Introduction: The Cold War and Decolonization - AP World History

1. Who was the leader of the Indian independence movement?

   Mahatma Gandhi. Led nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule.

2. Which organization was formed in 1949 as a military alliance against the Soviet Union?

   NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Western military alliance for collective defense against Soviet threats.

3. Which European power granted independence to Indonesia in 1949?

   The Netherlands. Recognized Indonesian independence after four years of war.

4. What was the primary goal of the Bandung Conference in 1955?

   Promote Afro-Asian economic and cultural cooperation. 29 Asian and African nations promoted neutrality and cooperation.

5. Which movement sought independence for Vietnam from French colonial rule?

   Viet Minh. Ho Chi Minh's communist movement fought against French colonialism.

6. What was the primary ideological conflict during the Cold War?

   Capitalism vs. Communism. This fundamental divide shaped global politics and proxy wars.

7. What was one major impact of the decolonization process in Africa?

   Emergence of new independent states. Over 50 African nations gained independence by 1980.

8. Which country was divided as a result of the Potsdam Conference in 1945?

   Germany. Allied leaders finalized occupation zones and reparations.

9. What year did the Soviet Union officially dissolve?

   1991. Formally ended the Cold War and communist superpower status.

10. What was the U.S. policy to rebuild Japan after WWII?

    Demilitarization and democratization. Aimed to prevent Japan from becoming a future military threat.

11. Which African leader is known for his role in Algeria's independence?

    Ahmed Ben Bella. First president after Algeria's independence from France in 1962.

12. In which year did India gain independence from British rule?

    1947. British Raj was partitioned into India and Pakistan.

13. What event in 1962 brought the world close to nuclear war?

    Cuban Missile Crisis. Soviet missiles in Cuba created a 13-day nuclear standoff.

14. Identify the Soviet counterpart to NATO, established in 1955.

    Warsaw Pact. Soviet-led Eastern European military alliance in response to NATO.

15. Which country was the first in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence?

    Ghana. Gained independence in 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah's leadership.

16. Name the 1947 plan that divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.

    UN Partition Plan. UN Resolution 181 created separate Jewish and Arab territories.

17. Name the strategy used by the U.S. to prevent the spread of communism.

    Containment. Policy to stop communist expansion without direct military confrontation.

18. Which treaty organization was formed to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia?

    SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization). 1954 alliance to contain communist expansion in the region.

19. Which conference in 1945 divided Germany into occupation zones?

    Yalta Conference. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin agreed on post-war Europe.

20. What was the main purpose of the Non-Aligned Movement?

    Remain independent from US and Soviet influence. Third World countries avoided choosing sides in the Cold War.

21. What doctrine stated that the U.S. would support countries resisting communism?

    Truman Doctrine. Pledged U.S. support for free peoples resisting subjugation.

22. What was the Marshall Plan designed to do?

    Rebuild European economies post-WWII. Provided $13 billion in aid to prevent communist influence.

23. What was the main conflict of the Korean War?

    North Korea's invasion of South Korea. 1950 invasion sparked three-year war involving UN forces.

24. Identify the two superpowers involved in the Cold War.

    United States and Soviet Union. These nations emerged as dominant world powers after WWII.

25. Which agreement in 1972 aimed to limit nuclear arms between the US and USSR?

    SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks). First major nuclear arms control agreement during détente.

26. Identify the leader of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

    Fidel Castro. Overthrew Batista's regime and established communist government.

27. What was the main conflict of the Vietnam War?

    Communist North vs. Anti-Communist South. Cold War proxy conflict lasting from 1955 to 1975.

28. Who was the Soviet leader that implemented glasnost and perestroika?

    Mikhail Gorbachev. His reforms of openness and restructuring weakened Soviet control.

29. What term describes the political process of a colony gaining independence?

    Decolonization. The process of territories gaining self-rule from colonial powers.

30. Identify the main purpose of the United Nations established in 1945.

    Promote international peace and security. Replaced League of Nations to maintain global stability.

31. Which Asian country was divided into North and South in 1948?

    Korea. Split along the 38th parallel after Japanese occupation ended.

32. Which Egyptian leader nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956?

    Gamal Abdel Nasser. Sparked the Suez Crisis when Britain and France invaded.

33. Which leader is associated with the policy of apartheid in South Africa?

    Hendrik Verwoerd. Prime Minister who formalized racial separation policies.

34. What was the purpose of the Berlin Airlift in 1948-1949?

    To supply West Berlin during Soviet blockade. Allied planes delivered supplies to circumvent Soviet blockade.

35. What year did the Berlin Wall fall, symbolizing the end of the Cold War?

    1989. Symbolized the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe.

36. What was the result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War?

    Establishment of the State of Israel. Jewish victory led to Israel's declaration of independence.

37. What was the main economic plan of the Soviet Union post-WWII?

    Five-Year Plans. Centralized economic planning for rapid industrialization goals.

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