Conferences etc.
What was the purpose of the Yalta Conference?
A meeting in February 1945 between the leaders of the United States (FDR), United Kingdom (Churchill), and Soviet Union (Stalin) to discuss post-World War II reorganization in Europe.
Define communism.
A political and economic ideology that advocates for a classless society where the state owns all property and wealth.
What is NATO?
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a group of countries, including the United States, that agreed to protect each other if any member is attacked, formed to stand against the spread of communism during the Cold War.
What was the arms race?
The arms race was the competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to develop and stockpile nuclear and other weapons during the Cold War.
In the context of the Cold War, who was Harry Truman?
Harry Truman was the 33rd President of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953, known for implementing the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.
What decisions were made at the Potsdam Conference?
A meeting held in July-August 1945 between the leaders of the US, UK, and USSR to decide how to administer post-World War II Germany.
Define capitalism.
An economic system based on the private ownership of property and business, with the goal of making profit in a free market.
What is the Warsaw Pact?
A group of communist countries led by the Soviet Union that promised to defend each other, created as a response to NATO during the Cold War.
What is brinkmanship?
A dangerous strategy used during the Cold War where leaders would push conflicts to the edge of war, hoping the other side would back down out of fear.
In the context of the Cold War, who was John F. Kennedy?
John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963, known for his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Space Race.
What is a buffer zone?
A buffer zone is an area of land between two opposing powers that reduces tension and potential conflict.
What is the Truman Doctrine?
The Truman Doctrine was a U.S. policy established in 1947 to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War, asserting that the U.S. would support countries resisting communism.
What was the Berlin Blockade?
The Berlin Blockade was a Soviet attempt in 1948-1949 to cut off access to West Berlin to gain control over the entire city.
Explain the Space Race.
The Space Race was a competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union for dominance in space exploration, marked by significant events such as the launch of satellites and manned spaceflights.
In the context of the Cold War, who was Nikita Khrushchev?
Nikita Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, known for his policy of de-Stalinization and his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
What are satellite states?
Satellite states are formally independent countries under heavy political, economic, and military influence or control by another country.
What is containment?
The US strategy of preventing the spread of communism to other countries during the Cold War.
What was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed in 1961 that divided East and West Berlin, symbolizing the division between the communist East and the democratic West during the Cold War.
What was Sputnik I?
Sputnik I was the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, marking the start of the Space Race.
What was the "Iron Curtain," and what was its significance?
The Iron Curtain was a term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Western Europe (democratic) and Eastern Europe (communist) during the Cold War.
What are puppet states?
A state that is slightly independent but is actually under the control of another power.
What was the Marshall Plan?
The Marshall Plan was an American initiative launched in 1948 to provide economic aid to Western European countries to help them rebuild after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.
What does MAD stand for, and what is it?
MAD stands for Mutually Assured Destruction, a military doctrine that assumes if two opposing sides use nuclear weapons, both will ultimately be destroyed, preventing the actual use of such weapons.
What was the Cold War?
A long period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II, where both sides competed for global influence and power without fighting each other directly.
Who was Robert McNamara, and what was his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis?
McNamara was Secretary of Defense under President Kennedy, advocating for the naval blockade of Cuba, avoiding military action.