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GED Social Studies: World Wars, the Cold War, and Foreign Policy Concepts

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Overview

This chapter covers America's role in the world from World War I through the Cold War.

After World War I, the Senate refused to approve the Treaty of Versailles, and the U.S. never joined the League of Nations, a sign of isolationism. The U.S. entered World War II after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and fought with the Allies against the Axis Powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan. At home, about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were forced into camps.

After the war, the United States and the Soviet Union became rivals in the Cold War. The Truman Doctrine (1947) set a policy of containment, the Marshall Plan rebuilt Western Europe, and NATO joined the U.S. and Western Europe in a military alliance. The Cold War ended when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

Key concepts

  • Isolationism

    A policy of staying out of world affairs and foreign conflicts.

    Memory tipRejecting the League of Nations = isolationism.

  • Axis and Allies

    Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan. Allies: U.S., Britain, Soviet Union, China, and others.

    Memory tipWWI Central Powers are a different group.

  • Japanese American internment

    The forced removal of about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, most of them citizens, to camps during WWII.

    Memory tipCivil liberties limited in wartime.

  • Containment

    The Cold War policy of stopping the spread of communism, begun with the Truman Doctrine (1947).

    Memory tipTruman Doctrine = containment.

  • Marshall Plan

    U.S. economic aid to rebuild Western Europe after World War II.

    Memory tipAid, not a military alliance (that was NATO).

Often tested

  • Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) brought the U.S. into World War II.
  • Cold War: U.S. vs. Soviet Union, about 1947-1991.
  • NATO is a military alliance; the Marshall Plan was economic aid.

3 sample questions

Verified practice questions from this unit.

Practice questionReviewedUnited States History › World Wars, the Cold War, and Foreign Policy★★★★☆

Question 1. Which countries were the main Axis Powers in World War II?

  1. ① France, China, and Canada
  2. ② The United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union
  3. ③ Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire
  4. ④ Germany, Italy, and Japan
▼ Show answer and explanation▲ Hide answer and explanation

Answer: ④ Germany, Italy, and Japan

Key point: WWII Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan

In World War II (1939-1945), the Axis Powers were led by Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allied Powers included the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China.

Wrong choices

  • France, China, and Canada: France, China, and Canada fought on the Allied side.
  • The United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union: The United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union were the main Allied Powers.
  • Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire were the Central Powers in World War I.
Practice questionReviewedUnited States History › World Wars, the Cold War, and Foreign Policy★★★★☆

Question 2. The Cold War was a long period of tension between which two countries?

  1. ① The United States and Japan
  2. ② Britain and France
  3. ③ The United States and the Soviet Union
  4. ④ Germany and Italy
▼ Show answer and explanation▲ Hide answer and explanation

Answer: ③ The United States and the Soviet Union

Key point: Cold War: United States vs. Soviet Union

The Cold War (about 1947-1991) was a rivalry between the United States, which supported capitalism and democracy, and the Soviet Union, which supported communism. The two sides never fought each other directly in a full war, which is why it is called "cold." It ended when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

Wrong choices

  • The United States and Japan: The United States and Japan became allies after World War II.
  • Britain and France: Britain and France were allies during the Cold War.
  • Germany and Italy: Germany and Italy were not the two sides of the Cold War.
Practice questionReviewedUnited States History › World Wars, the Cold War, and Foreign Policy★★★★☆

Question 3. What was the Marshall Plan?

  1. ① A plan to divide Germany into zones
  2. ② U.S. economic aid to help rebuild Western Europe after World War II
  3. ③ A plan to build the Berlin Wall
  4. ④ A military alliance between the United States and Western Europe
▼ Show answer and explanation▲ Hide answer and explanation

Answer: ② U.S. economic aid to help rebuild Western Europe after World War II

Key point: Marshall Plan: aid to rebuild Western Europe

The Marshall Plan (begun in 1948) gave billions of dollars to Western European countries to rebuild after World War II. The United States hoped strong economies would make communism less attractive.

Wrong choices

  • A plan to divide Germany into zones: Germany was divided by agreements among the Allies, not by the Marshall Plan.
  • A plan to build the Berlin Wall: East Germany built the Berlin Wall in 1961.
  • A military alliance between the United States and Western Europe: The military alliance was NATO, formed in 1949.
Practice 5 questions from this unit →

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