What main points do I need to know for 10th grade Cold War exam?

Cold war refers to the intense rivalry that developed between communist and non-communist countries after World War II. The communist countries, led by U.S.S.R. are also called East Block while non-communist countries, led by U.S.A. are also called West Block. Countries that did not wish to get entangled with these rivalry between communist and non-communist and formed a separate group called referred as non-aligned countries.

Towards the close of World War II, in 1945 the allied countries entered into an agreement to hold independent democratic election in liberated countries. However, after the war, U.S.S.R. under the leadership of Stalin did not honour this agreement. Stalin wanted to establish communist government in all liberated territories under its control and to achieve this objective effectively cut-off all relationship of these countries under its control. As a result, by 1948 countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania and Yugoslavia had communist governments.

U.S.A, and other democratic countries in Europe were determined not to let communism spread to their countries, and were suspicious of intentions of U.S.S.R.. They also collaborated to ward of the threat posed by communism and U.S.S.R.. President Harry Trueman of U.S.A. promised in 1947 to help any free nation resist communist attack. Separate groups of West and East blocks countries were formed in United Nations Organization also. Further the Western Block countries formed the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 1949.

The cold war rivalry became more intense with each of the two blocks trying to outdo each other in field of development of nuclear weapons capable of striking targets over long distances. This rivalry is often called the Arms Race.

After death of Stalin in 1953 the cold war activities became more intense with U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. opposing separate government and groups in different regions such as Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. The support sometimes took the form of direct military interventions.

However by 1970's a realization slowly came over both the group that in an all out nuclear war there will be no victors, and the cold war rivalry is not in the interest of either side. Also there were growing splits within both the groups. For example U.S.S.R. and China developed differences and France Withdrew its troops from NATO command.

As a result agreements such as Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) and Missile Reduction Agreement were reached between U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. in 1972 and1987 respectively. In 1989 communist rule came to end in many east European Countries. East and West Germany were unified in 1990. In 1991 the Communist Party lost control over U.S.S.R. government, and the country itself divided in different countries. This event is generally considered by many as the point marking end of the Cold War.