question

What was the Cold War?

answer

The power struggle between the U.S. and Russia from 1949-1991

question

At what conference did we agree how to split Germany after the war?

answer

The Yalta Conference- The Allies know they are going to win. Britain, the U.S., and the Soviets agree on four zones of occupation (them and the French). Berlin was in the Soviet Union's occupation so we decided to split it in four. Free elections were decided and Germany had to pay reparations to the Soviets.

question

What group was formed after Yalta?

answer

The United Nations- 48 countries joined, no one was excluded. Every country had a representative in the General Assembly (where majority rules). The other part is the security council

question

What is the Security Council?

answer

It has eleven seats (always have a majority). Of the 11 seats 5 never change- the U.S., France, Britain, China, and the Soviet Union. They can veto anything alone, extremely powerful position. The other 6 seats rotate through certain continental regions every 2 years. They only decide when to send in security measures.

question

Who wants to be a permanent member on the security council, but isn't?

answer

Japan and Germany

question

What meeting does the new U.S. president prove himself at?

answer

Potsdam, Germany- Churchill, Stalin, and Truman. Changed the dynamic bc/ Truman and Churchill are not as close as Churchill and FDR. Truman challenged Stalin- he was dragging his feet about free elections and Truman called him out about it.

question

What did Stalin set up in the countries that were closest to him?

answer

Communist governments called "satellite nations" or "buffer zones"

question

What does Churchill say about Stalin's new satellite nations?

answer

An iron curtain has fallen across Europe. Division between West- democratic & East- Communist

question

What policy did the U.S. and Britain adopt?

answer

Containment- we want to contain communism where it is and stop it from growing. This was the struggle of the Cold War.

question

What type of countries did Communism appeal to?

answer

Poor countries.

question

What is the U.S. policy of containment?

answer

The Truman Doctrine- we will support the countries that reject communism. Truman argued w/ Congress to spend money on countries who reject. When Czech fell to Communism Congress decided to give him the money.

question

What was the plan to aid countries that rejected Communism?

answer

The Marshal Plan- 12 billion dollars in aid. Most of the money goes to the west. The east doesn't get money bc/ they are already behind the Iron Curtain.

question

What does Stalin do when he hears about the Marshal Plan?

answer

He is pissed, he has to rebuild the Soviet Union and the satellite nations. The U.S., British, and French merge their occupation zones in Germany creating West Berlin and West Germany. Stalin had East Berlin and East Germany.

question

What did Stalin do when people started to move from East Berlin and Germany to West Berlin and Germany?

answer

He didn't want our influence in the East. He cut off water, railroads, and boats in West Berlin.

question

What do the U.S. and the British do as a result of Stalin cutting off West Berlin?

answer

We started flying planes, would drop crates w/ parachutes that had essential supplies. Highly coordinated. About every 25 minutes they had an open window to drop stuff. They had to fly over East Germany but Stalin didn't shoot them bc/ the U.S. stationed B2 bombers(drop atomic bombs) in Britain

question

What name was coined during the Cold War?

answer

"Superpower"- the U.S. and Soviets then

question

What organization was created bc/ it was clear the world was on opposite sides? (Capitalist and Communist)

answer

NATO- National Atlantic Treaty Organization. Started out with 10 nations, it's grown since then. The idea was to form alliances before the Soviet Union made a move. The Soviet Union knew about NATO.

question

What pact did the Soviets make?

answer

The Warsaw Pact- The Soviet Union and nations behind the Iron curtain.

question

What did both sides have?

answer

Atomic bombs- The U.S. started trying to make a stronger bomb. We developed the Hydrogen bomb, 1,000 times stronger than the bombs dropped on Japan. We stopped testing them, and do everything to avoid war war so we don't use massive weapons.

question

What did Stalin build in Berlin?

answer

The Berlin Wall- Anybody who can starts moving out of East Berlin to W Berlin. The only thing they could think to do to prevent people from leaving. Put it up overnight.

question

What were the checkpoints where you could get through the wall?

answer

3 checkpoints- Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, You had to have the proper paperwork, was hard to get to the East side. They had to prove they had business in the West, but something to come back to in the East

question

What was the path people in East Germany started taking to get out?

answer

They had to go to East Berlin to cross to West Berlin and then to West Germany. Path out was called the "Brain Drain". The highly educated were leaving bc/ they didn't believe in Communism (workers who wanted equality did)

question

What did the U.S. and the Soviet Union engage in?

answer

Brinkmanship- they're willing to get as close to war as they can and then stop. They try t provoke the other country into making the first move. The U.S. and the Soviets pushed each other's buttons

question

What did the U.S. and the Soviet Union do to prepare for war?

