Cold War
Short Questions
1. What is the Cold War?
Answer: The Cold War was a period of tension and rivalry between capitalist and communist nations after World War II, without direct fighting.
2. Who first used the term ‘Cold War’?
Answer: Walter Lippmann, an American political columnist, first used the term ‘Cold War’.
3. What was the ‘Iron Curtain’?
Answer: The ‘Iron Curtain’ was a term used by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.
4. What was the purpose of NATO?
Answer: NATO was formed in 1949 to protect European countries from Soviet expansion and ensure collective defense.
5. What is the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)?
Answer: NAM is a group of nations that chose not to align with either the USA or Soviet Russia during the Cold War, focusing on peace and progress.
6. Who were the architects of NAM?
Answer: Pandit Nehru, Sukarno, Nkrumah, Nasser, and Tito were the architects of NAM.
7. What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Answer: It was a 1962 event where Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba caused tension with the USA, nearly leading to war.
8. What is SAARC?
Answer: SAARC is an organization of South Asian countries formed in 1985 to promote economic and social development.
9. What is the Commonwealth?
Answer: The Commonwealth is a voluntary group of countries, mostly former British colonies, working together for mutual benefit.
10. Why did India join the Commonwealth?
Answer: India joined to gain defense support, economic benefits, and a platform to counter propaganda, while remaining sovereign.
Long Questions
1. What were the main characteristics of the Cold War?
Answer: The Cold War had no direct war but intense rivalry, an arms race, aggressive political policies, mutual distrust, and ideological conflicts between capitalist and communist nations. It created global tension without actual fighting.
2. How did the division of Europe contribute to the Cold War?
Answer: After World War II, Europe split into communist Eastern Europe under Soviet influence and capitalist Western Europe under the USA. This ideological divide caused political tension, leading to the Cold War.
3. What was the role of the Warsaw Pact in the Cold War?
Answer: The Warsaw Pact, signed by Soviet Russia and Eastern Bloc countries, was a defense treaty to counter NATO. It strengthened communist unity and opposed American influence during the Cold War.
4. Why was the Non-Aligned Movement formed?
Answer: NAM was formed to allow countries to stay neutral, avoid superpower conflicts, support independence movements, and focus on peace and development. It helped nations like India maintain independence in foreign policy.
5. What were the key outcomes of the Belgrade Conference of NAM in 1961?
Answer: The Belgrade Conference declared 27 demands, including ending aggression in Asia, Africa, and South America, freeing Algeria and Angola, and stopping racism in South Africa. It united non-aligned nations for peace.
6. How did India’s anti-colonial policy shape its foreign relations?
Answer: India opposed imperialism, supported independence struggles like Indonesia’s and Africa’s, and promoted peaceful coexistence. This policy strengthened India’s global image as a leader in anti-colonialism and non-alignment.
7. What were the objectives of SAARC as decided in the Dhaka Conference?
Answer: SAARC aimed to promote rapid development, oppose terrorism and smuggling, resolve disputes, cooperate with global organizations, and work for collective well-being. These goals were set in Dhaka in 1985.
8. What challenges does SAARC face in achieving its goals?
Answer: SAARC faces issues like economic disparity, high defense spending, inadequate infrastructure, rising terrorism, and political diversity. These challenges hinder effective cooperation among member nations.
9. How did the Commonwealth help former British colonies after World War II?
Answer: The Commonwealth supported independence movements, reduced resentment in Britain over losing colonies, and promoted cooperation. It provided a platform for sovereign nations to share ideas and resources.
10. Why were the Commonwealth Games of 1986 significant?
Answer: The 1986 Commonwealth Games were boycotted by 32 countries, led by India’s Rajiv Gandhi, to protest South Africa’s racist policies. This showed the Commonwealth’s role in addressing global issues like racism.
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