Cold War 1945-1960 — Practice Quiz
A US History cheat sheet for Cold War 1945-1960 — every key formula with its symbols defined — plus a medium-level practice quiz to test recall.
Formulas & key concepts
State of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after WWII
Where: Ideological conflict: Capitalism vs. Communism
Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Western and Eastern Europe
Where: Symbolized the start of the Cold War
US foreign policy to stop the spread of communism
Where: Proposed by George F. Kennan (Long Telegram)
US policy of providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism (Greece and Turkey)
Where: Official declaration of the Cold War
US program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe
Where: Prevented the spread of communism in Western Europe
Allied operation to supply West Berlin with food and fuel during a Soviet blockade
Where: First major confrontation of the Cold War
Military alliance formed by Western nations to counter Soviet aggression
Where: First peacetime military alliance for the US
Military alliance formed by the Soviet Union and its satellite states in response to NATO
Where: Solidified the division of Europe
Communists led by Mao Zedong defeated Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek
Where: China became a communist nation ("Red China")
Conflict between North Korea (supported by China/USSR) and South Korea (supported by UN/US)
Where: Ended in a stalemate at the 38th Parallel
US General who commanded UN forces in Korea
Where: Fired by Truman for insubordination
Widespread fear of communism in the US during the 1940s and 1950s
Where: Associated with McCarthyism
Congressional committee that investigated suspected communists, especially in the film industry
Where: Targeted the "Hollywood Ten"
State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy
Where: Convicted of perjury; fueled anti-communist hysteria
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for passing atomic secrets to the Soviets
Where: Only civilians executed for espionage during Cold War
US Senator who claimed to have a list of communists in the State Department
Where: His tactics became known as "McCarthyism"
Competition between the US and USSR to build more and better weapons
Where: Led to development of the Hydrogen Bomb (H-Bomb)
Competition between the US and USSR for dominance in space exploration
Where: Began with Soviet launch of Sputnik (1957)
First artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union
Where: Caused panic in the US; led to creation of NASA and NDEA
US spy plane shot down over the Soviet Union
Where: Increased tensions; pilot Francis Gary Powers captured
Foreign policy practice of pushing dangerous events to the brink of disaster to achieve the most advantageous outcome
Where: Associated with Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
Belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would also fall
Where: Justified US intervention in Vietnam
US policy that it would defend the Middle East against attack by any communist country
Where: Extension of containment to the Middle East
Provided benefits to WWII veterans, including low-interest mortgages and tuition assistance
Where: Fueled the post-war economic boom and growth of suburbs
Significant increase in the birth rate following WWII (1946-1964)
Where: Impacted economy, education, and social security
First mass-produced suburb, located on Long Island, NY
Where: Symbol of post-war suburbanization and conformity
Law that authorized the construction of a national highway system
Where: Largest public works project in US history; promoted car culture
Region of the US (South and Southwest) that saw population growth after WWII
Where: Attracted by jobs, climate, and air conditioning
Group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream American culture and conformity
Where: Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg; precursors to hippies
New genre of music that emerged in the 1950s, blending R&B and country
Where: Elvis Presley; symbol of youth rebellion
Practice quiz
What term did Winston Churchill use to describe the ideological and physical division between Western and Eastern Europe after World War II?
- The Iron Curtain
- The Berlin Wall
- The Bamboo Curtain
- The Great Divide
Answer: The Iron Curtain
Which US foreign policy aimed to prevent the spread of communism by providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communist expansion, notably Greece and Turkey?
- The Truman Doctrine
- The Marshall Plan
- The Eisenhower Doctrine
- Brinkmanship
Answer: The Truman Doctrine
What was the first major confrontation of the Cold War, where the Allies supplied West Berlin by air during a Soviet blockade from 1948-1949?
- The Cuban Missile Crisis
- The Berlin Airlift
- The Korean War
- The U-2 Incident
Answer: The Berlin Airlift
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in response to Soviet aggression. What was the military alliance formed by the Soviet Union and its satellite states in response to NATO?
- The Comintern
- The Warsaw Pact
- The Axis Powers
- The Eastern Bloc Alliance
Answer: The Warsaw Pact
The Korean War (1950-1953) was a significant proxy conflict during the Cold War. What was its outcome?
- North Korea successfully unified the peninsula under communist rule.
- South Korea, with UN support, conquered North Korea.
- It ended in a stalemate, with the peninsula divided near the 38th Parallel.
- The war led to a direct military confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union.
Answer: It ended in a stalemate, with the peninsula divided near the 38th Parallel.
The "Second Red Scare" in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s was largely fueled by the actions of which US Senator, whose aggressive tactics became known as "McCarthyism"?
- George F. Kennan
- Douglas MacArthur
- Joseph McCarthy
- Alger Hiss
Answer: Joseph McCarthy
Which couple was executed in the 1950s for passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, becoming the only civilians executed for espionage during the Cold War in the United States?
- Alger and Priscilla Hiss
- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
- The Hollywood Ten
- Klaus Fuchs and Harry Gold
Answer: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
The Space Race began in 1957 with the Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite. What was the name of this satellite?
- Apollo 11
- Explorer 1
- Sputnik
- Vostok 1
Answer: Sputnik
Which post-World War II government program provided benefits like low-interest mortgages and tuition assistance to veterans, significantly contributing to the growth of suburbs and the post-war economic boom?
- The Marshall Plan
- The New Deal
- The GI Bill
- The Interstate Highway Act
Answer: The GI Bill
Which new genre of music emerged in the 1950s, blending R&B and country, and became a symbol of youth rebellion, with artists like Elvis Presley?
- Jazz
- Folk Music
- Rock and Roll
- Big Band Swing
Answer: Rock and Roll
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