Cold War Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the major events, figures, and ideologies of the Cold War as discussed in the lecture notes.

Cold War

A period of intense political and military tension between 1947 and 1991 between the United States and Soviet Union with no direct military confrontation.

Yalta Conference

A February 1945 meeting in the USSR between leaders of the USSR, U.S., and Great Britain to discuss plans for after WWII.

Potsdam Conference

A July 1945 meeting in Potsdam, Germany, where the U.S., USSR, and Great Britain met to implement their post-WWII plans.

Truman Doctrine

A 1947 policy established by President Harry Truman stating the U.S. would provide financial and military aid to countries under the threat of communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. sponsored plan from 1947-1951 that provided billions of dollars to rehabilitate Western European economies to prevent them from falling to communism.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950-1953 between North Korea (supported by China/USSR) and South Korea (supported by U.S.) that resulted in a stalemate at the 38th parallel.

38th parallel

The line of latitude where the Korean War resulted in a stalemate, leaving North Korea communist and South Korea free.

Vietnam War

A war from 1955-1975 where North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam, eventually leading to a communist victory and the entire nation becoming communist.

Soviet-Afghan War

A 1979-1989 conflict where the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support its failing communist government; their retreat symbolized the beginning of the end for the USSR.

Mujahideen

The group supported by the United States that fought against the Soviet Union during the Soviet-Afghan War.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the U.S. and USSR after nuclear missiles were discovered in Cuba; the closest the two nations got to direct conflict.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

An unsuccessful April 1961 attempt by the United States to use Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Berlin Airlift

A 1948-1949 operation where the U.S. and Great Britain flew supplies into West Berlin in response to a Soviet blockade.

Berlin Wall

A physical barrier that separated free West Germany and Communist controlled East Germany; it eventually came down in 1989.

NATO and the Warsaw Pact

The two primary military alliances formed during the Cold War.

Proxy Wars

The term used to describe the Korean, Vietnam, and Soviet-Afghan Wars.

Cold War Ideologies

The conflict was driven by Democracy vs. Authoritarianism and Capitalism vs. Communism.