All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Which country declared independence from Portugal in 1975?
Answer: Angola. African colony gained freedom after long struggle.
Flashcard 2: What was the primary focus of the SALT I talks in 1972?
Answer: Limiting strategic arms between the U.S. and USSR. First arms control agreement between superpowers.
Flashcard 3: What was the outcome of the Vietnam War for the United States?
Answer: Withdrawal and unification of Vietnam under communism. Military defeat led to communist victory.
Flashcard 4: Identify the U.S. policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions in the 1970s.
Answer: Détente. Reduced tensions through diplomatic engagement.
Flashcard 5: Which country did the Soviet Union invade in 1979, sparking international condemnation?
Answer: Afghanistan. Soviet expansion triggered international boycotts and sanctions.
Flashcard 6: Which initiative did President Reagan propose to protect the U.S. from nuclear attacks?
Answer: Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). 'Star Wars' missile defense system proposal.
Flashcard 7: What was the primary goal of the Helsinki Accords in 1975?
Answer: To improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West. Recognized borders and promoted human rights cooperation.
Flashcard 8: What was a key factor in the decline of European colonial empires post-WWII?
Answer: Rising nationalist movements in colonies. Post-war independence movements weakened European control.
Flashcard 9: Which African leader became a symbol of anti-apartheid struggle?
Answer: Nelson Mandela. ANC leader imprisoned for fighting racial segregation.
Flashcard 10: Which two nations emerged as superpowers after World War II?
Answer: United States and Soviet Union. Nuclear powers dominated post-war global politics.
Flashcard 11: What was the purpose of the Iron Curtain speech by Winston Churchill?
Answer: To highlight Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe. Warned of Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
Flashcard 12: Which conflict was the first proxy war of the Cold War?
Answer: Korean War. Superpowers fought through allied nations.
Flashcard 13: Identify the term for the geopolitical tension after World War II.
Answer: Cold War. Period of ideological conflict without direct warfare.
Flashcard 14: Which 1968 event in Czechoslovakia challenged Soviet dominance?
Answer: Prague Spring. Reform movement crushed by Soviet invasion.
Flashcard 15: What was the primary reason for the Berlin Wall's construction in 1961?
Answer: To prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin. Stopped mass exodus undermining East German state.
Flashcard 16: Which strategy did the U.S. use to counter Soviet influence in the Middle East?
Answer: Eisenhower Doctrine. Protected Middle Eastern nations from communist expansion.
Flashcard 17: What was the primary effect of the Suez Crisis of 1956?
Answer: Increased Soviet influence in the Middle East. Britain and France lost influence to superpowers.
Flashcard 18: Which treaty sought to limit nuclear weapons in 1968?
Answer: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Prevented spread of nuclear weapons to more countries.
Flashcard 19: What was the primary ideological conflict during the Cold War?
Answer: Capitalism vs. Communism. Two opposing economic systems defined Cold War rivalry.
Flashcard 20: Identify the term for the policy of preventing the spread of communism.
Answer: Containment. Truman's strategy to limit communist expansion globally.
Flashcard 21: Which 1947 U.S. policy aimed to provide economic aid to rebuild Europe?
Answer: Marshall Plan. Economic aid to prevent European communist takeover.
Flashcard 22: What was the primary purpose of the Berlin Airlift in 1948-1949?
Answer: To supply West Berlin during the Soviet blockade. Allied planes delivered supplies to break Soviet blockade.
Flashcard 23: Which event marked the beginning of the Nuclear Arms Race?
Answer: Soviet Union's atomic bomb test in 1949. Ended U.S. nuclear monopoly and began arms competition.
Flashcard 24: Identify the military alliance formed by Western countries in 1949.
Answer: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Collective security alliance against Soviet expansion.
Flashcard 25: What was the response of the Soviet Union to NATO?
Answer: Warsaw Pact. Soviet-led military alliance to counter NATO.
Flashcard 26: Which 1962 event brought the U.S. and USSR close to nuclear war?
Answer: Cuban Missile Crisis. Soviet missiles in Cuba threatened U.S. directly.
Flashcard 27: What was the U.S. policy of providing military aid to countries resisting communism?
Answer: Truman Doctrine. Promised aid to nations fighting communist insurgency.
Flashcard 28: Which term describes the decolonization process post-World War II?
Answer: Self-determination. Colonies gained right to choose their own government.
Flashcard 29: Which 1947 U.S. strategy aimed at rebuilding and stabilizing Europe?
Answer: Marshall Plan. Economic recovery program strengthened Western Europe.
Flashcard 30: What was the main goal of the Soviet policy of glasnost?
Answer: Increased transparency and openness. Gorbachev's reform promoted open political discussion.