Cold War Basics
What is the Cold War?
The ideological tension and rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, without direct warfare.
What is the Iron Curtain?
An economic and political barrier that divided the capitalist and communist nations in Europe.
What is Capitalism?
The system of economics where businesses are not directly controlled by the government.
What is ‘The Red Scare’?
The fear of Communism in the United States.
What are nuclear weapons?
An explosive devise that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions.
Who were the two superpowers?
The United States and the Soviet Union.
What is Sputnik?
The Sputnik was launched by the Soviet Union, and was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.
What is Communism?
The system of economics where the government controls all aspects of business and gives people equal resources.
What is McCarthyism?
The practice of making public accusations of communist ties, often without proper evidence.
What are Proxy Wars?
A military conflict where a major power supports one side of a conflict with another country without direct fighting in the war.
What is NATO & why was it formed?
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This alliance was formed to protect the world from major conflicts.
What is the Korean War?
An armed conflict between North and South Korea. The conflict became a proxy war between the U.S. and Soviet Union.
What is Mutually Assured Destruction?
The idea that if one country uses a nuclear weapon then other countries will respond causing mass destruction.
Who is Joseph McCarthy?
The leader of anti-communist crusade.
What is the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
The invasion to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba by the CIA
What is Containment?
The idea of preventing the spread of communism.
What was the Space Race?
A competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, where both superpowers aimed to achieve first in space exploration and technology.
What is the Warsaw Pact?
The Warsaw Treaty Organization or Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. A military alliance communist states led by the Soviet Union.
The pledge that established that the U.S. would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat.
Who is Winston Churchill?
The British leader who came up with the ‘Iron Curtain’ metaphor.
What is the Domino Theory?
A Cold War belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall.
What is détente?
A timer period when tensions between the United Staes and the Soviet Union thawed out.
What is the Arms Race?
A competition between two countries to develop the most advanced weapons.
What is the Containment Policy?
A US foreign policy aimed at preventing the expansion of communism and Soviet influence beyond its existing borders.
What is the Marshall Plan?
A U.S. initiative to aid Western Europe in rebuilding its economies after World War 2.