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Big Three
Leaders of the United States, Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom during World War II and the earliest moments of the Cold War
Yalta Conference
Meeting where Allied leaders planned Germany’s division, Soviet influence in Eastern Europe, and the United Nations' creation.
Potsdam Conference
Meeting where Allied leaders finalized Germany’s division and demanded Japan’s surrender, increasing tensions between the U.S. and USSR.
Tehran Conference
Meeting where Allied leaders planned D-Day and discussed the USSR’s role in defeating Japan and post-war Europe.
Cold War
A geopolitical rivalry between the U.S. and USSR marked by ideological conflict, nuclear arms races, and proxy wars.
Fidel Castro
Cuban revolutionary who led the 1959 communist revolution, aligning with the USSR during the Cold War.
Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet leader known for de-Stalinization, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and escalating Cold War tensions with the U.S.
USSR
Communist state that rivaled the U.S. during the Cold War.
Joseph Stalin
Industrialized the USSR, led during World War II, and established a totalitarian regime.
John F. Kennedy
U.S. President during the Cold War, faced the Cuban Missile Crisis, and promoted space exploration.
Harry S. Truman
American President that led during the early Cold War, and approved the atomic bombings.
United Nations
International organization aimed at maintaining peace, security, and cooperation globally.
International Court
UN’s judicial branch, settling disputes between countries and advising on international law.
Security Council
Responsible for maintaining global peace and security, with five permanent members holding veto power.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Military alliance formed to counter Soviet influence during the Cold War.
Warsaw Pact
Military alliance formed by the USSR and its allies to counter NATO during the Cold War.
Communist Bloc
All countries aligned with the USSR
Eastern Bloc
Eastern European countries allied with the USSR during the Cold War, following communist governments and policies.
Satellite States
Countries in Eastern Europe and Asia that were controlled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War
Iron Curtain
A symbolic divide between Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War
Winston Churchill
British prime minister who led during World War II and later warned about the Soviet threat
Policy of Containment
Strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism through military, political, and economic measures.
Marshall Plan
Program that provided economic aid to Western Europe after World War II to rebuild economies and resist communism.
Truman Doctrine
U.S. policy that provided military and economic aid to countries resisting communism
Berlin
Capital of Germany, divided during the Cold War into Soviet and American influenced sectors
Berlin Airlift
Operation that supplied West Berlin with food and goods after the USSR blockaded the city.
East Germany
Soviet-controlled communist state formally known as the German Democratic Republic
West Germany
Democratic state aligned with the West, officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany
Tyranny
Form of oppressive government where a ruler or small group holds absolute power, often gained or maintained through force.
Agrarian
Related to agriculture, farming, or rural societies that depend on cultivating land.
Kuomintang
Nationalist party that ruled China before retreating to Taiwan.
Chiang Kai-Shek
Chinese nationalist leader who led the Kuomintang and fled to Taiwan
Mao Zedong
Communist leader who founded he People's Republic of China , known for the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
Long March
Retreat of Chinese communists led by Mao Zedong to escape Kuomintang forces
People’s Liberation Army
China's military force, founded by the Chinese Communist Party and instrumental in the civil war victory
Republic of China
Government of China before 1949 that retreated to Taiwan after losing to the communists.
People’s Republic of China
State established by Mao Zedong after winning the Chinese Civil War
Great Leap Forward
Failed economic campaign led by Mao Zedong to rapidly industrialize China, resulting in mass famine and millions of deaths.
Five Year Plan
Government-driven economic strategy, used by the USSR and China, to rapidly industrialize and develop key industries
Cultural Revolution
Social and political movement led by Mao Zedong to reinforce communist ideology, resulting in widespread persecution and chaos.
Domino Theory
Cold War belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow.
Atomic Bomb
Powerful nuclear weapon first used by the U.S. on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Hydrogen Bomb
More powerful nuclear weapon than the atomic bomb, first tested by the U.S. and central to the Cold War arms race.
