Cold War- a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare, in particular.

Conflict-a serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.

Ownership- the act, state, or right of possessing something.

Communism - a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Harry S Truman- American politician who served as the 33rd President of the United States

United Nation - international organization formed in 1945 to increase political and economic cooperation among member countries. The organization works on economic and social development programs, improving human rights and reducing global conflicts.

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin - The leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953

Truman Doctrine -the principle that the US should give support to countries or peoples threatened by Soviet forces or communist insurrection. First expressed in 1947 by US President Truman in a speech to Congress seeking aid for Greece and Turkey, the doctrine was seen by the communists as an open declaration of the Cold War.

Marshall Plan-A program by which the United States gave large amounts of economic aid to European countries to help them rebuild after the devastation of World War II. It was proposed by the United States secretary of state, General George C. Marshall.

Containment - A United States foreign policy doctrine adopted by the Harry S. Truman administration in 1947, operating on the principle that communist governments will eventually fall apart as long as they are prevented from expanding their influence.

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.

Berlin Blockade -one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. During the multinational occupation of post–World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control.

NATO- military alliance of European and North American democracies founded after World War II to strengthen international ties between member states—especially the United States and Europe—and to serve as a counter-balance to the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.

Warsaw Pact-A military alliance of communist nations in eastern Europe. Organized in 1955 in answer to NATO, the Warsaw Pact included Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union.

2nd Red Scare- e fear of communism that permeated American politics, culture, and society from the late 1940s through the 1950s, during the opening phases of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

Mao Zedong- Chinese communist revolutionary and founding father of the People's Republic of China, which he governed as the Chairman of the Communis

Joesph McCarthy -American politician who was a U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957

Arms Race - a competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons, especially between the US and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Korean War - Aka Korean Conflict fought in the early 1950s between the United Nations, supported by the United States, and the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The war began in 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea.

Brinkmanship -the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics.