Cold War Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What was the Berlin Wall a symbol of?

The Marshall Plan

World War II

Democracy

The Cold War (correct)

What is the Cold War?

A struggle over political differences carried on by means short of military action or war.

What was the policy of containment?

American policy of blocking Soviet influence and stopping the expansion of communism.

What led to the division of Germany?

The agreement by the United States, Soviet Union, and Great Britain to split up conquered Germany after World War II. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term Iron Curtain refer to?

The division between democratic Western Europe and Soviet dominated Eastern Europe. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Marshall Plan?

An American economic aid package designed to help European nations rebuild after World War II. Signup and view all the answers

What was the policy of massive retaliation?

Full scale nuclear war in response to Soviet aggression Signup and view all the answers

What does mutually assured destruction mean?

The belief that if either the U.S. or the Soviet Union attacked the other, they would also be destroyed. Signup and view all the answers

What is NATO?

A mutual defense alliance involving the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Strategic Defense Initiative?

A missile defense system designed to shoot down Soviet nuclear missiles. Signup and view all the answers

What was the Truman Doctrine?

The policy to support countries that rejected communism. Signup and view all the answers

What is the United Nations?

An international organization created after World War II to settle disputes and protect members from aggression. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Warsaw Pact?

An alliance between the Soviet Union and the nations of Eastern Europe. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Berlin Wall

Constructed in 1961 as a barrier to stop East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin.
Served as a prominent symbol of the ideological divide during the Cold War.
Its collapse in 1989 symbolized the impending end of the Cold War.

Cold War

Characterized by political tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union without direct military conflict.
Involved various forms of competition, including ideological, economic, and technological.

Containment

Aimed to prevent the spread of communism outside of the Soviet Union.
Included strategies to support nations resisting communist influence, particularly in Vietnam.

Division of Germany/Berlin

Post-World War II agreement between the US, Soviet Union, and allies led to the split of Germany and Berlin.
Resulted in West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) aligned with democracies and East Germany (German Democratic Republic) under Soviet control.

Iron Curtain

Coined by Winston Churchill in 1946, describing the ideological barrier separating Western democracies from Eastern communist states.

Marshall Plan

A US economic initiative post-WWII providing substantial financial assistance to European nations.
Intended to facilitate recovery and reduce susceptibility to communism.

Massive Retaliation

Policy of threat to respond to Soviet aggression with extensive nuclear force.
Eventually deemed unrealistic and was abandoned as a credible defense strategy.

Mutually Assured Destruction

Concept ensuring that any nuclear attack would lead to total destruction of both the attacker and defender.
Played a crucial role in deterring direct conflict during the Cold War.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed in 1949 among the US, Canada, and several Western European nations.
Established collective defense against potential Soviet aggression.

Strategic Defense Initiative

Proposed missile defense system aimed at neutralizing Soviet nuclear missiles.
Nicknamed 'Star Wars' during the Reagan administration, influencing arms control discussions in the 1980s.

Truman Doctrine

US policy aimed at supporting nations resisting communist insurgency.
Marked the beginning of American involvement in global anti-communist efforts.

United Nations

Established post-WWII to mediate international conflicts and ensure member safety.
Featured a Security Council with key powers including the US, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, and China.

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance established in 1955 among the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries.
Served as a counterbalance to NATO and strengthened Soviet influence in the region.

Description

Test your knowledge with these flashcards about the Cold War, including key symbols like the Berlin Wall and definitions of important concepts. This quiz will help you understand the political dynamics and events that defined this historical era.