answer

The arms race- developing bigger and badder weapons, like the hydrogen bomb. Need to be able to bomb places w/o endangering pilots

question

What is ICMB?

answer

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile- trying to develop these in the arms race. Bombs that can be shot by a rocket, if the rocket is strong enough to break the atmosphere it can reach another country.

question

What is the arms race intertwined with?

answer

The space race- The Soviet Union won by putting the first satellite in space (Sputnik) and scared the U.S.. Soviets put the first man in orbit

question

What did the U.S. do to compete in the space race?

answer

Pouring money into math and science education. NASA was created. U.S. was the first to put a man on the moon.

question

What is the U-2?

answer

High altitude plane developed by the U.S./ camera, the pilot could control when photos are taken. The Soviet Union shot down a U-2 when their radar got good enough. Francis Gary Powers was the pilot. He was put on trial in Russia and was sentenced a long time. Released after 18 months when we traded Soviets for him.

question

What war was started in China?

answer

Nationalists led by Jieshi and Communists led by Mao Zedong. Now the stakes are higher bc/ U.S. containment. The U.S. helps the nationalists and the Soviet Union helps the communists. Jieshi was corrupt, he loses the civil war & is pushed to Taiwan.

question

How was China divided?

answer

Taiwan- Nationalist China Mainland- Zedong's People's Republic of China

question

What did Mao Zedong do while he was in charge?

answer

Land reforms (like Lenin), 5 year plan (like Stalin). He is trying to build a strong base of support.

question

What was the Great Leap Forward?

answer

Zedong takes the land away from the peasants and puts them on Communes, He is throwing away the peasants tradition, it resulted in famine bc/ the peasants didn't want to work bc/ they weren't gaining anything. After this Mao takes a backseat in the gov't.

question

What were communes?

answer

Farms where hundreds of families work together and live together. Had women's dorms, men's dorms, and nurseries.

question

What happens after Mao takes a backseat?

answer

Cultural Revolution- He comes back, he can't lead a revolution bc/ he is old, so he encourages young people to learn revolution by making revolution. The youth organized themselves into militia units called the Red Guard to try to restore China to traditional Communist values.

question

What happened after the Cultural Revolution was started?

answer

Anybody highly educated was no longer valued, they could resist and go to jail (or be killed), or purge themselves by going and working in the fields. Lasted two years.

question

What does Mao do when he sees things had gotten out of hand?

answer

He calls for the revolution to end and then he stepped back from leadership

question

What happens to Korea at the end of WWII?

answer

It was part of the Japanese empire, but when the Japanese lose the war Korea got independence. The decision was made that the Soviet Union would help North Korea and the U.S. would help the south.

question

What did the U.S. do in South Korea?

answer

We put democracy in place, but no elections yet. In the North the Soviets set up a communist government w/ a dictator. The two countries were split along the 38th parallel

question

What happened when it was time to leave Korea?

answer

We left and took all of our supplies, the Soviets left but they left their supplies behind for the North Koreans. We didn't think the North and South would attack each other when we left.

question

How did war start in Korea?

answer

The North crossed the 38th parallel and attacked. The South Koreans went to the Security Council of the UN and since the guy who was supposed to represent the Soviets was boycotting (bc/ the U.N. didn't recognize Soviet-supported Communist China)- South Korea gets help.

question

How does the UN help South Korea?

answer

They organize the first UN army. MacArthur was chosen to lead troops in South Korea. He lands at Inchon and cuts the North Korean army in half. He pushes them all the way back to the Yalu river.

question

What happens when MacArthur pushes the North Koreans past the 38th parallel to the Yalu river?

answer

The Chinese get mad bc/ we are getting close to their territory so they help the North Koreans push us back past the 38th.

question

What does MacArthur do that makes Truman fire him?

answer

He says we need to use the hydrogen bomb on China. Truman told him no, so he tries to go around Truman to Congress. When Truman finds out he fires MAM and he goes down as power hungry

question

How does the fighting in Korea end?

answer

We sign an armistice and make a border. To this day there has never been a treaty between North and South Korea. The Armistice line is called the DMZ- demilitarized zone.

question

What was Vietnam like before WWII?

answer

France controlled Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh formed the Vietminh League and tried to gain independence from the french at the end of the war.

question

What happened when Ho Chi Minh tried to gain independence from France?

answer

The Soviets started to help them, the French send in troops to get it back.

question

What does Eisenhower do about the conflict in Vietnam?

answer

He holds an international conference to divide Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. The Soviets got the north and the U.S. got the south.

