Cold War Review 2018

The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Both countries were striving to achieve technological superiority and demonstrate their political and military power. They competed to be the first to achieve various milestones in space exploration, such as launching satellites, sending humans into space, and landing on the moon. Great Britain, China, and the United Nations were not directly involved in the Space Race, making the answer "United States & Soviet Union" the correct one.

During the Cold War, the United States aimed to contain the spread of communism. This policy, known as containment, involved preventing the expansion of communist influence and power. The US believed that communism posed a threat to democracy and sought to limit its reach by supporting anti-communist governments, providing military aid to countries at risk of falling to communism, and engaging in proxy wars against communist forces. Therefore, it is true that containment of communism was one of the main goals of the US during the Cold War.

The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve technological superiority in space exploration and missile defense during the Cold War. It was not directly part of any war, but rather a result of the tensions and rivalry between the two superpowers during this period. The Cold War was characterized by political, economic, and military competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the Space Race was one of the ways in which this competition played out.

After WWII, only two superpowers remained: the United States and the Soviet Union. Before World War II, the superpowers consisted of Europe, Japan, United States, and the Soviet Union because they were stronger than the rest of the nations. When Europe and Japan were affected negatively, only the Soviet Union and the United States remained as superpowers.

The explanation for the given correct answer is that the domino theory was a belief held by the US during the Cold War era. It suggested that if one country in a region became communist, then neighboring countries would also fall to communism like a chain reaction, just like a row of dominos falling one after another. This theory influenced US foreign policy and interventions in countries like Vietnam, where they feared the spread of communism. Therefore, the statement that the US did not want to see any nation fall into communist hands and that more nations would fall once one did aligns with the concept of the domino theory.

The Peace Corps was indeed founded to spread goodwill towards nations that needed US assistance during the Cold War Era. It was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy as a way to promote peace and understanding between the United States and other countries. The organization sends American volunteers to work on various development projects in areas such as education, health, and agriculture. By providing assistance and support to countries in need, the Peace Corps aimed to foster positive relationships and counter the influence of communist ideologies during the Cold War.

The Berlin Wall was built to prevent East Germans from defecting to West Germany. It was constructed by the East German government to halt the mass migration of its citizens to the more prosperous West Germany. The wall served as a physical barrier, making it extremely difficult for East Germans to escape to the West. It was heavily guarded and fortified, with watchtowers, barbed wire, and armed soldiers. The construction of the wall effectively cut off East Berlin and East Germany from the western world, separating families and dividing the city for almost three decades.

The Cold War refers to the political and ideological tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, which lasted from 1945 to 1990. During this period, both superpowers engaged in a series of proxy wars, arms races, and propaganda campaigns, without direct military confrontation. The conflict ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Therefore, the statement "The Cold War spanned from 1945 to 1990" is true.

During the Cold War, the concept of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) actually helped to keep the conflict "cold" rather than "hot". MAD was based on the idea that both the United States and the Soviet Union had enough nuclear weapons to completely destroy each other, leading to a stalemate and preventing either side from initiating a nuclear war. This concept created a balance of power and deterrence, as both sides understood the catastrophic consequences of starting a nuclear conflict. Therefore, the statement that MAD kept the Cold War "hot" is incorrect.

There were many differences between West Berlin and East Berlin. West Berlin, which was democratic, had a lot of prosperity while East Berlin, which was communist, was dealing with people who were unhappy and job-less. Eventually, people who lived in East Berlin wanted to live in West Berlin and fled to escape communism. To seal the two sides off, East Germany built a wall in 1961 to stop the people fleeing. This led to people getting angrier and trying to find other ways around.

Dentente, which began in 1969 and ended in the late 1970s, refers to a period in the Cold War when there was a spirit of cooperation among the superpower nations, international trade increased, and limitations on nuclear weapons were placed upon superpowers through the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). Therefore, all of the given options accurately describe the characteristics of Dentente during that time.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall occurred in 1989 and was relatively peaceful interactions by all sides involved. This means that the event did not involve any violent actions and instead, there was a peaceful resolution between the different parties. The Eastern side did not restrict movements, and all sides involved worked together peacefully to bring down the wall.

The Truman Doctrine was created by President Truman to help limit the spread of communism to the areas already under Soviet control. The Truman Doctrine has guided America for decades. It helped America resist Soviet expansion to other parts in Europe of elsewhere in the world.

The correct answer is "Cuban Missile Crisis". The question is asking for the event that was the most tense 13 days of the Cold War, which occurred in October 1962. This event is often referred to as a "standoff between the two major superpowers", referring to the United States and the Soviet Union. The correct spelling of the event is "Cuban Missile Crisis".

The Soviets were opposed to the capitalist way of life because they believed that it created competition between people and led to inequalities. In a capitalist system, individuals and businesses strive to maximize their own profits, which can result in a wide gap between the rich and the poor. The Soviets, on the other hand, advocated for a communist system where wealth and resources are shared equally among all members of society. They believed that this would lead to a more equitable distribution of wealth and eliminate the competition and inequalities inherent in capitalism.

The Iron Curtain refers to the ideological and physical division between Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. It was a metaphorical line that symbolized the divide between the communist countries of Eastern Europe, which were under the influence of the Soviet Union, and the non-communist countries of Western Europe. The Iron Curtain represented the political, economic, and military barriers that separated the two sides and limited the flow of information, goods, and people between them.