WorksheetsCold War Vocabulary
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 23mins
Define the term: Satellite State.
A country that is formally independent but under heavy political and economic influence or control by another country, especially by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
A country that is completely isolated from international relations and trade.
A country that is a founding member of the United Nations.
A country that only exists as a territory in outer space.
Define the term: Cold War.
A state of political hostility and military tension between the Soviet bloc and the Western powers from 1945 to 1991, without direct armed conflict.
A period of economic cooperation between the US and the Soviet Union.
A global peace movement initiated by the United Nations in the 20th century.
A series of direct wars fought between the US and the Soviet Union.
Define the term: Iron Curtain.
The notional barrier separating the former Soviet bloc and the West prior to the decline of communism that followed the political events in Eastern Europe in 1989.
A famous speech delivered by Winston Churchill in 1946.
A physical wall built between East and West Germany.
A code name for a Soviet military operation during World War II.
Define the term: Truman Doctrine.
A U.S. policy established in 1947 to provide economic and military aid to countries resisting communist aggression, especially Greece and Turkey.
A Soviet policy to expand influence in Eastern Europe after World War II.
A United Nations initiative to promote global economic development.
A British plan to rebuild Western Europe after World War II.
Define the term: Marshall Plan.
An American initiative passed in 1948 to aid Western Europe, in which the United States gave over $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II.
A Soviet program to expand communism in Asia after World War II.
A United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons in Europe after World War II.
A British plan to decolonize Africa after World War II.
Define the term: Berlin Airlift.
A military operation in the late 1940s that brought food and other needed goods into West Berlin by air after the government of East Germany, which at that time surrounded West Berlin (which was controlled by the Allies), had cut off its supply routes.
A peace treaty signed between East and West Germany to end World War II.
A secret mission to build the Berlin Wall overnight.
A cultural exchange program between Berlin and other European cities.
Define the term: Mao Zedong.
The founding father of the People's Republic of China and leader of the Chinese Communist Party from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.
A famous Japanese emperor during World War II.
The first President of independent India.
A Russian revolutionary and leader of the Bolshevik Party.
Define the term: Limited War.
A war conducted with less than a nation's total resources and restricted in aim to less than total defeat of the enemy, especially one in which nuclear weapons are avoided.
A war in which all available resources are used and the aim is the complete destruction of the enemy.
A conflict that involves only economic sanctions and no military action.
A war fought exclusively with naval forces and no involvement of land or air forces.
Define the term: Mutually Assured Destruction.
A doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender.
A policy of economic cooperation between rival nations to prevent war.
A strategy of using conventional weapons to avoid nuclear conflict.
A doctrine advocating for the unilateral disarmament of nuclear weapons.
Define the term: Massive retaliation.
A military doctrine and nuclear strategy in which a state commits itself to retaliate in much greater force in the event of an attack.
A policy of avoiding military alliances to prevent entanglement in conflicts.
A strategy of gradual escalation in response to aggression.
A doctrine advocating for complete disarmament in international relations.
Define the term: Brinkmanship.
The practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics.
A diplomatic strategy focused on peaceful negotiations and compromise.
The process of economic integration between two or more countries.
A policy of complete neutrality in international conflicts.
Define the term: Nikita Khrushchev.
The leader of the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War, serving as First Secretary of the Communist Party from 1953 to 1964.
A famous Russian composer known for his ballets.
A Soviet cosmonaut who was the first human in space.
A Russian novelist who wrote 'War and Peace'.
Define the term: Central Intelligence Agency.
A civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, tasked with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world.
A domestic law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes within the United States.
An international humanitarian organization providing disaster relief and medical aid.
A government agency responsible for managing the country's monetary policy and currency.
Define: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The United States government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research.
A private company that manufactures commercial airplanes.
An international organization for global weather monitoring.
A department responsible for national highway safety.
Define: House Un-American Activities Committee.
A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated allegations of communist activity in the U.S. during the early years of the Cold War.
A committee responsible for drafting the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
A Senate committee that managed foreign trade agreements in the 1950s.
A judicial body that oversaw Supreme Court nominations during the 20th century.
Define: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
A married couple who were American citizens executed for conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union.
A famous Hollywood couple known for their charity work in the 1950s.
Leaders of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s.
A pair of scientists who discovered a cure for polio.
Define: Joseph R. McCarthy.
A U.S. Senator who led investigations into alleged communist infiltration of the U.S. government, giving rise to the term 'McCarthyism.'
A famous American inventor known for the light bulb.
A Civil Rights leader who delivered the 'I Have a Dream' speech.
A U.S. President during World War II.
Define: McCarthyism.
The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, especially related to communism in the U.S. during the early 1950s.
A political movement advocating for the expansion of civil rights in the 1960s.
A government policy of economic isolationism and high tariffs.
The process of industrialization in the United States during the late 19th century.
Define: Baby Boom.
A marked increase in the U.S. birthrate following World War II, roughly from 1946 to 1964.
A period of economic recession in the 1930s.
A significant decrease in the U.S. birthrate after World War II.
A movement for civil rights in the 1960s.
Define: Sunbelt.
A region of the United States stretching across the South and Southwest that has seen significant population growth and economic development since World War II.
A chain of mountains located in the Pacific Northwest known for heavy snowfall.
A term for the industrial cities in the Northeast that experienced decline in the late 20th century.
A coastal area in the Northeast famous for its fishing industry.
Define: Interstate Highway Act.
