AP World History Unit 8 - The Cold War

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