Name ____________________________ Class _________________ Date ___________________
Charting a Course
Section 2
MAIN IDEA
The United States and the Soviet Union worked together during World War
II, but the two nations became rivals soon after the war ended. Their political
rivalry turned into a competition for global power that became known as the
Cold War.
Key Terms
communism
an economic system in which the government controls what is
produced
satellite nations
containment
the U.S. foreign policy of preventing the spread of communism
balance of power
limited war
countries controlled by another country
a situation in which countries are about equal in strength
a war fought without using a country’s full power, especially nuclear
weapons
détente
a term for relaxing and calming down tense relations between countries
Academic Vocabulary
strategies
plans for fighting a battle or a war
Section Summary
CAUSES OF THE COLD WAR
After World War II, a Cold War began. The United
States and the Soviet Union believed in different
economic systems. Both countries struggled to
control other countries without fighting a real war.
The Soviet Union had a system called
communism. In this system, the government
controls the economy and resources. Individuals are
not allowed to own factories, farms, or businesses.
The Communist Party controlled the government. It
punished those who disagreed with its decisions.
The countries along its borders became satellite
nations. The Soviets controlled them. The United
States joined with other noncommunist nations to
gain world power and influence. Both the United
What does the government
control in a communist
system?
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Section 2, continued
States and the Soviet Union used strategies such as
spying and foreign aid to “win” the Cold War.
THE POLICY OF CONTAINMENT
In 1947, President Harry S. Truman announced that
the U.S. would give economic aid to countries that
were fighting against communism. This is called the
Truman Doctrine. The idea behind this policy was
to prevent communism from spreading, or
containment. The United States wanted to stop
communism and keep the Soviet Union from
occupying other countries. The Berlin Blockade
tested this policy. The Soviet Union tried to block
anyone and anything from coming into Berlin. The
United States and Britain sent airplanes with food
and supplies to Berlin. The Soviet blockade failed.
In 1949, Communists gained power in China and
Cuba and later in North Korea and North Vietnam.
The Soviets supported these governments. They
also showed the world they had nuclear weapons
when they built missile bases in Cuba. The Soviet
Union and the United States now had a balance of
power. To try to contain communism, the United
States fought a limited war in Vietnam and Korea.
No nuclear weapons were used to fight the wars.
THE END OF THE COLD WAR
The Soviet Union spent too much money during the
Cold War. Its economy was failing. Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev offered détente as a solution.
This easing of tensions between the United States
and the Soviet Union helped lead to the fall of
communism. In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart.
The Cold War was over.
What was the purpose of
the policy of containment?
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Underline the name of the
policy that helped lead to
the end of the Cold War.
CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Evaluating Write a paragraph
about how the world would be different today had
communism not fallen in the Soviet Union.
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Section 2, continued
détente
satellite nations
balance of power
strategies
limited war
containment
communism
strategies
DIRECTIONS Use six of the words or phrases from the word list to
write a summary of what you learned in the section.
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DIRECTIONS Look at each set of terms below. On the line provided,
write the letter of the term that does not relate to the others.
_____ 1. a. communism
b. government control
c. limited war
d. ownership of resources
_____ 3. a. détente
b. satellite nations
c. spread of communism
d. containment
_____ 2. a. Cold War end
b. fall of Soviet Union
c. détente
d. balance of power
_____ 4. a. balance of power
b. Soviet republics
c. limited war
d. Cold War
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