question

Bretton Woods Conference

answer

July, 1944 - Representatives from 44 nations met at the Bretton Woods Conference to plan for post-war economic recovery & stability

question

International Monetart Fund

answer

The International Monetary Fund was established to provide capital to nations for recovery.

question

Yalta Conference

answer

Feb, 1945 - The Big 3 met at the Yalta Conference to discuss post-war plans. Stalin demanded a Soviet-controlled buffer zone in Eastern Europe, but FDR & Churchill demanded that free elections be held in all Eastern European nations.

question

United Nations

answer

FDR tentatively agreed to Soviet control in eastern Europe in exchange for Stalin's promise to declare war on Japan once Germany surrendered & Soviet participation in the post-war United Nations.

question

San Francisco Conference

answer

April, 1945 - 46 nations met at the San Francisco Conference to write the charter for the United Nations.

question

Security Council

answer

The UN charter created a Security Council w/ 5 permanent members, each w/ veto power. Since the U.S. & USSR were both permanent members, they often vetoed each other once the Cold War began, which limited the Security Council's effectiveness.

question

Potsdam Conference

answer

July, 1945 - Truman, Stalin, & Churchill met at the Potsdam Conference but had major disagreements over the fate of Eastern Europe. Truman & Churchill insisted on free elections in all areas occupied by Soviet forces but Stalin, who feared anti-Soviet governments on his border, installed communist puppet regimes that were controlled by Moscow.

question

Yalta and Potsdam Conference

answer

The Yalta & Potsdam Conferences were instrumental in planting the roots of the Cold War.

question

Satellite nations

answer

Stalin created a buffer zone of communist satellite nations in Eastern Europe which became known as the Eastern Bloc

question

Eastern Bloc

answer

While England, the U.S., & anti-communists in Western Europe opposed expansion of the Soviet empire, the Russian domination of Eastern Europe was not directly challenged out of a desire to achieve world peace in the aftermath of WWII

question

Superpowers

answer

Because much of Europe & Japan was destroyed by WWII, & a civil war between Nationalists & Communists raged in China, the U.S. & USSR emerged as the 2 major superpowers.

question

Cold War

answer

The tension between the U.S. & USSR that was created by opposing economic & political ideologies led to a Cold War which began almost as soon as WWII ended.

question

First World

answer

The U.S. & its allies, including most of Western Europe, became known as the First World

question

Second World

answer

while the USSR & its allies in Eastern Europe became known as the Second World.

question

Third World

answer

Developing nations which were not allied w/ either became known as the Third World, & the superpowers competed for control of these nations

question

Winston Churchill

answer

1946 - Winston Churchill delivered a speech at Westminster College in Fulton, MO. During the Fulton Speech, AKA the "Iron Curtain" Speech, Churchill stated "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent."

question

Iron Curtain

answer

The speech, based on Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe & elsewhere, created more anti-Soviet opinion in the U.S. & Western Europe, & the division between Eastern & Western Europe became known as the Iron Curtain.

question

George Kennan

answer

1946 - While stationed in Moscow, George Kennan sent an assessment of Soviet intentions that became known as the Long Telegram.

question

Long Telegram

answer

In the Long Telegram, Kennan stated that the Soviets meant to foster the spread of communism throughout Europe & Asia, w/ the ultimate goal of establishing communism in every nation on earth. Kennan believed open warfare w/ Russia was impractical, but argued the U.S. must use all non-military means to actively contain communism where it already existed & prevent it from spreading further.

question

Dean Acheson

answer

Based on the Long Telegram & his own observations, Undersecretary of State Dean Acheson became instrumental in developing the U.S. policy for the Cold War which lasted for decades, known as the containment policy.

question

Containment Policy

answer

Acheson argued that communism was like a disease, & the U.S. must prevent its spread from "infecting" all of Europe. The most effective means would be for the U.S. to maintain a position of economic & military strength while remaining prominent in world affairs.

question

Greece

answer

1946 - A civil war began in Greece between communists, who were supported by the USSR, & anti-communists forces supported by England.

question

Truman Doctrine

answer

This policy became known as the Truman Doctrine, which stated the U.S. would provide financial aid to any nation threatened by communist aggression. As a result of the Truman Doctrine & the Containment Policy, the U.S. was now interventionist rather than isolationist

question

George C. Marshall

answer

1947 - U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall devised the European Recovery Plan, or Marshall Plan

question

Marshall Plan/ European Recovery Plan

answer

to rebuild Europe economically & prevent the spread of communism. Initially, the U.S. pledged $13 billion for European economic recovery.