question

What was the domino theory?

answer

Eisenhower- if we let Vietnam fall to Communism, then so would its neighbors.

question

What dictator does the U.S. set up in South Vietnam?

answer

Ngo Dinh Diem- he was corrupt and he kept it a dictatorship where he ran the show. He made sure his friends were taken care of. The north is good, but life in the south isn't getting any better

question

What did the U.S. do when they realized how bad Diem was?

answer

They let Minh take over everything- he gained support mostly in the rural areas. The people assassinated Diem with U.S. help. They didn't know what to do next. Generals take charge.

question

What does Linden Johnson do about Vietnam once he becomes president?

answer

He goes to congress, says that North Vietnamese fired on American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. Congress authorizes Johnson to send troops to Vietnam. We know that this never happened.

question

What did the U.S. do after congress authorized Johnson to send troops?

answer

The U.S. drafted men, congress put a clause that if you were a full time student, you didn't have to go to war. People that were drafted were mostly poor bc/ they could not afford to go to college.

question

What was Nixon's policy in Vietnam?

answer

Vietnamization- process of pulling out American troops out and letting South Vietnamese fight for themselves. As we are leaving the Vietcong start to takeover South Vietnam. The North took over and joined the countries- Ho Chi Minh rules as a Communist dictator.

question

Who led Cambodia's fall to communism?

answer

Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. They come to power by killing 2 million people (1/4 of the population, considered genocide).

question

What do the Vietnamese do when they hear about what is happening in Cambodia?

answer

They invade bc/ they don't like the Khmer Rouge. Eventually the UN gets involved, Pol Pot is arrested, he died in prison before trial. The UN sets Cambodia on a good path

question

What is the first word, 2nd world, and 3rd world?

answer

1st- The U.S. and our allies 2nd- Soviet Union and their allies 3rd- Countries that have not declared their allegiance and the other worlds want to gain influence. They get aid and money from the other worlds.

question

What are nonaligned countries?

answer

Countries that don't accept aid and don't pick sides. They don't trade a lot. They trade with each other- led by India. Most are in Africa and Asia.

question

What dictator did the U.S. back in Cuba?

answer

Batista- for about 30 years. He became very corrupt, he let Americans in Cuba dictate gov't. He became very unpopular.

question

Who did the Cubans support?

answer

Fidel Castro- young lawyer. He promised to bring change, to get rid of corruption, to fix the economy, and get rid of American bias.

question

What does Castro do?

answer

Overthrew Batista and took over. He was a dictator but he did make social reforms. He was communist and had the gov't take over industry, he takes over American industry.

question

What was the Bay of Pigs?

answer

the Cubans left Cuba when Castro took over and came to the U.S.- we trained them secretly (CIA) to go and kick out Castro. We dropped them at the bay of pigs. The original plan was that they land while the air force bombs military strongholds. JFK backed out and the Cubans were captured and killed. The Russians started to build missile launch sites.

question

What did JFK do when he heard about the missile launch sites in Cuba?

answer

He called the Soviets and tells them to stop building, he also orders a blockade of Cuba bc/ we knew 3 or 4 soviet ships were on their way w/ supplies. Also known as the 13 days.

question

What deal ends the 13 days?

answer

We make a deal w/ the Soviets that if we promise to never invade Cuba they will take down their missile launch sites. Stalin is dead and Khrushchev is in charge. His willingness to make a deal hurts his reputation.

question

Who was the U.S. Backed dictator in Nicaragua?

answer

Somoza- he is fairly corrupt, people hated him.

question

What was the rebel group in Nicaragua?

answer

The Sandinistas- Communist group that wanted Somoza out. They were led by Daniel Ortega. The U.S. And the Soviets helped the Sandinistas overthrow Somoza's son.

question

What happened after the Sandinistas overthrew Somoza?

answer

Daniel Ortega took over and started helping other rebel groups that were communist (in other countries). One of these was in El Salvador.

question

What does the U.S. Do when the Sandinistas start helping the rebel group in El Salvador?

answer

The U.S. Does not want the El Salvadorian rebel group to takeover, so we aid the El Salvadorian gov't. We also started to support the Contras

question

What were the Contras?

answer

An anti-communist group in Nicaragua.

question

Who was in charge in Iran?

answer

Pahlavi- he changed the name from Persia to Iran and allowed Western influence. People who wanted the strict Islamic way didn't like him.

question

Who did the strict Islamists support?

answer

Mossadeq- he had powerful position (prime minister) in gov't. He used his support and position to takeover a British controlled oil company.