Totalitarianism
System of government where the state has complete control over all aspects of life
Free Market Economic Policies
Economic policies that minimize government intervention, promoting private enterprise, competition, and supply-and-demand-driven markets
Consumerism
Social and economic system that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in increasing amounts.
Communism
Political and economic system where the government controls production and property, aiming for a classless, stateless society
Socialism
Economic and political system where the government or community controls major industries and resources to promote economic equality
Capitalism
Economic system where private individuals and businesses control production and trade.
Ronald Reagan
U.S. president known for his aggressive anti-communist policies, military buildup, and role in ending the Cold War.
Margaret Thatcher
British prime minister known for her conservative policies, anti-communism, and strong alliance with Ronald Reagan.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Last Soviet leader; known for introducing reforms like glasnost and perestroika, leading to the USSR's collapse.
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Regional organization founded to promote economic, political, and security cooperation among Southeast Asian countries.
European Union
Political and economic alliance of European countries aimed at regional integration, trade, and stability.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Treaty that aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting peaceful nuclear energy use.
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
Cold War negotiations between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons
INF Treaty
Signed between the U.S. and USSR, eliminating certain nuclear missiles to reduce Cold War tensions.
Satellite
An object placed in orbit, often for communication, surveillance, or scientific research, acting as a key component in the Space Race
Mutually Assured Destruction
Cold War doctrine stating that full-scale nuclear war would lead to total annihilation for both sides, deterring direct conflict.
Non-Alignment Movement
Group of countries that remained neutral, avoiding alignment with the U.S. or USSR.
Red Guards
Youth paramilitary group mobilized by Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution to enforce communist ideology and attack perceived enemies
Tiananmen Square
Public square in Beijing where pro-democracy protests were violently suppressed by the Chinese government.
Korean War
Conflict between communist North Korea and American-backed South Korea, ending in a stalemate.
Vietnam War
Conflict in which communist North Vietnam, supported by the USSR and China, fought against U.S.-backed South Vietnam, ending in a North Vietnamese victory.
Viet Cong
Communist guerrilla force in South Vietnam that fought against the U.S. and South Vietnamese government during the Vietnam War.
Viet Minh
Communist-led nationalist group that fought for Vietnamese independence from France and later against the U.S. during the Vietnam War
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnamese communist leader who led the Viet Minh, fought for independence from France, and became North Vietnam’s first president.
Tet Offensive
Major Viet Cong and North Vietnamese attack on South Vietnam that weakened U.S. public support for the Vietnam War.
Prague Spring
Reform movement in Czechoslovakia that aimed for political liberalization but was crushed by Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops.
Brezhnev Doctrine
Soviet policy stating that the USSR could intervene in any socialist country to maintain communist rule.
Kent State University
American university where National Guard troops shot and killed four students during protests against the Vietnam War.
Berlin Wall
Concrete barrier that divided East and West Berlin, symbolizing Cold War tensions
Bay of Pigs
A failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cold War standoff between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba
Detente
Period of eased Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR in the 1970s, marked by arms control agreements and diplomatic efforts
Star Wars
Nickname for a proposed U.S. missile defense system under Reagan aimed at countering Soviet nuclear threats.
Glasnost
Soviet policy under Gorbachev promoting political openness, free speech, and transparency in government.
Perestroika
Soviet policy under Gorbachev aimed at restructuring the economy by introducing limited market reforms
Alexander Dubcek
Czechoslovak leader who initiated the Prague Spring reforms, promoting political liberalization before being removed by the USSR.
Afghan War
Conflict in which the USSR invaded Afghanistan to support its communist government, facing resistance from U.S.-backed mujahideen fighters
Taliban
Islamic militant group that emerged to become a successor to the mujahideen in Afghanistan
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
Long-range nuclear missiles capable of traveling over large distances, central to Cold War deterrence strategies.
Sputnik
First artificial satellite, launched by the USSR and marking the start of the Space Race.
Space Race
Cold War competition between the U.S. and USSR to achieve space exploration milestones,
Anti Nuclear Weapons Movement
Global movement, especially active during the Cold War, advocating for nuclear disarmament and opposing nuclear weapon testing and proliferation
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