question

West German

answer

1948- England, France, and the U.S. announced plans to combine thier post-war occupation zones into a West German nation. The USSR saw West Germany as a potential threat. So in order to prevent a formation of an independent West Germany, the USSR blocked food and supplies to West Berlin, an area controlled by the Allies.

question

Berlin Air Lift

answer

While Truman wanted to aviod war, he refused to give in to Soviet pressure. Instead, th U.S. and England broke the blockade by flying in tons of supplies. This became known as the Berlin Air Lift.

question

Federal Republic of Germany and German Democratic Republic

answer

1949- Germany officially split into separate states; an independent West Germany, know as the Federal Republic of Germany and a communist East Germany, known as the German Democratic Republic. Berlin remained divided into eastern and western zones as well.

question

NCS-68

answer

1950- A U.S. report known as NCs-68 led to increased development of advanced nuclear weapons to keep ahead of the USSR. This led to the development of the hydrogen bomb.

question

Mao Zedong

answer

1949 - Fear of communist expansion in Asia grew when communists led by Mao Zedong took control of China. The fall of China to communism stoked fear of a communist alliance between China & the USSR. This led the U.S. to increase its military, both in conventional & nuclear arms, which was matched by the USSR.

question

Nikita Khrushchev

answer

By 1956, Nikita Khrushchev emerged as the new Soviet leader. He denounced Stalin, vowed to de-Stalinize the USSR, & called for peaceful coexistence w/ the U.S.

question

John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles

answer

U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles & his brother Allen Dulles, head of CIA, were both militantly anti-communist. With Stalin dead, they urged Ike to use force to liberate Eastern Europe & roll back the Iron Curtain. However, Eisenhower had no desire to start a war & welcomed Khrushchev's claim for peaceful coexistence, but the influence of the Dulles led him to continue the Containment Policy begun under Truman.

question

Massive retaliation

answer

Dependence on nuclear weapons led to the policy of massive retaliation, in which the U.S. stated it would respond to any enemy attack w/ nuclear weapons.

question

Mutually Assured Destruction

answer

The doctrine of massive retaliation led to the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Since both the U.S. & USSR had enough nuclear weapons to destroy the other, peace was maintained by the assumption that neither side would risk an attack which would result in their own destruction.

question

North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO

answer

The tension of the Cold War led to new military alliances. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed to protect against Soviet expansion in Western Europe. In response, the Soviets formed the Warsaw Pact among nations in Eastern Europe

question

Decolonization

answer

After WWII, European nations began the process of decolonization. However, Cold War rivalries caught newly independent states in Africa, Asia, & the Middle East in the struggle between the U.S. & the USSR.

question

Red China

answer

U.S. refused to recognize "Red China", the communist government under Mao Zedong, & blocked Chinese admission to the UN. The USSR boycotted the UN in protest to America's veto. June, 1950 - Communist North Korea, backed by the USSR & China, invaded democratic South Korea

question

Police Action

answer

Truman asked the UN to authorize a police action against North Korea. Because of the Soviet boycott, the Russian UN representative was not present to veto UN authorization for military action in Korea.

question

Douglas MacArthur

answer

Douglas MacArthur was given command of the UN military force, which was mostly American, but North Korea had already taken control of most of the country.

question

Inchon- 38th Parallel

answer

MacArthur staged an amphibious landing at Inchon, combined w/ a counterattack at Pusan. North Korean forces were pushed back across the 38th Parallel, the original border.

question

Chosin Reservoir

answer

Thanksgiving, 1950 - 300,000 Chinese troops attacked the UN forces in Korea. After a bloody battle at the Chosin Reservoir, UN troops retreated to the 38th Parallel where the war became a stalemate.

question

38th Parallel

answer

1953 - U.S. President Eisenhower traveled to Korea to personally oversee peace negotiations w/ China & North Korea. An armistice was signed that established the border between North & South Korea at the 38th Parallel, w/ a demilitarized zone in between. This ended the Korean War but the tensions of the Cold War remained.

question

Palestine

answer

In the Middle East, thousands of European Jews settled in Palestine, which was still controlled by England as a UN mandate.

question

Arab League

answer

1947 - The UN partitioned Palestine into Jewish & Arab sectors. Zionist leaders proclaimed an independent state of Israel, which was immediately attacked by the Arab League nations. Israel won & Palestinians fled Israel as refugees.

