Vietnam War
Which two major countries were on opposite sides in the Vietnam War?
United States (supporting South Vietnam) and the Soviet Union/China (supporting North Vietnam).
What year did the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq begin?
2003.
What event led the U.S. and allies to invade Afghanistan in 2001?
The September 11 (9/11) terrorist attacks.
What is terrorism?
The use of violence and intimidation to achieve political or ideological goals.
Which two superpowers were involved in the Cold War?
The United States and the Soviet Union (USSR).
What was the Domino Theory?
The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighbouring countries would follow.
Who was the leader of Iraq at the time of the invasion?
Saddam Hussein.
What was the name of the extremist group that the U.S. aimed to remove from power in Afghanistan?
The Taliban.
What major terrorist attack occurred on September 11, 2001?
The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in the U.S.
What was the main ideological conflict of the Cold War?
Capitalism and democracy vs. Communism and dictatorship.
What event in 1964 gave the U.S. justification to escalate involvement in Vietnam?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
What was the main reason given by the U.S. and allies for invading Iraq?
The claim that Iraq possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs).
Who was the leader of al-Qaeda, responsible for planning 9/11?
Osama bin Laden.
Name one terrorist group active in the early 2000s.
Examples: al-Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram.
What event in 1962 brought the world closest to nuclear war?
The Cuban Missile Crisis.
What was the main goal of the Viet Cong during the war?
To unify Vietnam under communist rule by defeating U.S. and South Vietnamese forces.
What major criticism was made of the justification for the Iraq War?
No WMDs were ever found, leading many to question the true motives (e.g. oil interests, regime change).
What was the main goal of the war in Afghanistan for the U.S. and coalition forces?
To eliminate al-Qaeda, remove the Taliban, and prevent Afghanistan from being a terrorist base.
What is one method governments have used to combat terrorism?
Increased security laws, surveillance, intelligence sharing, and counter-terrorism operations.
What was the purpose of the Berlin Wall built in 1961?
To stop East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin and symbolize the division between East and West.
Explain one major reason why public support for the war declined in the U.S. and Australia.
The graphic media coverage, rising casualties, and sense that the war was unwinnable or unjust, sparking mass protests.
Explain one lasting impact of the Iraq War on the Middle East or global politics.
The war destabilised Iraq, led to sectarian violence, the rise of ISIS, and damaged trust in Western governments.
What happened in 2021 that marked the end of the war?
The withdrawal of U.S. troops and the Taliban’s return to power, ending America’s longest war.
Explain one way terrorism has changed how people travel or live globally.
Stricter airport security, surveillance, anti-terror laws, and greater public awareness/fear of attacks.
Explain how the Cold War ended and what event marked its conclusion.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, following economic decline, reforms (perestroika, glasnost), and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.