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Containment
Truman adopted this theory where the US tried to stop the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries resist the USSR. -
Iron Curtain
On this date, Winston Churchill announced an iron curtain had descended upon the continent. An Iron curtain is the boundary separating communist and democratic nations of Europe. -
Truman Doctrine
This was a U.S. policy giving economic and military aid to free nations threatened by internal or external opponents It was announced by President Truman in 1947. -
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was an attempt by the Soviets to starve the non-communist allies out of Berlin. In response, the US flew millions of food, oil, and other products to the Berliners. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan is a U.S. program of economic aid to European countries to help them rebuild after World War II. -
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization- a defensive military alliance formed by 10 Western European nations, the United States, and Canada -
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Korean War
This war began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The US aided South Korea and China aided North Korea. -
Warsaw Pact
Formed by USSR and 7 Eastern European countries. -
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Space Race
The Soviets and Americans competed to advance their technology and make it to outer space. They each created new inventions and tried to dominate one another. -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was between communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later. -
M.A.D
doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a direct confrontation between the US and Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had placed nuclear weapons in Cuba that could hit the US if targeted. This was the closest point they came to nuclear war. -
Cultural Revolution
1966-1976 uprising in China, led by the Red Guards, with the goal of establishing a society of peasants and workers in which all were equal. This ended the imperial system. -
Vietnamization
On this date the president announced his plan for Vietnamization. He wanted to withdraw from the war by replacing US soldiers with South Vietnam soldiers. -
SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks- a series of meetings in the 1970's. Leaders of the US and the Soviet Union agreed to limit their nations' stocks of nuclear weapons -
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Soviet/Afghan War
The war lasted over nine years, from December 1979 to February 1989. Insurgent groups known as the mujahideen fought against the Soviet Army and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. -
Mujahideen
The Mujahideen are guerrilla fighters that resisted the Soviets and other invading forces. -
Star Wars
A program to protect the United States against an attack by enemy missiles. Proposed in 1983 by Ronald Reagan but never implemented- AKA Strategic Defense Initiative.