Download The Aftermath of World War II

The Aftermath of World War II and the Cold War Test Study Guide
Name:________________________
Block:____
Date:____________
World History
Due Date: ___________
Directions: Fill in the blanks.
The United States detonated the first nuclear weapon in the year 1)___________, causing a power
shift that made the United States the first superpower. The 2) __________ _________ was second. It took
the 2) __________ _________ four years to detonate their own nuclear weapon; they detonated an atomic
bomb in 1949 in Russia.
The United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union met at the 3) ________ Conference in 1945
to discuss the future of Europe. This quote from a speech in 1947 forms part of the rationale and
illuminates the importance of the 4) ___________ Plan:
"Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and
chaos. Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the emergence
of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist."
The 4)___________ Plan affected the global power wielded by the United States after World War II. The
United States gave monetary assistance to other countries to fight off 5)_______________. The United
States used the economic power it gained through the Marshall Plan to hasten the recovery of
6)___________ Europe in an attempt to limit the ability of the Soviet Union to influence countries there.
The United Nations was formed to prevent future world 7)_______. The MAIN reason for the formation of
the United Nations was to preserve peace by intervening in conflicts between nations and preventing
war. The MAIN purpose of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was to form an alliance where any
attack on a NATO member was met with armed force. The 8)___________Pact was established in 1955 to
counter the NATO organization founded by the West. One of the Soviet Union's goals for establishing
control over the governments in Eastern Europe was to promote the spread of Communism to other
countries, rebuild its economy using materials and equipment from Eastern Europe, protect Soviet borders
and balance U.S. influence in Western Europe.
Post World-War II affected the Middle East in that the country of 9)__________ being created was a
reaction to the Holocaust. The Holocaust left millions of Jewish refugees, many of whom could not return to
their home countries because of anti-semitism. Aided by positive world opinion these refugees turn to the
Zionist movement, which was establishing the State of 9)__________ in Palestine. The Six-Day War of
June 5-10, 1967 was a war between 9)__________ and the neighboring states of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.
The Arab states of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria also contributed troops and
arms. The MAIN cause of the Six–Day War of 1967 was ongoing tension between 9)__________ and Arab
states, mainly due to the establishment of the State of 9)__________ in 1948.
Post-World War II Allied reconstruction had the effect on Japan of making Japan more of a western
society, Japan became an 10)_____________ and financial leader by the 1960s, and Japan became an
industrial and manufacturing leader by the mid–1970s.
The Chinese Civil War Mao's Red Army was strong due to public support for Mao's proposed land
reform. Mao Tse-tung led a Communist revolution in 11)_________, which led to the creation of the
People's Republic of China. Mao Tse-tung introduced the Great Leap Forward in China as a means to
speed up economic growth. Mao wanted China to become a leading industrial power, and to accomplish his
goals he and his colleagues pushed for the construction of steel plants across the country. As a result of
the Communist revolution, landowners had been stripped of their property, and by 1957 peasants already
were forced to work in agricultural cooperatives. In order to meet the demands of production by the
government, people over-reported the amount of grain that was being produced. As a result, there was a
famine. Scholars have estimated that somewhere between 16.5 million and 40 million people died before
the experiment came to an end in 1961, making the Great Leap famine the largest in world history.
Strategies utilized by the United States to gain influence in Third World countries during the Cold
War included providing backing for wars of revolution, using the CIA for spying and assassination attempts,
building schools and setting up programs to combat poverty. The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to
1953, was fought between North and South Korea over the spread of Communism throughout Korea. North
Korea received aid from the
12) ___________ ____________ and 13) ___________. South Korea was supported by the 14)
__________ __________, which included the United States. SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization)
was created in 1954 in order to oppose further Communist gains in Southeast Asia. The United States'
involvement in the 15)____________ War, which lasted from 1959 to 1975, arose from its Cold War policy
of containment.
Brinkmanship refers to the policy or practice, especially in International Politics and Foreign Policy,
of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster, the limits of safety, in order to achieve the most
advantageous outcome by forcing the opposition to make concessions. This might be achieved through
Diplomatic maneuvers by creating the impression that one is willing to use extreme methods rather than
concede. During the Cold War, the threat of Nuclear Force was often used as such a Deterrent. The
"Brinkmanship" policy of the 1950's resulted in an escalation of the Cold War.
The state of affairs between the US and Soviet Union from the late 1940's to late 1980's is referred
to as the 16)________ _______. The 16)_______ _______ between the United States and the Communist
bloc countries can be described as a contest for military superiority through the use of conventional and
nuclear weapons, an ideological contest of ideas—17)_____________ vs. communism, and a technological
contest between East and West to establish technological and national superiority. A factor in causing the
Cold War after World War II was the proliferation of 18)_________ weapons and technology.
The death of 19)_________ ___________was important in setting the stage for the Hungarian
uprising of 1956. Hungarians revolted against Soviet control of their government and wanted to withdraw
from the Warsaw Pact. Over 2,500 Hungarians and 700 Soviet troops were killed in the conflict, and
200,000 Hungarians fled as refugees. Mass arrests and denunciations continued for months thereafter. By
January 1957, the new Soviet-installed government had suppressed all public opposition. These Soviet
actions alienated many Western Marxists, yet strengthened Soviet control over Central Europe.
Part of eastern Europe’s resurgence in the 1980s, a trade union called Solidarity arose under the
leadership of Lech Walesa in the country of 20)___________. This was a major challenge to Soviet control.
The country of 21)___________ clearly showed that Europe was split into an Eastern and
Western half, in terms of political influence. The 22)__________ wall fell in 1989 and German reunification
occurred in 1990. The Kremlin attempted to keep up with U.S. military spending, which greatly contributed
to the collapse of the Soviet economic system, and ultimately the Soviet Union, in the late 1980s. The
struggling soviet command economy could not keep up with a western free market system is considered a
major reason for the 23)___________ of the Soviet Union during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Test Review Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions. Use the textbook, notes, internet research, and other resources to find
the answers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. 
1. Why was the United Nations was formed?
2. What was a result of the Holocaust?
3. What was the "Brinkmanship" policy of the 1950's and what did it result in?
4. What phrase refers to the state of affairs between the US and Soviet Union from the late 1940's
to late 1980's?
5. Which countries met at the Yalta Conference to discuss the future of Europe?
6. The United States detonated the first nuclear weapon in 1945, causing a power shift that made
the United States the first superpower. The Soviet Union was second. How long did it take the
Soviet Union to detonate their own nuclear weapon?
7. Which event was important in setting the stage for the Hungarian uprising of 1956?
8. The Warsaw Pact was established in 1955 to counter what organization?
9. What greatly contributed to the collapse of the Soviet economic system, and ultimately the
Soviet Union, in the late 1980s?
10. How could you describe the Cold War between the United States and the Communist bloc
countries? An ideological content of ideas, _______________ vs. ______________. Define
these.
12. How did the Marshall Plan affect the global power wielded by the United States after World
War II?
13. What effect did post-World War II Allied reconstruction have on Japan?
14. What is considered a major reason for the collapse of the Soviet Union during the late 1980s
and early 1990s?
15. What was a factor in causing the Cold War after World War II?
16. This quote from a speech in 1947 forms part of the rationale and illuminates the importance of
what plan?
"Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation,
and chaos. Its purpose should be the revival of a working economy in the world so as to permit the
emergence of political and social conditions in which free institutions can exist."
17. Part of eastern Europe’s resurgence in the 1980s, a trade union called Solidarity arose under
the leadership of Lech Walesa. This was a major challenge to Soviet control. In which country did
it occur?
18. The Holocaust left millions of Jewish refugees, many of whom could not return to their home
countries because of anti-Semitism. Aided by positive world opinion where did these refugees turn
for help?
19. Why was SEATO created in 1954?
20. What were the Soviet Union's goals for establishing control over the governments in Eastern
Europe?
21. What was the MAIN reason for the formation of the United Nations?
22. What strategies were utilized by the United States to gain influence in Third World countries
during the Cold War?
23. What did he United States' involvement in the Vietnam War arise from?
24. Which country clearly showed that Europe was split into an Eastern and Western half, in terms
of political influence?
25. Why was public support for Mao's proposed land reform important during the Chinese Civil
War?
26. What was the MAIN cause of the Six–Day War of 1967?
27. What was the MAIN purpose of NATO?
28. The Korean War was fought between North and South Korea over the spread of Communism
throughout Korea. From which countries did North Korea received aid?
29. Who led a Communist revolution in China, which led to the creation of the People's Republic of
China?
30. Why did Mao Tse-tung introduce the Great Leap Forward in China?