All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What was the main purpose of the Helsinki Accords of 1975?
Answer: Improving relations between the West and the Soviet bloc. Promoted human rights and reduced East-West tensions.
Flashcard 2: Identify the key event in 1991 that led to the independence of Baltic states.
Answer: Soviet coup attempt. Failed coup weakened central Soviet control permanently.
Flashcard 3: Which military alliance dissolved following the end of the Cold War in 1991?
Answer: Warsaw Pact. Soviet military alliance ended with communist collapse.
Flashcard 4: What was the economic policy shift in Eastern Europe post-Cold War?
Answer: Shift to market economies. Former communist states adopted Western economic models.
Flashcard 5: Which Soviet policy was aimed at reducing military expenditures?
Answer: New Thinking. Gorbachev's policy to reduce defense spending burden.
Flashcard 6: Which country was reunified in 1990 following the end of the Cold War?
Answer: Germany. East and West Germany united after communist collapse.
Flashcard 7: What was the main purpose of the Helsinki Accords of 1975?
Answer: Improving relations between the West and the Soviet bloc. Promoted human rights and reduced East-West tensions.
Flashcard 8: What was the primary political ideology of the Soviet Union during the Cold War?
Answer: Communism. State-controlled economic and social system opposing Western capitalism.
Flashcard 9: Which U.S. President is credited with playing a significant role in ending the Cold War?
Answer: Ronald Reagan. His aggressive stance and military buildup pressured Soviet reforms.
Flashcard 10: Identify the Soviet leader who introduced reforms like glasnost and perestroika.
Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev. His reforms of openness and restructuring transformed Soviet society.
Flashcard 11: What does the term 'glasnost' refer to in the context of Soviet reforms?
Answer: Political openness. Allowed greater freedom of speech and transparency in government.
Flashcard 12: What was 'perestroika' aimed at reforming in the Soviet Union?
Answer: Economic restructuring. Reformed the inefficient Soviet command economy system.
Flashcard 13: Identify the policy of reducing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1970s.
Answer: Détente. Period of improved diplomatic relations and arms control.
Flashcard 14: What was the name of the Polish trade union that challenged communist rule in the 1980s?
Answer: Solidarity. First independent trade union in communist Eastern Europe.
Flashcard 15: Which summit in 1986 failed initially but paved the way for future arms reduction talks?
Answer: Reykjavik Summit. Despite failure, it built trust for future agreements.
Flashcard 16: What does the term 'Iron Curtain' refer to?
Answer: Division between East and West Europe. Churchill's metaphor for Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
Flashcard 17: What was the primary cause of economic stagnation in the Soviet Union during the 1980s?
Answer: Centralized planning. Inefficient state control stifled innovation and productivity.
Flashcard 18: Who was the last leader of the Soviet Union before its dissolution?
Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev. Resigned on December 25, 1991, ending Soviet rule.
Flashcard 19: Identify the U.S. policy that aimed to contain the spread of communism during the Cold War.
Answer: Containment. Strategy to prevent communist expansion worldwide.
Flashcard 20: Which Eastern European country experienced a violent overthrow of its communist regime in 1989?
Answer: Romania. Ceaușescu's brutal regime ended with his execution.
Flashcard 21: Which U.S. Secretary of State played a key role in the policy of détente?
Answer: Henry Kissinger. Architect of détente policy with the Soviet Union.
Flashcard 22: What was the significance of the Malta Summit in 1989?
Answer: Marked the end of Cold War tensions. Bush and Gorbachev declared the Cold War over.
Flashcard 23: Identify the key event in 1991 that led to the independence of Baltic states.
Answer: Soviet coup attempt. Failed coup weakened central Soviet control permanently.
Flashcard 24: Which military alliance dissolved following the end of the Cold War in 1991?
Answer: Warsaw Pact. Soviet military alliance ended with communist collapse.
Flashcard 25: Which policy did the Soviet Union adopt to reduce its influence in Eastern Europe?
Answer: Non-intervention. Allowed Eastern European independence without military force.
Flashcard 26: What was the key factor in the disintegration of Soviet satellite states?
Answer: Nationalist movements. Ethnic groups sought independence from Soviet control.
Flashcard 27: Which agreement in 1991 marked the formal end of the Soviet Union?
Answer: Belavezha Accords. Three republic leaders officially dissolved the USSR.
Flashcard 28: Which economic theory was discredited due to the failure of the Soviet economy?
Answer: Central planning. Soviet economic collapse proved free markets superior.
Flashcard 29: Which leader's visit to China in 1989 symbolized warming Sino-Soviet relations?
Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev. Historic visit ended decades of Sino-Soviet hostility.
Flashcard 30: What was the main challenge to Soviet control in Afghanistan during the 1980s?
Answer: Mujahideen resistance. Islamic fighters defeated Soviet occupation forces.