People
Who was the Soviet leader that succeeded Stalin and oversaw the building of the Berlin Wall?
Nikita Khrushchev.
In 1948, the USSR blocked all land routes into West Berlin. How did the Western Allies supply the city for 11 months?
The Berlin Airlift (Operation Vittles).
What was the name of the military alliance formed by the USSR and its satellite states in 1955?
The Warsaw Pact.
In what year did the Berlin Wall finally "fall" or open, symbolising the end of the Cold War?
1989.
Name one consequence of the Berlin Blockade for the relationship between the Superpowers.
It led to the formal division of Germany (FRG and GDR) or the creation of NATO.
Which US President is associated with the policy of "Containment" and a $13 billion aid package to Europe?
Harry S. Truman.
What 1962 event is considered the "hottest" point of the Cold War, involving nuclear missiles in the Caribbean?
The Cuban Missile Crisis.
What term describes the period of "thawing" or easing of tensions between the USA and USSR during the 1970s?
Détente.
In what year did the USA drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
1945
What was a major consequence of the Cuban Missile Crisis regarding communication between the leaders?
The creation of the "Hotline" between the White House and the Kremlin.
Who was the leader of the "Prague Spring" in 1968 who wanted "socialism with a human face"?
Alexander Dubček.
Which 1979 event effectively ended the period of Détente and led to the US boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics?
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Winston Churchill famously used this phrase in 1946 to describe the division between East and West Europe.
The Iron Curtain
In what year was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed?
1949.
Name one consequence of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan for US-Soviet relations.
The end of Détente, the "Carter Doctrine," or the US boycott of the Moscow Olympics.
Which Soviet leader signed the INF Treaty with Ronald Reagan and introduced Glasnost and Perestroika?
Mikhail Gorbachev.
What was the name of the 1961 failed attempt by US-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro?
The Bay of Pigs invasion.
What was the name of the doctrine stating that the USSR had the right to intervene in any Eastern Bloc country that threatened communist rule?
The Brezhnev Doctrine.
Give the exact dates (month and year) of the Hungarian Uprising.
October – November 1956.
What was a consequence of the 1968 Brezhnev Doctrine for other Eastern European countries?
It tightened Soviet control and signaled that reform movements (like in Czechoslovakia) would not be tolerated.
Name the leader of the Hungarian Uprising in 1956 who was eventually executed for wanting to leave the Warsaw Pact.
Imre Nagy.
At which 1945 conference did the "Big Three" disagree over the future of Poland and the amount of reparations Germany should pay?
The Potsdam Conference.
What does the acronym "SALT" stand for in the context of the 1972 arms limitation talks?
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty.
What year was the "Outer Space Treaty" signed, which ruled that no nuclear weapons could be placed in orbit?
1967.
Name a consequence of the 1975 Helsinki Accords regarding Human Rights.
It led to the formation of "Helsinki Watch" groups in the USSR to monitor Soviet compliance with human rights, which later fueled internal dissent.