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Containment Policy
A United Staes policy that prevented the spread of communism abroad. -
Yalta Conference
Was the meeting of the heads of government of the US, UK, and Soviet Union for the purpose of discussing the post war plans for Europe. -
Potsdam Conference
Held at Cecilienhof, in Potsdam. Meeting of Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to discuss how to administer the defeated Nazi Germany. The goals of the conferece were to estalish post-war order, peace treaty issues, and to counter the effects of war. -
United Nations
An intergovernmental organization designed to promote international co-operation, it was also establised to prevent another conflict like World War 2. -
Long Telegram
A lengthy memorandum written by George Kennan.Within the letter Kennan by staing that the Soviet Union could not forsee "permanent peaceful coexistence. He also stated the US and its alies would have to offer resistance to the Soviet Union. -
UN Atomic Energy Commission
Promoted the safe, secure,and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.It was significat because it prevented countries from blowing each other up. -
The Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was the name for the boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War 2 until the end of the Cold War. -
Truman Doctrine
Established that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic naions under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces. -
Berlin Airlift
Was where the United States and UK airlifted food and fuel to Berlin.This was significant to the Cold War because it led to the Soviet Union lifting the blockade. -
Marshall Plan
Also known as the European Recovery Program, channeled over 13 billion dollars to finance the Economic Recovery of Europe between 1948 and 1951. -
Soviet Blockade in Berlin
The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. This was significant to the Cold War because it led to the Berlin Airlift. -
NATO
An Intergovernmental military alliance between several North American and European Countries. This was signifcant to the Cold War because the countries wtinin the alliance agreed to mutual defence in response to an attack by an external enemy. -
NSC-68
A 58-page top secret policy paper by the United States National Security Council presented to President Harry S. Truman that essentially launched the Cold War. It was significant because it provided the blueprint for the miliarization of the Cold War. -
The Korean War
Began when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United States eventually came to the aid of South Korea, China came to the aid of South Korea, and the Soviet Union gave some assistace. The fighting ended on July 27, 1953 when an armistice was signed. -
Brinkmanship
A term coined during the Cold War to describe the tactic of seeming to approach the verge of war in order to persuade one's opposition to retreat(Bluffing). -
Warsaw Pact
A collective defence treaty among the Soviet Union and 7 satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War. The Warsaw Pact was significant to the Cold War because it was a balance of power to NATO. -
U2 Spy Plane
An American jet with the ability to fly to ultra high altitudes. During the Cold War the U2 Spy Plane was used for intelligece gathering by flying over the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, and Cuba. -
Mutual Assured Destruction
A 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 sides. This was significant because it prevented the use of atomic weapons due to the fear of retaliation.