question

What does Pahlavi do when Mossadeq takes the oil company?

answer

He flees the country bc/ he thinks a revolution is starting. The U.S. And allies are worried that they will ask from help from the Soviets.

question

What does the U.S. Do when Pahlavi flees?

answer

We find him and ask him to go back in charge bc/ he was pro-western- people hate him more than ever.

question

Who is the new leader of the strict muslims?

answer

Ayatollah Khomeini- he is in exile, he spreads his message by tapes he records, he gains massive popularity. His followers take over the gov't and Pahlavi flees.

question

What does Khomeini do once he is in charge?

answer

He sends men to go and take over the U.S. Embassy, they let the women and the old people go, but hold the men for 444 days- released the day Reagan is inaugurated.

question

What did Khomeini encourage Muslims to do?

answer

Overthrow their gov'ts for fundamentalist gov'ts. This made Saddam Hussein mad bc/ he was secular (leader of Iraq).

question

What does the U.S. Do when Iran and Iraq start fighting?

answer

We help both bc/ we don't want the balance of power to change. We supplied both sides with weapons and aid. When the war ended nothing was changed.

question

What was happening in Afghanistan?

answer

They had a Soviet controlled communist gov't that was corrupt and the people hated.

question

What were the Muslim radicals in Afghanistan?

answer

The mujahideen- the U.S. Helps them bc/ the gov't is communist. They launched a revolution and the Soviets come in to help the gov't. This is the Soviets version of Vietnam, the Soviets get bogged down and after 10 years they give up and go home.

question

What happened when Stalin died?

answer

Khrushchev becomes the leader. A committee of old guys (communists) have to approve the leader. For the first years he does not make any changes. He starts to slam Stalin in his speeches.

question

What was destalinization in the Soviet Union?

answer

They condemn Stalin for all his actions, take down anything that honors him, erasing his legacy. The movement was led by Khrushchev. The country needed to move on, made the people trust Khrushchev. One year after the Cuban missile crisis he is replaced.

question

What satellite nation tried to break away from the Soviet Union?

answer

Hungary- they tried to rebel against the Soviet communists. The leader was Imre Nagy- really chill communist who wanted to end strict rules. He took over the gov't.

question

What happened when Imre Nagy takes over the communist gov't in Hungary?

answer

Khrushchev send the army in to restore communism. They put the communist gov't back in place and killed Nagy. Khrushchev was so harsh bc/ he wanted to send a message to the other Satellite nations.

question

Who was the leader of the Soviet Union after Khrushchev?

answer

Brezhnev- he is more like Stalin, moving back towards totalitarianism.

question

Who was the leader of Czech that loosened censorship?

answer

Dubcek- he announces that he is going to reduce the censorship, as a result there's a growth of new ideas known as the "Prague Spring". He did not go against communism, just lowered the censorship threshold.

question

What did Brezhnev think of the Prague Spring?

answer

He wants to end the Prague Spring. He makes all the countries that signed the Warsaw Pact (the satellite countries) give troops to go in and end the PS. This send message to the satellite nations.

question

What is the Brezhnev doctrine?

answer

Says the Soviet Union has the right to make sure that the buffer zones stay communist. Result of the Prague Spring.

question

What is China tired of?

answer

Being in the Soviet unions shadow. The Chinese try to spread their own type of communism. They asked the Soviet Union to let them have the secrets to nuclear weaponry- the Soviet Union says no and now they are enemies. We are worried about war.

question

What happens when Nixon becomes president?

answer

Deescalation of Cold War tensions, called detente, we start to go away from war and brinkmanship.

question

What firsts did Nixon accomplish?

answer

He was the first president to go visit communist China and the Soviet Union. Our foreign policy is changed, new spirit of cooperation.

question

What treaty is signed between the U.S. And the Soviet Union?

answer

SALT treaty: strategic arms limitation talks. Eventually "talks" is changed to treaty. We sat down and started talking about limiting the number of nuclear weapons, ICBMs, and sub-launched missiles. Means everyone is calming down- five year agreement.

question

What was an extension of SALT?

answer

The Helsinki accords- says that the U.S. And the Soviet Union will not go to war. Lots of countries sign it in commitment meant to detente.

question

What happens when Reagan becomes president?

answer

We go back to heightened tensions and brinkmanship bc/ he hated communism. Massive military buildup was possible.

question

What did Reagan propose concerning space?

answer

SDI- Strategic Defense Initiative- the common people called it Star Wars- he wanted to put satellites in space w/ missiles that would shoot down soviet missiles if they shot them at us. Reagan was nicknamed Ronny Ray-Gun

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