Origins
The two superpowers after WWII
What are the Soviet Union and United States?
Espionage
What is spying to gain political & military information on another country/group/individual
Willingness to go to the edge of war
What is brinkmanship?
a war where two opposing countries support combatants that serve their interests and ideologies instead of waging war directly.
What is a proxy war?
A country with superior economic resources & military power
What is a superpower?
"independent" countries heavily influenced by another country
Satellite State
1948-1948: When Allies fly food & fuel in to their sectors of Germany's capital
What is the Berlin Airlift?
Cuban Missile Crisis (describe)
What is the 13 day standoff in 1962 between the US and Soviet Union after the Soviets put nuclear missiles in Cuba at the request of the Cuban leader to defend against the US. The standoff ends with the removal of the missiles and US promising not to invade Cuba.
Soviet policy that promotes openness and freedom of ideas and information
What is glasnost?
The Cold War
What is a state of tension and mistrust between US & USSR after WWII
Newly independent nations that chose not to pick a side in the Cold War and instead focused on peace, cooperation, security, and financial & technical assistance
What are Nonaligned Nations?
1948-1949: USSR attempted to force Allies to give up their sections of Germany's capital by halting their rail, road & water access.
What is the Berlin Blockade?
Soviet-Afghan War (describe)
War in Afghanistan from 1979-1989 when Soviet troops are sent to end the rebellion against the new communist government so the US & allies send aid to help the rebels. The USSR is forced to sign an agreement with the US. Afghanistan returns to be a nonaligned nation.
Soviet policy that rebuilds and restructures the economy and government of the Soviet Union
What is perestroika?
The difference between the Yalta Conference and Potsdam Agreement.
What is the defeat of Germany and the need for specific agreement
NATO and Warsaw Pact
Cold War alliances: NATO (US, Canada, many western European countries) and Warsaw Pact (Soviet Union and many easter European countries)
Purpose of the Berlin Wall.
What is to stop emigration of Germans in the Soviet-controlled territory into the Allied-controlled territory.
Korean War (describe)
War in Korea from 1950-1953 when the communist north invades the democratic south across the 38th parallel boundary line, resulting in bitter fighting. An armistice was signed to return the boundary back to the 38th parallel. No peace treaty has been signed.
Nikita Khrushchev
Who is the leader of the Soviet Union after Joseph Stalin during the height of the Cold War.
Purpose of the Truman Doctrine, Containment and Marshall Plan
What is to provide political, military & economic aid to nations threatened by communism and/or weakened by WWII in order to stop (contain) the spread of communism
Impacts of the Arms Race (at least 2)
Competition between US and Soviet Union for weapon and technology supremacy.
Nuclear Arms Race (stockpile weapons for mutually assured destruction.)
People prepare to survive nuclear war.
Space Race
Vietnam War (describe)
War in Vietnam from 1954-1975 when the US supported the democratic south against the Soviet-supported Viet Cong communist rebel group. Bitter fighting ensues against their guerrilla tactics. Ultimately fails, withdraws and the south falls to the communist north and reunites as one communist nation.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Who is the last leader of the Soviet Union who tried to save the union from collapse but ultimately resigns as reforms trigger the breakup of the Soviet Union becoming 15 separate republics, Russia being the largest.