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Global struggle for power & influence between USA & USSR (1947-1991)
cold war
Barrier built to prevent east Berliners from fleeing to the west; symbol of divide
berlin wall
Both sides agreed to remove their nuclear weapons from each other's vicinity after intense negotiations.
USSR removing missiles from Cuba
Economic system based on private ownership and individual decision-making
capitalism
Who were the two main superpowers in the world during the Cold War era?
US and USSR
Germany split post-WWII between US, France, UK, and Soviets; east under communist rule
dividing germany
Economic system based on communal ownership and government control
communism
Era post-Atomic Bombs dropped on Japan in WWII; new age of warfare
atomic age
Senator McCarthy's campaign to uncover communists in the US, leading to witch hunt
McCarthynism
When did the Cold War begin? When did it end?
Began around 1945 (end of WWII) and lasted until 1990
Why did America get involved in the Korean War?
Policy of containment and the domino theory
Competition between US and USSR to reach milestones in space exploration
space race
Fear of potential rise in communism within the USA
red scare
US plan to contain spread of communism; fear of domino effect
domino affect
What were the two main alliance systems in the Cold War era?
NATO and the warsaw pact
Symbolic divide between communist east and capitalist west Europe
iron curtan
North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Western Alliance
Nato
Instead of direct conflict, the superpowers backed opposite sides in various wars, using them as proxies.
proxy war
Eastern Alliance including East Germany, USSR, Poland, Czech, etc
warsaw pact
What happened to cause the Korean War?
Communist North Korea invades democratic South Korea in an effort to unite the Korean peninsula under one government
Mutual Assured Destruction; concept of both sides being destroyed in a nuclear war
MAD
Conflict where US supported Anti-Communist South Vietnam against Communist North
Vietnam war
Conflict between communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea, leaving Korea divided
korean war
Concern of military's close ties with companies leading to increased spending and arms race
military-industrial complex
Why was the city of Berlin a unique area during the Cold War era?
Berlin was located in East Germany, but since it's the capital city, the city itself was also divided into East and West Berlin