Key Terms
This term describes the competition between the U.S. and USSR to build stronger weapons and military power
What is an arms race?
This growing conflict between the U.S. and USSR was based on political and economic differences
What is the Cold War?
Policy giving aid to countries resisting communism; first benefited Greece and Turkey
What is the Truman Doctrine?
Period of fear about communism in the U.S.
What is the Red Scare?
War that began when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel
What is the Korean War?
Idea that one country falling to communism leads others to follow
What is the Domino Theory?
This event occurred when Stalin blocked land access to West Berlin in 1948.
What is the Berlin Blockade?
Program that rebuilt Europe with U.S. money
What is the Marshall Plan?
Programs like the G.I. led to the rise of this socioeconomic class
What is the middle class?
This failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba in 1961 attempted to remove Fidel Castro from power
What is the Bay of Pigs invasion?
Pushing situations to the edge of war
What is brinkmanship?
Airlift of supplies into West Berlin
What is the Berlin Airlift?
Policy to stop the spread of communism
What is containment?
Senator who led a “witch hunt” for communists
Who is Joseph McCarthy?
Event where Soviet missiles were placed in Cuba
What is the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Division between communist East and democratic West
What is the Iron Curtain?
This system of government and economy spreads when the government controls property and limits political freedom
What is Communism?
Military alliance formed to oppose Soviet expansion
What is NATO?
Practice of spying to gain information
What is espionage?
Idea that both sides would be destroyed in nuclear war
What is Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)?
An economic system where private individuals own businesses and make profits
What is capitalism?
City divided into East and West despite being in Soviet zone
What is Berlin?
The launch of this Soviet satellite led to increased funding for STEM education in the U.S.
What is Sputnik?
This state’s factories and workers helped produce equipment and supplies for the U.S. military during the Cold War
What is Wisconsin?
Competition between the U.S. and USSR in technology and exploration
What is the Space Race?