The Cold War

Question	Answer
Berlin Crisis	Soviets tried to remove the Allies from Berlin by cutting off access to the city, Stalin cut off supplies to West Berlin in response to the Allies' introduction of a new currency to boost the German economy; Allied planes flew in with supplies for almost a year until the blockade ended...led to the Berlin Airlift...Showed communist world that democracy could still thrive.
Brinkmanship	A 1956 term used by Secretary of State John Dulles to describe a policy of risking war in order to protect national interests...policy of the Soviet Union and the United States of threatening to go to war at a sign of aggression on the part of either power...Used by both with Nuclear weapons as a deterrent.
Containment	A policy used to hold back aggressive powers...adopted by President Harry Truman in the late 1940s, in which the United States tried to stop the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries to resist Soviet advances.....leads The US to get involved in other nation's problems because they don't want them to become communist.
Cuban Missile Crisis	October 1962 When the U.S. discovered Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba, President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and announced a naval blockade of the island; the Soviet leader Khrushchev acceded to the U.S. demands a week later. The closest approach to nuclear war at any time between the U.S. and the USSR. USSR back down on condition that US would take missiles out of Turkey.
Domino Theory	the idea that if a nation falls under communist control, nearby nations will also fall under communist control. Theory that led the US to help smaller nations so that they would not fall to communism. Led to the Vietnam and Korean wars.
Korean War	The conflict that followed the crossing of the 38th parrelle by the North Korean Forces. Truman viewed this conflict as a test case for his containment policy.He took the case to the UN and then American troops were sent in. The policy of containment was used and the UN was tested. Led to a long war that ended in a stalemate with the original Borders.
Marshall Plan	Introduced by Secretary of State George G. Marshall in 1947. Massive and systematic American economic aid to Europe to revitalize the European economies after WWII. Helped prevent the spread of Communism.
NATO	An international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security. Formed for protection form the Soviet Union and its east European allies. Warsaw pact formed in response to this.
Truman Doctrine	President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology. First established in 1947 after Britain no longer could afford to provide anti-communist aid to Greece and Turkey. Led to future US involvement in containing communism.
Vietnam War	1956-1975. Armed conflict between Communist-supported Democratic Republic Of Vietnam (NV) and US-supported Republic of Vietnam. The US stepped in to contain communism. This led to the voting age in the US being lowered to 18. Was a failure and caused unrest in the US.
Warsaw Pact	Soviets formed this military organization with the nations of Eastern Europe. Formed in 1945 in response to NATO. It gave USSR an excuse for garrisoning troops in these countries.
Yalta Conference	Meeting among leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union in 1945; agreed on Soviet entry into the Pacific war in return for possessions in Manchuria, organization of the United Nations; disputed the division of political organization in the eastern European states to be reestablished after the war. Stalin promised free elections in Europe but then lied, led to tension at next conference.
Soviet Leader After Stalin	Khrushchev
Iron Curtain Ideology	Physical boundary dividing Europe into two regions.
McCarthyism	-reached peak under first two years of Eisenhower's presidency -second term, McCarthy given small committee, he scandalized the majority of middle class US citizens with unsubstantiated allegations, virulent attacks, and blatany disregard for his constitutional rights-on tv -rarely had evidence
George Kennan	wrote Mr. X piece -played significant role in shaping post WWII strategy Kennan espoused a strategy of long-term "containment" of the Soviet Union, and the re-establishment of a steadfast balance of power by the reconstruction of Japan and western Europe played a key role in both the Marshall Plan and the reconstruction of Japan, as well as U.S. strategy in its approach to dealing with the Soviet Union.
Berlin Wall	A physical barrier separating West Berlin from East Germany, including East Berlin. The longer inner German border demarcated the border between East and West Germany.
Potsdam Conference	The major leaders decided at this conference to destroy all of Germany's industrial potential and divide it into four occupation zones.
Long Telegram	A 7000 word telegram sent by Kennan to outline his views of the Soviets.
The "Big Three" that met at the Yalta Conference	Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin
Civil war between nationalists and communists	Chinese Revolution
Bay of Pigs	US-supported invasion by Cuban exiles with the intent to overthrow Fidel Castro
The Space Race	Sputnik is the first artificial satellite released into space by the Soviets, which begins this.
Detente	French word meaning an easing of tensions between nations. It lead to the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) treaty and the Helsinki Accords. A thaw in Cold War relations between the United States and Soviet Union from 1969-1975
Mutually assured destruction	a doctrine of military strategy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two opposing sides would effectively result in the destruction of both the attacker and the defender. It is based on the theory of deterrence according to which the deployment of strong weapons is essential to threaten the enemy in order to prevent the use of the very same weapons. It was used by the US and the USSR to assure that nuclear war would not occur.

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