Cold War Quiz Study Guide

1. Capitalism

Definition:

An economic and political system where private individuals and businesses own the means of production and operate for profit, with minimal government interference.

Key Features:

• Private property and free markets

• Competition drives innovation and efficiency

• Supply and demand determine prices

• Profit motive incentivizes economic growth

Cold War Context:

• The U.S. promoted capitalism as a means to ensure political and economic freedom.

• Seen as the ideological opposite of communism, leading to global tensions.

2. Communism

Definition:

A political and economic system where the government owns all means of production, and wealth is distributed equally among citizens.

Key Features:

• No private ownership; all property is owned by the state

• Classless society; no social hierarchies

• Government control of production and distribution

• Aims for economic equality

Cold War Context:

• The Soviet Union sought to spread communism worldwide, leading to conflicts with capitalist nations.

• U.S. viewed communism as a threat to democracy and freedom.

3. Yalta Conference (February 1945)

Who Attended?

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA)

• Winston Churchill (UK)

• Joseph Stalin (USSR)

Major Agreements:

• Germany would be divided into four occupation zones (U.S., U.K., USSR, and France).

• Free elections in Eastern Europe (though Stalin later ignored this).

• USSR agreed to join the war against Japan after Germany’s defeat.

• Formation of the United Nations (UN).

Significance:

• Marked early tensions between the U.S. and USSR over post-war Europe.

• Stalin's failure to allow free elections led to worsening relations.

4. Potsdam Conference (July 1945)

Who Attended?

• Harry Truman (USA)

• Clement Attlee (UK)

• Joseph Stalin (USSR)

Major Disagreements:

• Truman demanded free elections in Eastern Europe, but Stalin refused.

• U.S. had successfully tested the atomic bomb, which increased tensions.

• Germany’s fate was finalized: occupation continued, and reparations were imposed.

Significance:

• Increased mistrust between the U.S. and USSR.

• Confirmed the division of Germany, setting the stage for the Cold War.

5. NATO & UN

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) (1949)

• A military alliance of Western nations led by the U.S.

• Goal: Collective defense against the Soviet Union.

• "An attack on one is an attack on all."

United Nations (UN) (1945)

• International organization for global peace and security.

• Security Council had five permanent members (U.S., USSR, UK, France, China).

• Aimed to prevent future world conflicts.

Cold War Context:

• NATO countered Soviet influence, leading to the formation of the Warsaw Pact.

• The UN was often a battleground for U.S.-Soviet political rivalry.

6. Goals of the U.S. & Soviet Union

U.S. Goals:

• Spread democracy and capitalism.

• Contain communism (Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan).

• Strengthen Western Europe to prevent Soviet influence.

Soviet Goals:

• Spread communism and create buffer states in Eastern Europe.

• Weaken Germany to prevent future invasions.

• Expand Soviet influence in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

7. Containment & Iron Curtain

Containment (U.S. Policy):

• Strategy to prevent the spread of communism.

• Introduced in George Kennan’s "Long Telegram."

• Key policies: Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan.

Iron Curtain (Churchill's Speech, 1946):

• A metaphor for the division between Western (democratic) and Eastern (communist) Europe.

• Symbolized growing Cold War tensions.

8. Iran Crisis (1946)

Background:

• Soviet troops refused to leave Iran after WWII, violating agreements.

• U.S. pressured Stalin to withdraw.

Significance:

• First major Cold War confrontation.

• Showed U.S. willingness to stand up to Soviet expansionism.

9. Truman Doctrine (1947)

Definition:

• U.S. policy to support nations resisting communism.

• Initially applied to Greece and Turkey with $400 million in aid.

Significance:

• Marked a shift from isolationism to active containment.

• Strengthened U.S. commitment to global anti-communism.

10. Marshall Plan (1947-1952)

Definition:

• Economic aid program to rebuild Western Europe.

• $13 billion provided to help economies recover.

Goals:

• Prevent the spread of communism.

• Rebuild war-torn nations to ensure stability.

• Increase U.S. economic influence.

Soviet Response:

• Rejected aid and forced Eastern European nations to do the same.

• Created COMECON as a countermeasure.

11. Berlin - Division, Occupation, Blockade, Airlift

Division & Occupation:

• Berlin was divided into four sectors (U.S., UK, USSR, France).

• Located deep inside Soviet-controlled East Germany.

Berlin Blockade (1948-1949):

• USSR blocked Western access to Berlin to force the Allies out.

Berlin Airlift:

• U.S. and UK flew in food and supplies for 11 months.

• Successful response, and USSR lifted the blockade.

Significance:

• First direct Cold War conflict.

• Strengthened U.S. and Western European alliance.

12. Warsaw Pact (1955)

Definition:

• A military alliance between the USSR and Eastern Bloc nations.

• Soviet response to NATO.

Significance:

• Solidified Eastern Europe under Soviet control.

• Increased militarization of the Cold War.

13. Brinkmanship

Definition:

• Policy of pushing dangerous conflicts to the edge of war to force an opponent to back down.

Key Examples:

• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).

• U.S. and USSR nuclear arms race.

Significance:

• Increased global tensions and risk of nuclear war.

• Led to diplomatic strategies like détente to ease tensions later on.