The Cold War from 1945-1980 - AP U.S. History

1. What event prompted the United States to enter the Vietnam War?

   Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Alleged attack on U.S. ships led to Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

2. Identify the U.S. president during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

   John F. Kennedy. Led U.S. response to Soviet missiles in Cuba in October 1962.

3. What was the primary reason for the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics?

   Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Protested Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan during Cold War.

4. What was the primary objective of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)?

   Limit nuclear arms between the U.S. and USSR. Part of détente to reduce nuclear weapons competition.

5. Which doctrine aimed to contain communism globally?

   Truman Doctrine. Pledged U.S. support to free peoples resisting communist subjugation.

6. Identify the leader of the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

   Nikita Khrushchev. Soviet premier who placed missiles in Cuba to deter U.S. aggression.

7. What was the significance of the Domino Theory during the Cold War?

   Fear that communism would spread regionally. Justified intervention to prevent communist expansion in regions.

8. Which event marked the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War?

   Fall of Saigon, 1975. Communists took control, ending decades of U.S. involvement.

9. Which U.S. agency was created to coordinate anti-communist activities?

   Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Established to gather intelligence and conduct covert operations abroad.

10. Identify the treaty that limited nuclear weapons testing above ground.

    Partial Test Ban Treaty. 1963 treaty banned atmospheric nuclear testing by major powers.

11. What was the primary goal of the Marshall Plan?

    To rebuild and stabilize European economies post-WWII. Prevented Western Europe from falling to communism through economic aid.

12. What was the significance of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty?

    Limited anti-ballistic missile systems. Restricted defensive systems to maintain nuclear deterrence balance.

13. What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union?

    Sputnik. 1957 launch shocked U.S. and initiated the Space Race.

14. Which policy involved the U.S. giving military aid to Greece and Turkey?

    Truman Doctrine. First major Cold War commitment to contain communist expansion.

15. Identify the event that symbolized the deterioration of U.S.-Soviet relations in 1979.

    Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Ended détente period and renewed Cold War tensions.

16. Which organization was formed to promote Western European recovery post-WWII?

    OEEC (Organization for European Economic Cooperation). Coordinated Marshall Plan aid distribution among European nations.

17. Which U.S. president initiated the policy of détente with the Soviet Union?

    Richard Nixon. Pursued relaxation of tensions through diplomacy and arms control.

18. What was the primary objective of the National Security Act of 1947?

    Reorganize the U.S. military and intelligence. Created CIA, NSC, and unified Defense Department for Cold War.

19. What was the main focus of the Helsinki Accords?

    Improving relations between the Communist bloc and the West. 1975 agreement promoting human rights and European cooperation.

20. What was the significance of the U-2 incident in 1960?

    Increased tensions between the U.S. and USSR. Soviet downing of U.S. spy plane disrupted summit diplomacy.

21. Identify the main purpose of the Warsaw Pact.

    Military alliance of Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries. Soviet response to NATO, binding Eastern Bloc in military alliance.

22. Identify the event that marked the end of the Bretton Woods system.

    U.S. abandonment of the gold standard, 1971. Nixon ended dollar-gold convertibility, reshaping global finance.

23. What was the main goal of President Johnson's Vietnam War policy?

    Prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Applied Domino Theory to justify U.S. military involvement.

24. What was the purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

    Collective defense against aggression. Article 5 stated an attack on one member was an attack on all.

25. What was the main objective of the Bay of Pigs invasion?

    Overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba. Failed CIA-backed operation to remove Cuban communist government.

26. Which U.S. president signed the Camp David Accords?

    Jimmy Carter. Brokered peace agreement between Egypt and Israel in 1978.

27. What was the significance of the Berlin Airlift?

    U.S. and allies supplied West Berlin by air. Overcame Soviet blockade, demonstrating Western resolve to defend Berlin.

28. Which doctrine was announced by President Carter focusing on the Persian Gulf?

    Carter Doctrine. Declared Persian Gulf vital to U.S. interests after Soviet invasion.

29. What was the primary aim of the Peace Corps established in 1961?

    Promote world peace and friendship. Kennedy program sent volunteers to assist developing nations.

30. What was the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

    Removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. USSR agreed to withdraw missiles in exchange for U.S. concessions.

31. What event is considered the start of the Korean War?

    North Korea's invasion of South Korea in 1950. Communist North crossed the 38th parallel to unify Korea under communism.

32. Which parallel divided North and South Korea after WWII?

    38th parallel. Established as the post-WWII boundary between the two Koreas.

33. Identify the event known as the 'Prague Spring.'

    1968 liberalization in Czechoslovakia crushed by USSR. Soviet invasion ended democratic reforms and liberal movement.

34. What was the primary goal of the U.S. policy of containment?

    Prevent the spread of communism. Central Cold War strategy to limit Soviet expansion worldwide.

35. Which U.S. policy aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons?

    Non-Proliferation Treaty. Sought to limit nuclear weapons proliferation globally.

36. Identify the U.S. foreign policy that emphasized human rights.

    Carter's foreign policy. Emphasized moral principles in international relations during presidency.

37. Identify the year the Berlin Wall was constructed.

    1961. East Germany built it to stop mass defections to West Berlin.

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