Cold War History Quiz

Cold War Overview

• George Orwell, a British writer, predicted a nuclear stalemate between 2 or 3 super-powers during 1945.
• Super-powers possessed weapons with the power to wipe out millions within seconds.
• The Yalta Conference (February 1945) highlighted the need for Soviet involvement in ending WWII.
• Stalin pledged to declare war on Japan, which happened on August 8, 1945. Allies needed Soviet Union's cooperation.

National Security Act of 1947

• The act was a response to perceived threats from the USSR after WWII
• It established the Department of Defense (incorporating the army, navy, and air force).
• It created the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Council (NSC).
• The NSC advised the president on security matters.
• The Act set a framework for foreign policy for the next 40+ years

China's Civil War & US Involvement

• Fears of Communism in China led the US to aid Chiang Kai-shek's (Chiang Kai Chek) government, despite its unpopularity.
• Mao Zedong's (Mao Tse Tung) Communists were gaining support, particularly in rural areas, eventually gaining control of the country.
• On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was established.
• Chiang and his nationalists fled to Taiwan.
• The US refused military intervention in China's civil war.

Korean War (1950-1953)

• Korea was a colony of Japan until the end of WWII.
• Post-war, temporary occupation of Korea was agreed upon at the Potsdam Conference (1945) to remove Japanese control.
• US administered South Korea; USSR administered North Korea.
• In June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea.
• The UN Security Council condemned the invasion and authorized military intervention.
• The US, with other UN forces, intervened to defend South Korea.
• The Korean War resulted in high civilian casualties that exceeded those of WWII and Vietnam.
• The Korean War ended in July 1953 with the two Koreas remaining divided.
• Mao Zedong (Mao Tse Tung) felt US commitment would halt expansion – he sent Chinese troops.

The Bay of Pigs Invasion

• The 1,200-man counter-revolutionary force was part of a CIA-led mission to overthrow Fidel Castro.
• The exiles landed in Cuba in April 1961 and were quickly defeated by Castro's forces, embarrassing the United States.

Cuban Missile Crisis

• The USSR provided Cuba with weapons.
• This led to the discovery of missile sites in Cuba by US intelligence.
• Kennedy, through US military, demanded removal of these missiles.
• Naval blockade of Cuba, and emergency UN meeting
• Eventually, under pressure, the USSR agreed to withdraw missiles and bombers.
• An agreement was reached, preventing a global nuclear conflict

Post-Crisis Aftermath

• The establishment of a direct phone line between the US and the USSR (the hot line) led to peaceful coexistence (avoiding nuclear war).
• Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (August 1963), prohibiting testing nuclear weapons by US, USSR & UK

McCarthyism and the Red Scare

• Joe McCarthy, a US senator, led the anti-communist movement.
• McCarthy's efforts resulted in the dismissal of employees and the censure of elected officials, resulting in loss of support.

Collapse of the USSR

• The fall of the USSR happened in 1991.
• This led to many Russian immigrants leaving Central Asia.

The Arab-Israeli War of 1948

• Arab states refused to recognize Israel's right to exist.
• Following the declaration, 5 Arab states invaded Israel.
• This conflict complicated US policy in the Middle East.
• More than 700,000 Palestinians fled their homes.

Cuba: The Rise of Fidel Castro

• Fidel Castro led a peasant-based revolution that overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959.
• Cuba became increasingly anti-American in the years following.

US Economic Dominance

• The US gained economic influence, especially in Latin America and other regions, beginning with the Spanish-American War.