A 1956 law that authorized the construction of a national network of interstate highways to improve transportation and national defense.
A 1944 law that established the Social Security system in the United States.
A 1965 law that created Medicare and Medicaid programs.
A 1933 law that regulated the stock market and established the SEC.
Define: Rock-and-Roll.
A genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, characterized by a strong rhythm and simple melodies.
A traditional form of classical music from Europe, known for its orchestral arrangements.
A style of painting that emphasizes abstract forms and vibrant colors.
A type of dance originating from South America, known for its fast-paced movements.
Define: John Kennedy.
The 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.
A famous American inventor known for the light bulb.
The first man to walk on the moon.
A renowned British playwright and poet.
Define: Fidel Castro.
The communist leader of Cuba who came to power in 1959 and ruled for several decades.
A famous Spanish painter from the 20th century.
The first president of independent Mexico.
A renowned Brazilian football player.
Define: Bay of Pigs Invasion.
A failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, supported by the U.S. government, intended to overthrow Fidel Castro.
A successful 1962 invasion of Cuba by Soviet forces, intended to support Fidel Castro.
A 1961 naval blockade of Cuba by the United States to prevent Soviet missiles from arriving.
A diplomatic agreement between the U.S. and Cuba to end the Cold War.
Define: Cuban Missile Crisis.
A 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba.
A 1945 agreement between the US and USSR to divide Germany.
A 1989 protest movement in Eastern Europe leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
A 1950-1953 conflict between North and South Korea involving US and Chinese forces.
Define: Berlin Wall.
A barrier that divided East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, built by the communist government of East Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing to the West.
A famous German festival celebrated every year in Berlin.
A river that flows through the center of Berlin.
A historic treaty signed between East and West Germany in 1989.
Define: Domino Theory.
The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall, like a row of dominoes.
A theory that economic growth in one country leads to economic growth in neighboring countries.
The idea that political power is like a domino, easily toppled by external forces.
A belief that technological advancements spread from one country to another like falling dominoes.
Define the term: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a congressional resolution passed in 1964 that authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to take military action in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a peace treaty signed between North and South Vietnam in 1964 to end the conflict.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was an agreement between the United States and China to share naval resources in the Pacific Ocean.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was a United Nations mandate to provide humanitarian aid to Southeast Asia in 1964.
Define the term: Napalm.
Napalm is a highly flammable sticky jelly used in incendiary bombs and flamethrowers, used extensively in the Vietnam War.
Napalm is a type of protective gear worn by soldiers in cold climates.
Napalm is a code name for a secret military operation during World War II.
Napalm is a communication device used by troops to send encrypted messages.
Define the term: Draftee.
A draftee is a person who is enlisted into the armed forces through a draft rather than by volunteering.
A draftee is a person who volunteers for community service.
A draftee is a person who leads a military unit.
A draftee is a person who trains soldiers for combat.
Define the term: Tet Offensive.
The Tet Offensive was a major coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam in 1968.
The Tet Offensive was a peace treaty signed between North and South Vietnam in 1973.
The Tet Offensive was a US military operation to capture Hanoi in 1965.
The Tet Offensive was a series of economic reforms introduced in Vietnam in 1975.
Define the term: Vietnamization.
Vietnamization was a U.S. policy during the Vietnam War to transfer combat roles to South Vietnamese forces and gradually withdraw American troops.
Vietnamization was a policy to increase American military presence in Vietnam.
Vietnamization was a peace treaty signed between North and South Vietnam.
Vietnamization was a strategy to expand the war into neighboring countries.
Define the term: Pentagon Papers.
The Pentagon Papers were a classified government report leaked in 1971 that revealed the U.S. government had misled the public about the Vietnam War.
The Pentagon Papers were a set of architectural blueprints for the Pentagon building.
The Pentagon Papers were a collection of military strategies used during World War II.
The Pentagon Papers were a series of peace treaties signed at the end of the Vietnam War.
Define the term: War Powers Act.
The War Powers Act is a 1973 law that limits the president's ability to send U.S. troops into combat without congressional approval.
The War Powers Act is a law that grants the president unlimited authority to declare war without consulting Congress.
The War Powers Act is a treaty between the U.S. and its allies to share military resources during wartime.
The War Powers Act is a constitutional amendment that abolishes the president's role as commander-in-chief.
Label the map with the following countries.
Australia
Italy
Cuba
The United States
West/East Germany
France
Great Britain
The Soviet Union
Match the following vocabulary
Iron Curtain
imaginary wall separating Soviet satellite countries from the west
NATO
Based on the concept of collective security which each member pledged to defund
Mao Zedong
Led a communist revolution in China in 1949
Marshall Plan
Massive aid program for war torn European countries
HUAC
Congressional committee questioned actors, directors, writers about Commy sympathies
Match the following
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Domino Theory
Cuban Missile Crisis
Berlin Airlift
Bay of Pigs
Match the following
Soviet Leader who reformed the USSR in the 1980s
Mikhail Gorbachev
first U.S. President to go to China
Richard Nixon
U.S. President during the Cuban Missile Crisis
John F. Kennedy
General of the U.S. and U.N troops during the Korean Conflict
Douglas MacArthur
Julius Rosenburg
Executed as a spy
Alger Hiss
Accused of being a Communist. The Pumpkin Papers
Alan Freed
DJ that called the new music Rock and Roll
Jonas Salk
Invented the polio vaccine
Joe McCarthy
Senator that accused people of being Communists