question

Gamal Adbel Nasser

answer

1956 - Gamal Adbel Nasser, the leader of Egypt, made a deal w/ the USSR to obtain support for the construction of the Aswan Dam. Dulles offered U.S. assistance in the hope that would cause Nasser to distance Egypt from Soviet influence & closer to the U.S. When Nasser refused to cut ties to the USSR, Dulles withdrew the offer

question

Suez Canal

answer

Nasser retaliated against the West by nationalizing the Suez Canal. Britain, France, & Israel launched a joint attack on Egypt & occupied the Suez Canal & the area surrounding it. However, the attack came as the U.S. was formally protesting a Soviet invasion of Hungary.

question

India and Pakistan

answer

1947 - India gained independence & split into 3 states as a result of religious differences. India emerged as a secular nations w/ a Hindu majority, while Pakistan & Bangladesh formed as a Muslim states.

question

Ho Chi Minh

answer

1945 - Ho Chi Minh launched a revolt in Indochina that seized control of North Vietnam from France. Although Ho had collaborated w/ the U.S. against Japan during the war, the U.S. refused to recognize his government because of Ho's socialist leanings & the need to keep France as a possible ally against Russia in Europe. Ho turned instead to China & the USSR for support.

question

Domino theory

answer

Eisenhower continued to support the French in their efforts to regain control of North Vietnam based on the domino theory; that is, if one nation falls to communism then it would lead to the spread of communism throughout the region.

question

Dien Bien Phu

answer

1954 - France completely pulled out of Vietnam after being defeated by North Vietnamese forces at Dien Bien Phu. Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Vietnamese communists, was receiving military aid from China & the USSR.

question

Geneva Accords

answer

In the wake of the French defeat, the Geneva Accords granted independence to Vietnam, as well as to Laos & Cambodia. Elections were to be held in 1956 to establish a unified Vietnamese government

question

Hanoi and Dinh Diem

answer

1956 - The elections for a new government, which were rigged by both sides, led to Ho Chi Minh declaring victory & establishing a communist government in Hanoi. However, in South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem declared himself president & established Saigon as the capital of the Republic of Vietnam in the south.

question

Viet Cong

answer

Although Diem was a ruthless dictator, the U.S. gave money & military supplies to South Vietnam in support of the fight against communist insurgents from North Vietnam known as Viet Cong.

question

Algeria

answer

In North Africa, France granted independence to Morocco & Tunisia in 1956. However, France opted to retain control of Algeria

question

National Liberation Front (FNL)

answer

In protest, Algerian nationalists formed the National Liberation Front (FLN) & initiated a guerilla war against French forces.

question

Mozambique and Angola

answer

The last African colonies, Mozambique & Angola, were granted independence by Portugal in the 1970's after a series of bloody rebellions.

question

de-Stalinization

answer

After Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR began a program of de-Stalinization under Nikita Khrushchev.

question

Sputnik

answer

1957 - The Soviets launched Sputnik, the 1st satellite, into outer space as well as orbiting a dog named Laika, the 1st living creature in space. This put the USSR ahead of the U.S. in space exploration

question

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

answer

1962 - Alexander Solzhenitsyn was allowed to publish A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, a novel portraying the horrors of Soviet prison camps.

question

Tito

answer

Yugoslavia & Albania were the exceptions to Soviet control in Eastern Europe. Although both countries had communist governments, they ruled independently of Moscow. Yugoslavia was ruled by Tito who claimed to support Marxism, not Stalinism. Yugoslavia had a decentralized economy & the people had more freedoms.

question

Imre Nagy

answer

1956 - Hungarian leader Imre Nagy declared independence from USSR & promised free elections. IN response, Khrushchev sent in Soviet troops to regain control. Nagy & hundreds of his supporters were killed.

question

Leonid Brezhnev

answer

1964 - The poor economy & the Cuban Missile Crisis led Communist party leaders to force Khrushchev from office. He was replaced by Leonid Brezhnev.

question

Alexander Dubcek

answer

1968 - Alexander Dubcek became the leader of Czechoslovakia & instituted Western reforms such as freedom of speech & free elections. This period of political freedom was known as Prague Spring. The USSR sent troops to remove Dubcek, end his reforms, & restore repressive, pro-Soviet government

question

Walter Ulbricht

answer

In East Germany, a pro-Soviet communist government was established under Walter Ulbricht. Ulbricht established a police state that was completely controlled by the communist party. The economy was nationalized, resulting in widespread poverty.

question

Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, and the Free Democrats

answer

In contrast to East Germany, the West German government was quickly reformed by 3 major democratic parties: the Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats, & the Free Democrats. Of these, the Christian Democrats were the strongest.

