Name:
Unit 9 Interactive Vocab:
Cold War Begins/1950s
Word
Definition
Analysis
1. Cold War (437)
The struggle between the Communist world led by the Soviet Union and the noncommunist world led by the U.S.
A war of words and influence
Why was this called a cold war?
2. Superpowers
Nations that influence or control less powerful states
Countries that control global affairs because of size, economic strength, and military power and ability
Who were the 2 major superpowers during the Cold War?
3. Capitalism
An economic system in which individuals and private businesses make most of the economic decisions
Free enterprise system
Used in America
Name one strength and one weakness of capitalism.
4. Communism
A type of system characterized by single-party rule of politics and government control of the economy
Government/Economy of the USSR
Name one strength and one weakness of communism.
5. Harry S Truman
Under Truman, the Allies successfully ended World War II; tensions with the Soviet Union increased, marking the start of the Cold War
President during the Korean War
Passed an executive order to desegregate the military (most units were desegregated by 1951)
What major decision did Truman make to end WWII?
6. Potsdam Conference
July 1945--The U.S (Truman), Britain (Atlee), and the USSR (Stalin) meet to work out the final plans for Germany
Truman continues to press for free elections in Europe
Formalized the decision to divide Germany into 4 zones
Recognized the USSRs right to ask for reparations
How were the big three at Yalta different than the big three at the Potsdam Conference?
7. Satellite Nation (States) (437)
A country under the control (dominated) of another nation both politically and economically
Used by Soviet Union as a buffer against capitalist countries and any future invasions (Eastern Europe)
List three of the satellite nations.
8. Iron Curtain (437)
Symbolized the growing geographic and political divisions between Communist and Capitalist (democratic) nations in Europe
Imaginary curtain both physical and ideological, blocked people from crossing to non- communist countries and stopped ideas
Why did Churchill use the metaphor of an Iron Curtain?
9. Containment (439)
Based on ideas of George F. Kennan
The restriction of Soviet expansion and communism
Goal was not to overthrow communism where it already existed, but to PREVENT communism from spreading further to other countries
What did the US hope would be the end result of the containment policy?
10. Truman Doctrine (438)
Policy that the U.S. must support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation (takeover) by armed minorities or by outside pressures (communists)
Why would Truman believe it was Americas responsibility to help these nations?
11. Marshall Plan (440)
Massive monetary aid program proposed by Secretary of State George Marshall
Money to be given to the countries of war-torn Europe to rebuild economies
Money was to be spent on goods made in the U.S.
Successful and created goodwill towards the U.S.
Did the US offer monetary aid to Soviet satellite countries?
12. Berlin Blockade/Airlift (440)
Soviet Union placed a blockade of West Berlin (free) by closing all highway and railroad links
An attempt to starve out the allies in Berlin in order to gain supremacy
High point in the Cold War, and it led to the Berlin Airlift
The airlift was a joint effort by the U.S. and Britain to fly food and supplies into West Berlin
How could this have gone wrong?
13. Collective Security
A system in which a group of countries commit to jointly dealing with a nation that threatens the peace or security of any one of the countries
Countries pledge to defend every other country in group if attacked
Give an example of how the U.S. used this strategy during the Cold War?
14. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (441)
1949 alliance of nations that agreed to band together in the event of war and to support and protect each nation involved
Each NATO member pledged to defend every other member if attacked
Does this remind you of any other idea we have studied?
15. Warsaw Pact (441)
Military alliance between the Soviet Union and nations of Eastern Europe, formed in 1955
Formed in response to NATO
Give 2 examples of member nations:
1.
2.
16. Dwight D. Eisenhower
34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961
Became President at the end of the Korean War
His secretary of State encouraged a policy of massive retaliationthe US would respond to communist threats to its allies by threatening to use crushing force, perhaps even nuclear weapons
What other vocab term could his policy of massive retaliation lead to?
17. Suez Crisis (451)
Britain and France joined forces with Israel in an attempt to seize control of the Suez Canal in 1956
This occurred after the leader of Egypt ( President Gamal Abdel Nasser) had nationalized it and brought it under Egypts controlthis would threaten the flow of oil to Eastern Europe
Why would Britain and France be involved in this crisis?
18. Eisenhower Doctrine (451)
This was passed in response to the Suez Crisis (January 1957)
Announced that the U.S. would use force to help any nation threatened by communism
Used to justify sending troops to Lebanon in 1958
The President can now send in the troops without declaring war
Why would the U.S. not want communism in the Middle East?
19. Chiang Kai-Shek (442)
Former leader of China until Mao Zedong started a communist revolution in 1949
He and those that supported him fled to Taiwan
Chiang's government continued to declare its intention to retake mainland China
Chiang ruled the island securely as President of the Republic of China and General of the Kuomintang until his death in 1975
What Island led by Chiang claimed to be the Republic Of China?
20. Mao Zedong (442)
Led communist party in China
Gained the support of peasants.
Set up the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 (Communist China)
How did the US respond to this change?
21. Korean War (442)
Conflict over the future of the Korean peninsula, fought between 1950 and 1953 and ending in a stalemate
Created the 38th ParallelThe line dividing North and South Korea
North Korea invaded South Korea to reunify country
Why did the war break outwhat political ideology were we trying to keep from spreading?
22. Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
An area, often along the border between two military powers, that no military forces are allowed to enter
Still exists between North and South Korea today
A buffer zone
Without using a dictionary, write a definition of the word buffer
in your own words:
23. Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (446)
Formed after the Korean War
A defensive alliance aimed at preventing the spread of Communism
Members included Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, France, Britain, and the United States
Why would France, Britain, and the U.S. be members? (These countries arent geographically located in South East Asia, but?)
24. Arms Race (447)
A competition between nations to achieve the more powerful weapons arsenal
Competition to have the most destructive and most powerful weapons
Who was the arms race between during the Cold War?
Does this make the world safer?
25. Deterrence
A foreign policy in which a nation develops a weapons arsenal so deadly that another nation will not dare attack
What weapon did we have that other countries would be scared of?
26. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) (449)
The principle that either side would respond to a nuclear attack by launching its own missiles
Also called massive retaliation
Only used or justified if a nations very survival is at stake
Give an example of how the U.S. used this strategy during the Cold War?
27. Sputnik (452)
The first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, launched by the Soviets (Russia) in 1957
Started the Space Race
Why was this a significant event during the Cold War?
28. Space Race
Race to be the first country to space/the moon.
Russia launches Sputnik 1957
America sends the Apollo mission to the moon in 1968--bragging rights
Which side do you think won the Space Race?
29. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (452)
United States government agency responsible for the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958
Why was NASA createdwhat race were we trying to win?
30. National Defense Education Act
A law (1958) providing funding to US education institutions at all levels
Emphasis on Math and Science
Passed to increase the technological sophistication and power of the United States
What did Russia do in 1957 that would cause Americans to feel as though they were behind scientifically
