What major conflict ended in 1945, leaving the United States and Soviet Union as rival superpowers?
WWII
What was the main goal of containment?
To prevent communism from spreading.
What city was divided into Western Allied and Soviet-controlled sectors after World War II?
Berlin
Which superpower led the communist bloc during the early Cold War?
Soviet Union
Who led the Chinese Communist Party to victory in 1949?
Mao Zedong
Why did the United States fear the spread of communism?
Because it feared communist governments would expand Soviet influence and threaten democratic, capitalist nations.
Which policy offered assistance to Greece and Turkey to help resist communist pressure?
Truman Doctrine
What term describes the division between communist Eastern Europe and the democratic West?
Iron Curtain
Which alliance connected the United States with Western European countries?
NATO
What country was divided by the 38th parallel after World War II?
Korea
Why did the United States create the Marshall Plan?
To rebuild Europe's economies and reduce the appeal of communism.
Which policy focused on rebuilding European economies after World War II?
Marshall Plan
What did the Soviet Union do in 1948 that cut off land access to West Berlin?
Berlin Blockade
Which military alliance connected the Soviet Union with its Eastern European allies?
Warsaw Pact
Which side invaded the other to begin the Korean War in 1950?
North invaded South
What was one major result of the growing rivalry between the United States and Soviet Union in Europe?
Europe became divided into competing Eastern and Western blocs.
A country needs economic aid to rebuild factories, roads, and businesses after a war. Which American program best fits this situation?
Marshall Plan
How did the United States and its allies respond to the Berlin Blockade?
Berlin Airlift
What is one major difference between capitalism and communism as economic systems?
Capitalism emphasizes private ownership and competition, while communism traditionally emphasizes collective ownership and a planned economy.
What American general commanded United Nations forces during the Korean War?
Douglas MacArthur
Why did the United States and Soviet Union compete to gain allies around the world?
Each wanted to increase its influence and prevent the other side from gaining power.
Explain the difference between the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.
The Truman Doctrine promised assistance to countries threatened by communism; the Marshall Plan focused on European economic recovery.
What were the two countries created when Germany was officially divided in 1949?
East Germany and West Germany
What did NATO members agree to do if one member was attacked?
Treat an attack on one member as an attack on all members.
Why did the United States become involved in the Korean War even though Korea was thousands of miles away from the United States?
The United States wanted to contain communism and prevent North Korea's invasion from leading to the spread of communist control in East Asia.