Cold War Basics
Which two superpowers were the main rivals in the Cold War?
The USA and the Soviet Union (USSR).
Which ideology was associated with the Soviet Union: capitalism or communism?
Communism.
Which continent contains China, Korea and Vietnam?
Asia.
Which European country ruled Vietnam as part of its empire?
France.
Who fought the Viet Minh in the First Indochina War: France or Britain?
France.
What does USSR stand for?
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Accept: Soviet Union.
Which economic system emphasises private ownership and profit?
Capitalism.
Who led the communists to victory in China in 1949?
Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).
Which Vietnamese leader wanted independence and led the Viet Minh?
Ho Chi Minh.
At which battle did the Viet Minh decisively defeat the French in 1954?
Dien Bien Phu.
Which world war ended just before the Cold War developed?
The Second World War (1939–1945).
What was the main aim of the US policy of containment?
To stop communism spreading to more countries.
Which side invaded the other in June 1950: North Korea or South Korea?
North Korea invaded South Korea.
Which country occupied Vietnam during the Second World War?
Japan.
Which conference discussed the future of Vietnam in 1954?
The Geneva Conference.
Why is it called a "cold" war?
The USA and USSR did not fight a direct, full-scale war against each other, although they backed opposing sides in other wars.
What did the domino theory suggest might happen if one country became communist?
Neighbouring countries might also become communist, like a row of falling dominoes. This was a fear, not an inevitable outcome.
Which side in the Korean War was supported by the US-led United Nations force?
South Korea.
What was the main goal of Vietnamese nationalists?
Independence: Vietnamese people governing their own country rather than being ruled by a foreign power.
Near which line of latitude was Vietnam temporarily divided in 1954?
The 17th parallel.
Give one way the superpowers competed without fighting each other directly.
Accept one: arms race, space race, propaganda, espionage, economic aid, or support for opposing sides in other conflicts.
What is a proxy war?
A war in which outside powers support opposing local sides to pursue their rivalry.
Why did the communist victory in China worry US leaders?
They feared communism would spread further in Asia and increase the influence of the communist bloc.
Why did the USA help France fight the Viet Minh?
US leaders feared a communist victory and wanted to contain the spread of communism.
The Geneva settlement envisaged elections in 1956. What were they intended to achieve?
To reunify Vietnam under a single government. The nationwide elections did not take place.