Cold War Quiz # 1 Study Guide
Chapter 17.5-18.1
Know the following terms/concepts
1. Why did the alliance between the US and USSR breakdown after WWII?
The US was angry that Stalin lied and did not give free elections in Eastern Europe
Stalin was angry that the US did not relieve him by invading France and that we dropped
the atomic bomb without telling him.
2. Iron curtain and what region it refers to
The division of democracy and communism that fell across Europe after Staling spread
communism. Winston Churchill coined the term in his “Iron Curtain Speech”
3. Purpose of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
Both part of the US containment theory. The US would give out money and aid to weak
countries post WWII so that they would not be swayed by communism.
4. Similarities between Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
Both gave out money and aid. Truman was to Greece and Turkey and Marshall Plan was
offered to all of Europe.
5. What type of countries could receive aid through the Marshall Plan
All European nations but only the Western side accepted aid. Stalin would not allow the
Eastern bloc countries to receive it.
6. Why did the USSR blockade Berlin? How did the US respond?
The USSR thought that the West would pull their influence from the Western side of the
city.
The US responded by air lifting supplies for almost a year to help the 2.1 million residents
of west Berlin
7. What tactics did the superpowers use to fight the Cold War?
-Send money and aid (Truman and Marshall Plan)
-Support leaders in other countries who supported US and democratic/capitalist
government
-Used the CIA to overthrow leaders or sponsor revolutions in areas where communism was
a threat-Vietnam, Cuba, other places in Latin America, Iran (we will learn more about these
specific areas later.) We did focus on Cuba though
-Peace Corps. –organizations that gave humanitarian support in third world countries to
make them stronger and resist communism.
8. List examples of détente-deescalating war tensions
President Nixon visiting Chine
THE SALTI and II strategic talks
START TREATY in 1991
Times when the US and USSR were willing to talk and limit nuclear warheads
9. How did the Bay of Pigs Invasion lead to the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The Bay of Pigs was the failed US attempt to take out Cidel castro by training Cuban exiles.
This led to USSR support of Cuba and placement of nukes in that island nation.
10. What does SALT stand for?
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.
There were two rounds of these. Both dealt with limiting the testing of nukes and
dismantling some of them
11. Purpose of Strategic Defense Initiative
Proposed under Ronald Reagan. It was a space based missile defense system. Very high
tech. and hard to produce. Much money was spent and the idea was scrapped because it
was too hard to achieve.
SDI or, “Star Wars” put pressure on the Soviets though and helped bring them to economic
collapse which led to the break up of the USSR and communism.
12. How did the Cold War spread out worldwide? What were the US alliances and the
Soviet alliances?
The cold war spread because both sides worked to get neutral countries on their sides by
joining alliance systems and pushing their ideals in third world nations.
The US and USSR will engage in wars and revolutions throughout Latin America, Africa,
Asia and the Middle East. See map slide in your notes.
13. How did Americans use the idea of encirclement to help them fight the cold war?
We placed military bases around the world to circle around Soviet territories and to ensure
our defense.
14. Understand that the US had a global policy to contain communism worldwide
through lending monetary support to third world nations, influencing governments
worldwide by sponsoring revolutions/counterrevolutions, etc.
NO answer needed here
15. What is the UN? Why is the UN more powerful than the League of Nations and what
are some roles that the UN takes on worldwide?
The United Nations is a peacekeeping and humanitarian organization developed
after WWII. The UN has money and troops which the LON did not have.
16. What is the role of the Security Council in the UN and how many member nations
are on the council?
The security council is the decision making body of the UN. If a country is going to
be punished by sanctions the Security Council would vote on that and putting troops
in countries for protection or investigations.
15 nations are on the council. 5 of those are permanent-US, Russia, France, Britain
and China
17. List differences in ideology between communism and democratic capitalism.
Please see the slide in your notes. There is a chart with the two sides ideologies listed
Think about the challenge we did in class with James vs. Will. They advocated for each sides
ideology and why that way of life was better
Note-think about the challenge we did yesterday.
What are the purpose of nuclear missiles and placing them in sites that are closer to the
territory you want to hit.
What are the purpose of ABMS? How do they provide defense?
With all the nuclear build up and escalation how does that bring countries to the brink of
war?
Do you see how people in each country were scared and driven to make bomb shelters and
participate in duck and cover drills?