Chapters 4, 8, & 18 (CW) Study Guide

Key Terms to Understand and Apply

• Red Scare: Period of intense fear of communism and its influence in the U.S. during the early 20th century, notably post-WWII.

• World Bank: International financial institution that provides loans and grants to governments for the purpose of pursuing capital projects to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

• Free Market Capitalism: Economic system where prices are determined by unrestricted competition between privately owned businesses.

• Atom Bomb: Nuclear weapon that uses nuclear reactions to generate an explosive yield; significant in the context of deterrence and military strategy during the Cold War.

• Cominform: Organization of Communist parties established in 1947 to coordinate actions in the Eastern Bloc,

• Orthodox View: Traditional interpretation of historical events, often placing blame on the USSR for the Cold War tension.

• Revisionists: Historians who argue that the blame for the Cold War should be shared or focused more on U.S. foreign policy decisions.

• Open-door Policy: U.S. diplomatic policy aimed at promoting equal opportunity for international trade and commerce in China.

• Post-revisionists: Historians who take a middle ground in the debate on the origins of the Cold War, suggesting complex interactions between superpowers.

• Censorship: Suppression or prohibition of speech, public communication, or other information.

• Arms Race: Competition between nations to achieve superior military capabilities, especially during the Cold War era.

• Berlin Crisis (61): Tense standoff between East and West Berlin that led to the construction of the Berlin Wall and highlighted the ideological divide.

• Checkpoint Charlie: One of the most famous crossing points between East and West Berlin during the Cold War.

• Hallstein Doctrine: West German policy that refused to recognize East Germany diplomatically.

Key Concepts to Describe

Causes

• Breakdown of the Grand Alliance: Primordial discord among Allies after WWII, stemming from differing ideologies and goals, leading to superpower rivalry between the U.S. and the USSR (1943-1949).

• Berlin Wall Construction: Motivated by rising tensions and attempts to stem the tide of emigration from East to West Germany.

Events

• Berlin Blockade (1948–1949): Soviet obstruction of Western access to Berlin, prompting the Berlin Airlift; significant in escalating Cold War tensions.

• Berlin Wall (1958–1961): Erected to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West, symbolizing the division of Europe and the tensions of the Cold War.

• Cold War (1948-1991): Characterized by ideological and political conflict, arms race, and geopolitical rivalries leading to the formation of a satellite empire by the USSR.

Responses/Effects

• International Responses (1947-1979): Strategies like containment aimed at stopping the spread of communism; various forms of 'peaceful coexistence' emerged amidst ongoing tensions.

• Responses to Berlin Crises (1948 & 1961): Showcases the ideological confrontations and military tactics employed by both superpowers to assert dominance over Berlin.

Short Answer Questions to Address

Chapter 4

• Breakdown of the Grand Alliance Explanations: Explore four potential explanations and evaluate one, focusing on the dynamics of mutual distrust.

• Soviet Actions: Analyze how Soviet tactics in Eastern Europe intensified fears and mistrust leading to the breakdown.

• American Actions: Review American foreign policy decisions post-WWII that contributed to straining relationships.

• Fear and Suspicion's Role: Discuss the psychological factors influencing the political climate and decisions of both superpowers.

• Historians' Blame: Summarize differing perspectives among Orthodox, Revisionist, Post-Revisionist, and Post-Cold War historians on the cause of the alliance breakdown.

• European Role: Consider how the positions of European countries affected the Grand Alliance's cohesion.

Chapter 8

• Differences Between Germanys: Evaluate economic and political disparities that characterized East and West Germany.

• Second Berlin Crisis: Understand the emergence of this crisis and its implications on Cold War relations.

• Increase in Tensions: Investigate how U.S. and USSR confrontations precipitated the wall's construction.

• Berlin Wall as Iron Curtain Symbol: Analyze the wall's role as a physical and ideological divider during the Cold War.

Chapter 18

• Collapse of the Wall: Trace the events and reactions that led to the wall's fall, symbolizing the end of Cold War divisions.

• Impact of Cold War Tensions on Germany: Assess how the prolonged conflict shaped Germany's socio-political landscape and reunification.