The document summarizes key aspects of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It explains that the Cold War was a state of political and military tension between the communist world and the capitalist Western world from 1946 to 1991. It describes how the Truman Doctrine pledged U.S. economic and military support to prevent countries from falling into the Soviet sphere. It also discusses how Eastern European nations became satellite states controlled by the Soviet Union, separated from the West by an "Iron Curtain."
2. The cold war was the continuing state from roughly 1946
to 1991 of political conflict, military tension and economic
competition between the communist world and the western
world.
Truman doctrine is a policy set forth by president
Truman in a on march 12, 1947 stating that the U.S. Would
support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to
prevent those countries falling into the soviet sphere. Often
consider it as the start of the cold war.
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology
that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless,
stateless society based on common ownership of the means
of production.
3. satellite state − small country controlled by a
more powerful neighbor
iron curtain − imaginary barrier separating
Soviet-controlled countries and the free world
containment − American policy to keep
communism contained within its existing borders
Marshall Plan − U.S. aid program to help Western
Europe rebuild after World War II
Berlin airlift − operation in which the U.S. and
Britain broke the Soviet blockade of West Berlin
4. The Soviet Union
The United States was
was a
a capitalist democracy.
dictatorship. The
Its citizens believed in
Communist Party
free elections,
made all key
economic, and
economic,
religious freedom,
political, and
private property, and
military
respect of individual
decisions.
differences.
5. The nations of Eastern Europe and the
eastern part of Germany became satellite
states of the Soviet Union, separated from the
free world by an “iron curtain.”
With the Truman Doctrine, the U.S. promised
to support nations struggling against
communist movements.
6. Money was sent to
Greece and Turkey
to provide aid to
people who
needed it.
7. Its relative prosperity and freedom stood in
contrast to the bleak life of East Berliners.
Stalin was determined to capture West Berlin or
win other concessions from the Western allies.
In June 1948, Stalin stopped all
highway, railway, and waterway traffic from
western Germany into West Berlin. Without any
means of receiving aid, West Berlin would fall to
the communists.
For almost a year, the US and Britain supplied
West Berlin through a massive airlift.
Food, fuel, medical supplies, clothing, toys-
everything the residents of West Berlin needed
was flown into the city.