Origins of the Cold War
Which 1945 conference divided Germany into zones?
Yalta Conference
What was NATO?
Western military alliance (1949)
Which war began in 1950 involving Korea?
Korean War
What was MAD?
Mutually Assured Destruction
Who was Soviet leader from 1985–1991?
Mikhail Gorbachev
What policy did Truman announce in 1947?
Truman Doctrine (containment)
Which wall was built in 1961?
Berlin Wall
What event escalated US involvement in Vietnam (1964)?
Gulf of Tonkin incident
Which 1962 crisis nearly caused nuclear war?
Cuban Missile Crisis
Name one Gorbachev reform
Perestroika (restructuring), Glasnost (openness)
What was the Marshall Plan?
US aid to rebuild Europe; counter communism
Explain the significance of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising.
Crushed by Soviets; showed USSR control in Eastern bloc
How did the Vietnam War impact US global standing?
Weakened prestige, public distrust, containment questioned
Name one arms limitation treaty.
SALT I (1972), INF (1987)
What event in 1989 symbolised collapse of communism in Europe?
Fall of Berlin Wall
How did the Berlin Blockade (1948–49) escalate tensions?
Soviets blocked access; Allies airlifted supplies; symbol of division
How did détente impact Europe?
Helsinki Accords; reduced tension, limited arms agreements
Why did the US and China improve relations in the 1970s?
Nixon’s visit 1972; counterbalance to USSR
What role did the arms race play in Cold War tensions?
Escalated rivalry, drained resources, technological competition
Why did the USSR collapse in 1991?
Economic stagnation, nationalist movements, failed reforms
Evaluate the role of ideology vs security concerns in the origins of the Cold War.
Debated; US saw communism as threat, USSR feared encirclement
Assess the role of Germany in Cold War tensions.
Flashpoint (Berlin crises, wall, airlift); symbol of division until 1989
Assess the significance of Asia in Cold War dynamics.
Battleground for proxy wars; shifted global focus beyond Europe
Evaluate the significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis in shaping Cold War relations.
Turning point; hotline, limited arms control, but tensions continued
Assess the role of Gorbachev vs external pressures in ending the Cold War.
Historians debate; internal reform failures + US pressure both key