Key Terms
The belief that one communist victory will lead to many others
What is Domino Theory?
This Successor of Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Who is Nikita Kruschev?
A fear of communism throughout the United States.
What was the red scare?
Most Americans felt the US involvement in the Vietnam War was
What is an unnecessary evil that led to many civilian casualties
Nations that are stronger than other powerful nations can be called
What are Superpowers
This communist ruler of North Vietnam in 1954 ended 200 years of colonial rule by France and led North Vietnam to war with South Vietnam.
Who is Ho Chi Minh?
A change that took place during the Cuban Revolution
Political freedom was restricted. All freedom was restricted
This incident involved two US Destroyers who were allegedly fired on by Vietnamese Submarines. As a result the US involvement in the Vietnam War escalated.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin?
President Lyndon B Johnson asked Congress to allow him to commit whatever soldiers and resources necessary to win.
Relaxation of tensions between superpowers where no action is taken and patience is used
What is détente?
This leader of South Vietnam was heavily backed by the United States because of his anti communist views. However, his own generals overthrew him in a coup just before Kennedy's assassination in 1963.
Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?
The Cold War arms race was terrifying because
The weapons were extremely powerful
The Soviet Union and United States did not fight each other directly during the Cold War in hopes of avoiding a 3rd world war- specifically a nuclear war. How did they confront each other by supporting opposite sides in other conflicts?
Soviets supported North Vietnam, North Korea and Cuba to help spread Communism while the United States supported South Vietnam, South Korea and tried to invade Cuba to over throw Fidel Castro to contain Communism.
This occurs when one country with nuclear weapons declares war on a nation that also has nuclear weapons
What is Mutual Assured Destruction?
This Polish activist led a movement for political and economic change in Poland. He wanted an end to Soviet rule and a new government for Poland.
Who was Lech Walesa?
In this city in March of 1968, a massive slaughter of unarmed Vietnamese civilians took place.
What is My Lai?
Missiles were places in Cuba, Turkey, and Italy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Describe the roots of this conflict and how it was resolved.
Fidel Castro took over Cuba and made it Communist. The US attempted the Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow Castro. In response, to help defend their Communist Ally, The Soviet Union placed missiles directed at the US. The US retaliated by placing missiles in Turkey and Italy. Thankfully, Kruschev and Kennedy used diplomacy and were able to negotiate a truce without nuclear war.
The 1962 event that brought the world to the brink of a nuclear war
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
This Soviet President created perestroika, or a practice of restructuring the economic and political system in the Soviet Union. He became aware of the drawbacks of central planning and ultimately this led to the breakdown of the Soviet Union.
Who was Mikhail Gorbachev?
After WWII, the Marshall Plans goal was to
provide US assistance to European nations