Vocab
What is Containment?
The idea of preventing the spread of communism throughout the world
What was the purpose behind the Yalta Conference? Identify 3 out of the 4 main key issues that were discussed at the Yalta Conference.
Which two Japanese cities were hit with the atomic bombs?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Why was the U.S. so eager to invest in rebuilding and developing nations after World War 2?
The U.S. wanted to prevent the spread of communism and create strong trading partners
Explain the importance of NATO. (HINT: Why would NATO be important if a country entered a war with the Soviet Union?)
If any country who is part of NATO is attacked by an outside force, all of the countries have to come to the defense of that country.
What is NATO?
System of collective security where nations agreed to mutual defense in response to an attack from an external party
How many occupational zones was Germany divided up into? Who controlled each zone?
Germany was divided up into four zones. The U.S., U.K., France, and USSR controlled the four zones separately.
How did the atomic bombs change the world? What is different about the nuclear age?
The atomic bombs began the nuclear age. Countries now had weapons capable of destroying entire cities and killing huge numbers of people very quickly.
Identify and explain at least 2 functions of the GI Bill and how they impact the United States in the years following World War 2
Education:
Paid for or helped veterans attend college or job-training programs. This increased the number of educated and skilled Americans.
Home loans:
Helped veterans buy homes with government-backed loans. This contributed to the growth of suburbs and homeownership.
Business loans:
Helped veterans start businesses.
Overall impact:
The GI Bill helped veterans succeed after the war and contributed to economic growth and the expansion of the American middle class.
What did Joseph Stalin do in an attempt to seize control of Berlin?
Form a blockade around Berlin blocking West Germany from Berlin
What is the Manhattan Project?
Top secret research and development program during WWII to develop the first nuclear weapons
What were the names of the two presidents who led the United States during World War II?
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.
What was the name of the person who created the atomic bombs (nicknamed the father of the atomic bomb)
J. Robert Oppenheimer
The U.S. economy exploded following World War 2. What was the effect of this on the average American? How did Americans see their quality of life change? Was it a good or bad change, explain why?
Many Americans experienced a higher standard of living. People had more money to spend and could afford more things. Was mostly a good change due to the creation of more jobs, higher incomes, better homes, and more consumer goods
What was the plan called to help aid citizens trapped in Berlin?
The Berlin Airlift
What is the Yalta Conference?
February 1945 meeting U.S. President FDR, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, & Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin discussing the end of WWII in the midst of the war
What was the overall point of the Bretton Woods System? What did it do the U.S. dollar.
It made the U.S. Dollar worth a certain amount of gold. It made the U.S. Dollar the most valuable currency in the world.
What was the name of the island that the U.S. invaded to put them close to mainland Japan?
Okinawa
Explain the main idea behind the Marshall Plan.
It was a financial aid program designed my George C. Marshall to provide aid to Europe.
What is considered to be the first major policy of the Cold War?
The Truman Doctrine
What is the "Iron Curtain"?
A political and military barrier that isolated Soviet-controlled countries in Eastern Europe following WWII
What was the name of the person who gave the infamous speech mentioning the decent of the iron curtain over Europe?
Winston Churchill
After securing victory in Europe, the U.S. turned its full attention to Japan. What were the two options the U.S. had to end the war in Japan? Explain the pros and cons of both options. Which option did the U.S. ultimately go with?
Option 1: Invade Japan:
Pros:
Cons:
Option 2: Atomic Bombs:
Pros:
Cons:
Describe at least two main goals of Truman's Fair Deal.
Raising the minimum wage
Extension of Social Security benefits
National healthcare proposals
Housing assistance
Education funding
Some Civil Rights Legislation
Identify and explain the main idea behind the Truman Doctrine.
The Truman Doctrine stated that the United States would help countries threatened by communism.