Cold War Test
Fidel Castro
Cuban revolutionary who overthrew the government in a coup; established a strong communist dynasty in Cuba
Describe McCarthyism and the Red Scare in the United States.
During the beginning of the Cold War amid heightened tensions abroad, Senator Joseph McCarthy began a "witch hunt" of sorts to root out any trace of communism in America. Thus, he put many Hollywood actors and government officials on trial to question their patriotism. Many civil liberties were diminished during this time. This apparently rabid effort to eradicate communism became known as the Red Scare.
Describe detente in China.
During the visit, Nixon initiated detente (a peaceful mending of relationships between countries) with China.
Explain the principles of glasnost and perestroika.
Glasnost is a Russian word for "opennness." This term refers to the end of the Cold War when Russians became more open to communication with the United States and to capitalism/free market/democratic though. Perestroika, also a Russian word, indicates the restructuring of the Russian government at the end of the Cold War. The Russian leader to propose both policies was Mikhail Gorbachev, who eventually relinquished his post as leader of the Soviet Union in favor of a more democratic election process.
Describe the mission of the United States in the Vietnam War. Mention Ho Chi Minh.
In the Vietnam War, the United States was seeking to contain communism and stop its spread to the surrounding countries. Vietnam was divided into two factions--North and South. Led by leader Ho Chi Minh, the northern part of Vietnam had turned to communism and began to aggressively invade the southern part. The United States decided to intervene and help the South Vietnamese fight against the communists.
Describe the rise of communism in China. Be sure to include the year of its conversion to communism.
In the year 1949, Mao Zedong led the Communist party to victory after a long struggle. Zedong effectively expelled the democratic government to the island of Taiwan and restructured the government under the new, so-called People's Republic of China. Because China had turned to communism and aided North Korea during the Korean War, the United States and China had experienced significant tensions during the Cold War era. However, US President Richard Nixon, in a historic, unprecedented visit, travelled to China and met with Mao Zedong.
Give a thorough definition of NATO. Be sure to include the original members.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was a pact/treaty signed by members of western Europe and the United States. This alliance system was designed to protect all members from an invasion by the Soviet Union. If the USSR attacked or infiltrated one country, the other countries would come to aid. Original members: Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United States.
Describe Eisenhower's Domino Theory.
President Eisenhower imagined communism as a line of dominoes, all of which would topple if one were knocked down. In the same way, Eisenhower proffered, if one country in a particular region succumbed to communism, all of the other countries in that region would follow in succession. He particularly applied this theory to the country of Vietnam. The US would in due course fight a war in Vietnam on the basis of Eisenhower's theory.
Nikita Krushchev
Russian leader during Cuban missile crisis, contributed to severe strains in US-USSR relations
Give a thorough explanation of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was arguably the most tense period during the Cold War. For 13 days, both the US and USSR quite realistically could have gone to war. From surveillance footage caught by reconnaissance aircraft, the US observed that Cuba had begun to set up missiles capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Furthermore, the Soviets were sending ships that would supply the nuclear warheads. The US then blockaded Cuba to prevent the Soviet ships from delivering nuclear weapons. After tense negotiations between President Kennedy and the Russian premier Krushchev, the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba if the US would also remove missiles from Turkey.
Explain what Winston Churchill meant by the "Iron Curtain."
The Iron Curtain was a term coined by Winston Churchill, prime minister of Great Britain. He argued that Europe was divided by an invisible "iron curtain". The eastern side was under Soviet domination and influence. The western side consisted of the free states of western Europe like Britain, France, etc.
Give a thorough definition of the Marshall Plan.
The Marshall Plan--named after US Secretary of State George Marshall--was part of the United States foreign policy during the Cold War. After WWII, Europe was ravaged and suffering economically. The United States offered millions of dollars in aid to rebuild and restore western Europe in the hope that through a quick restoration communism would be kept at bay.
What are some reasons that the Soviets built the Berlin Wall?
The Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall primarily to prevent people in East Berlin to flee across to West Berlin/Germany and escape communism.
Describe the launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union. How did the United States react to its launch?
The Soviets launched the first artificial satellite into outer space in the year 1957. Immediately, the United States felt threatened: If the Soviets could launch a satellite, perhaps they were also producing more missiles. In response, the United States began a serious pursuit of space technology, culminating in the successful human landing on the Moon. Thus, began the space race!
Explain the Truman Doctrine.
The Truman Doctrine (proposed by US President Harry Truman) formally established the US policy of containment abroad. In other words, the United States would respond with whatever means necessary to prevent the expansion of communism anywhere in the world. The US first applied this principle to the countries of Greece and Turkey, which were experiencing communist pressures.
Give a thorough definition of the Warsaw Pact. Be sure to include the original members.
The Warsaw Pact was a direct response to the formation of NATO. The Soviet Union and countries under its influence decided to form an alliance to serve as a counterpart to NATO. Original members:Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Hungary, Poland and Romania.
After Stalin's death, Krushchev began to remove Stalin's policies. What was this process called?
This process is called "de-Stalinization".
John F. Kennedy
US President during Cuban missile crisis; also approved the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Joseph McCarthy
US Senator who exacerbated Red Scare in America; hunted down any celebrity or official who had alleged communist connections or tendencies
Describe the Bay of Pigs invasion.
When Fidel Castro overthrew the leader of Cuba, he quickly expressed his communist tendencies and friendly relations with the USSR. The United States became alarmed that a communist country could emerge merely 90 miles from home. Therefore, the US Marines helped to plan an invasion that would retake the Cuban government and remove Castro. However, the attack was a colossal failure! Cuba has remained communist to this day.
Give a brief summary of how the Cold War ended. Mention Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gobachev.
When Ronald Reagan was elected president of the United States, he immediately set about establishing a firm, defensive stance against the Soviet Union. He believed that America should build up a strong military defense system to once and for all cripple Soviet morale and demonstrate America's superiority. Reagan's plan worked, which led to summits in which both countries agreed to limit their nuclear weapons drastically, thereby leading to a safer world. Likewise, Mikhail Gorbachev extended friendship and diplomacy to the United States and significantly altered the Russian government.
Boris Yeltsin
first president of "new" Russia after Soviet Union collapse
Ho Chi Minh
leader of North Vietnam, instigator in Vietnam War, successfully established communism in Vietnam
Joseph Stalin
original leader of Soviet Union, leader at the beginning of Cold War
