Arms and Space Race
Why was the United States considered a superpower following World War II?
In the four years following WWII, the US was the only nation in posession of atomic bombs.
Define our policy of containment.
Our policy to keep the Soviet Union from speading communism to other nations. We wanted to keep it as isolated to Eastern Europe as possible.
Why did the United States have an interest in the conflicts of Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam?
The US had a policy of containment and did not want communism spreading in these nations.
Describe the idea of detente.
President Nixon's proposed foreign policy plan to ease tensions, which lead to several formal agreements between the US & USSR on arms control.
What was a peaceful political demonstration in opposition of the Soviet Union in three connected Eastern European nations in 1989?
Hint: An estimated 2 million people joined hands in this demonstration.
The Baltic Chain
Explain the concept of M.A.D.
MAD = Mutually-Assured Destruction.
The balance of nuclear power between US and USSR would prevent nuclear war from occurring because both nations knew it would lead to the mass destruction of their own nation as well
Define the economic systems of:
1. Capitalism
2. Communism
Capitalism is an economic system that promotes free and open markets and values private ownership and voluntary exchange
Communism is an economic system where the government controls the means of production and private ownership and voluntary exchange is prohibited
How did the Korean War mark a major shift in the Cold War?
Previously, the U.S. had offered monetary aid to countries fighting communism, but now the U.S. military had actively become involved in Asia.
During which talks did the US and the USSR negotiate agreements that would place limits and restraints on some of their most important and central weapons?
SALT = Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
What was the Soviet policy that allowed for openness and transparency in government institutions and activities and displayed a commitment to getting Soviet citizens to discuss publicly the problems of their system and seek solutions?
Glasnost
What event marked the end of the space race, and which nation was recognized as winning the race?
The landing on the moon by the United States ended the space race; the United States had won.
Pick one of these and explain how it demonstrated our policy of containment:
1. The Truman Doctrine
2. The Marshall Plan
3. The Berlin Airlift
1. The Truman Doctrine stated that the United States would support nations who resist attempted conquest by communists.
2. The Marshall Plan provided economic aid from the U.S. to countries rebuilding after WWII so they were strong enough to resist communism.
3. The U.S. didn’t want to give up the city of Berlin to the Soviets and communist East Germany. After Stalin blockaded the city, the U.S. airlifted the struggling city food and medical supplies rather than sending troops into the city to break the blockade. The goal in airlifting supplies rather than troops was to avoid a full-scale conflict with the Soviet Union.
1. Define brinkmanship
2. Explain how the Cuban Missile Crisis is an example of brinkmanship
1. Brinkmanship is the willingness to go right to up to the edge (brink) of war in order to force the other side to back down.
2. The US came the closest to nuclear war during this crisis than at any other time. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade around Cuba (seen by the Soviets as an act of war) to force negotiations to take place.
How did Reagan's increased defense spending help lead to the downfall of the Soviet Union?
It created a budget battle, which forced the USSR to keep up with the US spending on defense/space. The Soviets were not able to do so becuase their economy was not nearly as well off.
What allowed for some reforms to be made in Soviet economic system, with the goal of making it more efficient?
Perestroika
Analyze the extent to which the arms and space race impacted military and defense spending in the United States.
In an effort to develop a larger quantity and quality of nuclear weapons, the United States invested heavily in defense spending. As far as our NASA budget, it peaked in 1966 at almost 4.5% of our total federal budget.
What happened during the Chinese Revolution (did the communists or nationalists win?) and what effect did this have on Americans?
The nationalists lost to the communists, who were lead by Mao Zedong. China falls to communist rule, and this scares the United States becuase a year later, China signed a treaty of friendship and alliance with the Soviet Union.
1. What is the Domino Theory?
2. Did this theory play out with Vietnam?
1. The belief that if one country in Asia fell to communism, neighboring nations would follow
2. Yes; the North Vietnamese invaded and captured South Vietnam. Peace didn’t last and eventually the entirety of Indochina (area around Vietnam) fell to communism.
What was a situation that escalated Cold War tensions and came as a result of protesting US involvement in the government of a foreign nation during President Carter’s term? This situation was resolved immediately upon President Reagan coming into office.
The Iranian Hostage Situation
Explain how governments and economies in Eastern Europe changed following their independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Communism (single political party in the government controls the economy) → democratic government (multiple party system, citizens have freedom of political expression and open elections) with capitalist economies (limited government control)
What was Sputnik, and why was the United States so concerned about it?
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit (which was the first artificial satellite).
The US was concerned about it becuase many people felt that if the USSR could launch Sputnik, it could just as easily deploy a nuclear bomb at the US.
1. At the Yalta Conference, explain how Germany was divided and which nation(s) would rule each partition.
2. Then, explain the decision regarding Poland.
1. Germany was divided into four different occupied zones post-WWII (East Germany was occupied by the USSR; West Germany was occupied by US, France, and GB)
2. Poland is allowed to keep its Soviet-installed communist government, given the condition that it will hold free elections as soon as possible following the end of the war.
What is Vietnamization?
The process of making South Vietnam assume more of the war effort by slowly withdrawing American troops from Vietnam
Why did the Soviets invade Afghanistan?
The Soviet Union intervened in support of the Afghan communist government in its conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerrillas during the Afghan War.
What was a physical representation of the Cold War division? It was no longer utilized as a separation of ideas and peoples after 1989.
The Berlin Wall