Understanding the Cold War

What was the Cold War?

• A war between the U.S. and Soviet Union

• A time of peace between countries

• A race to build the biggest ships

What does communism mean?

• People share things equally and the government controls everything

• People vote for their leaders

• People can own as many things as they want

What was the Iron Curtain?

• A metal curtain in a theater

• A line dividing communist countries from democratic countries

• A line dividing two cities in America

What did the U.S. want to stop during the Cold War?

• Communism from spreading

• Cars from being invented

• People from voting

What was the Berlin Wall?

• A wall separating East and West Berlin

• A fence around a park

• A famous building in Germany

What is the Domino Effect?

• If one country becomes communist, nearby countries might too

• A fun game people play with tiles

• A new type of government

What happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

• The U.S. and Soviet Union almost went to war over missiles in Cuba

• People in Cuba built a big wall

• The U.S. helped Cuba build a new army

What was McCarthyism?

• When people were accused of being communists without proof

• A law to stop communism

• A type of government in the U.S.

What does democracy mean?

• People vote for their leaders

• The government controls everything

• People live in the same house

What did the U.S. do to try to stop communism from spreading in Korea and Vietnam?

• They fought in wars to stop communism

• They gave food and supplies to everyone

• They built a giant wall