Games, as a part of the sporting boycott of South Africa during the apartheid era. The South African National Olympic Committee was expelled from the International Olympic Committee. In 1991, as part of the transition to multiracial equality, a new NOC was formed and admitted to the IOC, and the country competed in 1992.

Coup in the Congo

1965, With the government in near-paralysis, Mobutu seized power in a bloodless coup. Mobutu assumed sweeping, almost absolute, power for five years, after which, he claimed, democracy would be restored. Mobutu's coup, which promised both economic and political stability, was supported by the United States and other Western governments, and his rule initially met widespread popularity.

The Kosygin Reforms

1965, a set of planned changes in the economy of the USSR. A centerpiece of these changes was the introduction of profitability and sales as the two key indicators of enterprise success. The success of said reforms was short-lived, and with the events of Prague in 1968, fueled by Moscow's implementation of the reforms in Eastern Bloc countries, led to the reforms being curtailed.

Cultural Revolution in China

1966, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China. Its stated goal was to preserve Chinese socialism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. Though it failed to achieve its main objectives, the Cultural Revolution marked the effective return of Mao to the center of power in China after his political sidelining.

The Six-Day War

1967, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Military hostilities broke out amid poor relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Egypt announced that the Straits of Tiran would again be closed to Israeli vessels. By 10 June, Israel had completed its final offensive in the Golan Heights, and a ceasefire was signed the day after. Israel had seized the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank of the Jordan River, and the Golan Heights.

The Prauge Spring

1968, was a period of political liberalization and mass protest in the Czechoslovak. The reforms were a strong attempt to grant additional rights to the citizens of Czechoslovakia in an act of partial decentralization of the economy and democratization. The reforms, especially the decentralization of administrative authority, were not received well by the Soviets, who, after failed negotiations, sent half a million Warsaw Pact troops and tanks to occupy the country.

Skirmish on the Ussuri River

1969, was an undeclared military conflict between the Soviet Union and China in 1969, following the Sino-Soviet split. The most serious border clash, which brought the world's two largest socialist states to the brink of war. Sino-Soviet relations remained sour after the conflict, despite the border talks. After the conflict, the US showed interest in strengthening ties with the Chinese government.

SALT Negotiations

1969, bilateral conferences and corresponding international treaties involving the United States and the Soviet Union dealing with arms control. SALT froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels. After a long deadlock, the first results of SALT I came in May 1971, when The United States and Soviet Union signed the treaty. The agreement paved the way for further discussion regarding international cooperation and a limitation of nuclear armaments.

Ostpolitik

1969, an effort to break with the policies of the Christian Democratic Union. Willy Brandt argued for and pursued policies that would ease tensions between the two German states, generally in the interest of cross-border commerce. He believed that collaboration with the communists would foster German-German encounters and trade that would undermine the communist government over the long term.

What is Socialism

A doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources. Individuals do not live or work in isolation but live in cooperation with one another. Furthermore, everything that people produce is in some sense a social product, and everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. Society as a whole, therefore, should own or at least control property for the benefit of all its members.

What is Communism

A doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production and the natural resources of a society. Communism is thus a form of socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to its advocates. Exactly how communism differs from socialism has long been a matter of debate, but the distinction rests largely on the communists’ adherence to the revolutionary socialism of Karl Marx.

What is Leinism

Proposes the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat led by a revolutionary vanguard party as the political prelude to the establishment of communism. Lenin's ideological contributions to the Marxist ideology relate to his theories on the party, imperialism, the state, and revolution. The function of the Leninist vanguard party is to provide the working classes with the political consciousness and revolutionary leadership necessary to depose capitalism.

What is Stalinism

The totalitarian means of governing and Marxist–Leninist policies implemented in the Soviet Union. Stalinism included the creation of a one-man totalitarian police state, rapid industrialization, the theory of socialism in one country, forced collectivization of agriculture, intensification of class conflict, a cult of personality, and subordination of the interests of foreign communist parties to those of the Communist Party.

What is Maoism

A variety of Marxism–Leninism that Mao Zedong developed while trying to realize a socialist revolution in the agricultural, pre-industrial society of the Republic of China and later the People's Republic of China. A difference between Maoism and traditional Marxism–Leninism is that a united front of progressive forces in class society would lead the revolutionary vanguard in pre-industrial societies, rather than communist revolutionaries alone. This theory, in which revolutionary praxis is primary and ideological orthodoxy is secondary, represents urban Marxism–Leninism adapted to pre-industrial China.

What is Titoism

Elements of Titoism are characterized by policies and practices based on the principle that in each country the means of attaining ultimate communist goals must be dictated by the conditions of that particular country, rather than by a pattern set in another country. Tito advocated cooperation between developing nations in the world through the Non-Aligned Movement, while at the same time pursuing socialism in whatever ways best suited particular nations. During Tito's era, his ideas specifically meant that the communist goal should be pursued independently of (and often in opposition to) what he referred to as the Stalinist and imperialist policies of the Soviet Union.

What is Marxism

A political philosophy and method of socioeconomic analysis. It uses a dialectical and materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to analyze class relations, social conflict, and social transformation. Marxism seeks to explain social phenomena within any given society by analyzing the material conditions and economic activities required to fulfill human material needs. It assumes that the form of economic organization, or mode of production, influences all other social phenomena, including broader social relations, political institutions, legal systems, cultural systems, aesthetics and ideologies.

What is Castroism

Castro believed strongly in converting Cuba, and the wider world, from a capitalist system in which individuals own the means of production into a socialist system in which the means of production are owned by the workers. Castro used Leninist thought as a model upon which to convert the Cuban state and society into a socialist form. It stressed nationalism, democracy, and social justice, but not socialism. Castroism exercised a strong influence over the New Left. In power, the institutionalization of the Revolution under the Cuban Communist Party produced an uneasy blend of bureaucracy, selective repression, artistic conformity, social welfare, mass mobilization, support for other revolutions, promotion of Latin American unity, and, above all, charismatic leadership.