question

Konrad Adenauer

answer

1949 - The Allied occupation of West Germany ended & Konrad Adenauer was elected chancellor.

question

Economic Miracle

answer

Adenauer presided over a period of economic revival in West Germany known as the Economic Miracle

question

Ludwig Erhard

answer

His Minister of Finance, Ludwig Erhard, established free markets, low taxes, & fewer government controls that, combined w/ the Marshall Plan, led to the rapid rebuilding of West German industry & society.

question

Berlin Wall

answer

1961 - Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR, ordered construction to begin on the Berlin Wall to prevent East Germans from leaving for the West.

question

Welfare States

answer

After the war, most European nations contended with the growinf popularity of socialist and communist parties. While Communism was unable to gain majority support in any Western European country, socialists movements partnered with labor unions to create welfare statess throughout Europe. Welfare states are characterized by centrally planned economies, government-owned industries, and massivee government spending on social welfare programs.

question

Clement Attlee

answer

Britian emerged from WWII with major economic problems. As a result, the Labour Party was able to capture a majority in Parliament from Churchill's Conservative Party, and Clement Attlee as prime minister began the British welfare state.

question

National Insurance Act and the National Health Service Act

answer

1946- Parliament passed the National Insurance Act and the National Health Service Act. The laws created a comprehensive social program, a national medical insurance program, and system of socialized medicine that required all doctors and dentists to provide care in state hospitals.

question

Consumer Society

answer

Post-war Western Europe became a consumer society. Economic growth led to a larger middle-class and specialized industrial workers who could afford consumer products such as appliances, televisions, and cars. These consumer products became the backbone of the European economy.

question

European Coal and Steeel Community

answer

1951- France, West Germany, Italy, and the Benelux countries formed the European Coal and Steel Community. This created a common market for coals and steel by eliminating trade barries between the participating nations.

question

Rome Treaty

answer

1957- The Rome Treaty created the European Economic Community, AKA the Common Market.

question

European Economic Community

answer

This eliminated all customs barries between the member nations and established a common tariff agaisnt imports.

question

Feminism

answer

Following WWII, many women in Western Europe embraced feminism & began to demand not just political equality but social & economic equality as well. As part of the movement to empower women, fashions became more revealing. A sexual revolution combined w/ birth control pills led to increased promiscuity & a decline in the European birthrate.

question

Existentialism

answer

Post-war philosophy was dominated by the general disillusionment felt by many Europeans. This led to a movement known as existentialism. Existentialism is the result of the despair brought on by war & the breakdown of traditional social values. It teaches that God is absent from the universe; therefore, humans are alone in the world w/ no preordained destiny, no future, & no hope.

question

Albert Camus anf John Paul Sartre

answer

The most famous proponents of existentialism were Albert Camus & John Paul Sartre. Camus believed the world was absurd & had no meaning, so man's only hope was himself. Sartre believed that man was born without meaning but could produce meaning for himself through his actions

question

Jean Dubeffet

answer

Jean Dubuffet developed Art Brut, a gritty artistic style that stressed the horror of war & suggested no formal training

question

Abstract Expressionism

answer

Abstract expressionism was popularized by Jackson Pollock. It was both chaotic & exciting, & stressed emotion over form.

question

Popular Culture

answer

The growth of mass culture & consumerism led to the development of a mass popular culture that was intertwined w/ economics. Music, television shows, & movies became more about popular appeal than about art, & became fully linked to the consumer society. Rock & roll spread from the U.S. to Europe, where groups like the Beatles & the Rolling Stones became pop culture icons.

question

Pop art- Andy Warhol

answer

Pop art emerged in post-war Europe as a result of the influence of mass popular culture. Pop Art transformed images from popular culture into works of art. Andy Warhol was the most famous pop artists, & his work inspired a generation of young British painters.

question

Theater of the Absurd

answer

Post-war literature was dominated by the Theater of the Absurd, which was popularized in France

question

Samuel Beckett

answer

The most famous playwright of this genre was Samuel Beckett. His plays, such as Waiting for Godot, were characterized by action on stage that was not realistic

question

Pope John XXIII

answer

In an effort to make religion more relevant, Pope John XXIII convened a council known as Vatican II.

question

Vatican II

answer

The council liberalized many traditional Catholic practices, such as the Latin liturgy. Despite the Church's efforts, religious attendance continued to fall dramatically after the war. By 1968, less than half of Western Europeans attended church regularly.

Unit 17 The Cold War – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards