Cold War Vocab

Gorbachev's policy of speaking out openly and honestly

President of Iraq who invaded Iran in 1980 and Kuwait in 1990 to start the Gulf War

Nation with enough strength to influence events in the world

Mao Zedong's revolution to purge China of "bourgeois" tendencies which led to near civil war

Set up as an organization of countries that would work to keep peace in the world

An era of reduced tensions between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. during the 1970s

The geographic divide between N.Korea and S.Korea set up by Soviets and Americans after WW2

Fear that after China "fell" to communism all other Asian countries would fall like dominoes

Gorbachev's policy of restructuring the Soviet government with capitalistic reforms

Led an Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 and declared the US an enemy of Islam

An embarrassing attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro that was organized by the U.S.

Conflict which occurred when North Vietnam had invaded South Vietnam who the US supported

US President during détente known for mending relations with China

Closest the world has come to nuclear war;when USSR began to send nuclear weapons to Cuba

Communist leader of Cuba

Mao Zedong's program to encourage an increase in farm and industrial output

State of tension and hostility b/w the U.S. and USSR that rarely led to direct armed conflict

The forgotten war; occurred because North Korea invaded South Korea (crossed the 38th parallel)

Brutal Cambodian dictator who led the Khmer Rouge genocide of Cambodians during the Vietnam War

Khrushchev's successor who held power for 20 years and was known for arresting his critics

Leader of the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Ronald Reagan's Cold War research program to build a missile defense against nuclear attack

U.S. President who authorized the Bay of Pigs invasion

Communist leader of North Vietnam