The Cold War (1945-1980): APUSH Unit 8 Topic 2

The arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union led to rapid nuclear proliferation, creating a state of mutual assured destruction (MAD) that prevented direct conflict but heightened global tensions.

Introduction to unit 8 of AP U.S. History, focusing on the Cold War between 1945 and 1980.

The Cold War was a conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union rooted in ideological differences (democracy vs. communism) and mutual mistrust stemming from events like Soviet control over Eastern Europe and disagreements over post-war Germany and Berlin.

The U.S. adopted a policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism, exemplified by the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Berlin Airlift, which aimed to support nations threatened by Soviet influence.

The Korean War served as a proxy war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, where conflict arose from the division of Korea and the invasion of South Korea by the North, illustrating the U.S. containment policy in action.