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Mao Zedong
Mao was a Chinese communist leader and founder of the People's Republic of China. He was responsible for the policies of the 'Great Leap Forward' and the 'Cultural Revolution'. Mao was victorious, but his health was deteriorating. He later tried to build bridges with the United States, Japan and Europe. -
Iron Curtain
This was Winston Churchill's term for the Cold War division between the Soviet-dominated East and the U.S.-dominated West. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy to stop Soviet imperialism during the Cold War. It was announced to Congress by President Harry S. Truman on March 12, 1947 when he pledged to contain Soviet threats to Greece and Turkey. -
Marshall Plan
The Unites States helped rebuild Europe by giving them money. This would increase foreign trade and prevent communism. The plan promoted European economic federalism, and created public organization of the private economy similar to that of the United States. This provided the European economy with a much better environment for American investment. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Successful effort by the United States and Britain to ship by air 2.3 million tons of supplies to the residents of the Western-controlled sectors of Berlin from June 1948 to May 1949, in response to a Soviet blockade of all land and canal routes to the divided city. -
Sputnik
In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik: the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth. Resulting in the outcry of the United States, fears that the Soviets were ahead in both space exploration and military missiles, forced the Eisenhower administration to increase defense spending and in America's space program.Sputnik was launched to give the Soviet Union the "High Ground" an espionage during the cold war. -
Mccarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of treason without the proper evidence. It also means "the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism." -
Korean War
The Korean war happened in 1950. South and North Korea had been split in two after WW2 Both the leaders of the two states claimed to be ruler of Korea, which caused tensions. USSR supported North Korea who were communist. And America supported south Korea who were anti-communist. -
Rosenburg Trial
A court case involving Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, an American couple who were executed in 1953 as spies for the Soviet Union. Some have argued that the Rosenbergs were innocent victims of McCarthy-era against communists or of anti-Semitism. Others believe that they really were Soviet spies. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
CIA operation to overthrow Fidel Castro by landing 1200 disgruntled Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs. This failed and was a huge embarrassment for Kennedy, who then vows to bring down Castro.
