Question 1

In 2014,the Russian Federation

Accepted Answer

In 2014, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimean Peninsula, which was a Ukrainian province. This action was strongly condemned by the international community and led to sanctions against Russia.

Question 2

Following the attacks against the United States on September 11,2001,in which state did the United States launch a war to oust the Taliban regime?

Accepted Answer

The United States launched a war to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks.

Question 3

How did the League of Nations respond to Italy's invasion of Ethiopia?

Accepted Answer

The League of Nations imposed sanctions on Italy after its invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, but these sanctions were largely ineffective and not strictly enforced. Key resources like oil were not included in the sanctions, allowing Italy to continue its military campaign.

Question 4

The "Arab Spring" refers to

Accepted Answer

The "Arab Spring" was a series of popular protests that occurred across several Arab states, including Egypt, Libya, and Syria, in 2011. These protests were largely inspired by demands for greater political representation, human rights, and economic opportunities, and were directed against corrupt and authoritarian Arab leaders.

Question 5

Why,following World War II,did the Soviet Union use its newfound superpower status to solidify control over Eastern European states like Poland and Czechoslovakia?

Accepted Answer

The Soviet Union feared another invasion from the West after being invaded twice within a 30-year period. Solidifying control over Eastern European states provided a buffer zone of friendly nations to protect it from any future invasions.

Question 6

How did the United States respond when the Soviet Union invaded Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968?

Accepted Answer

The United States did not take aggressive actions in response to either the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary in 1956 or Czechoslovakia in 1968. Instead, the U.S. offered verbal condemnation and diplomatic protests. This was likely due to the perceived risk of escalating tensions with the Soviet Union and the potential for a larger conflict.

Question 7

Which of the following strategic policies did the United States adopt vis-à-vis the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

Accepted Answer

The United States adopted the containment policy during the Cold War, which aimed to prevent the spread of communism and limit Soviet influence around the world. Rollback was a more aggressive policy that advocated for actively rolling back Soviet influence, while colonialism and transnationalism are not relevant policies in regards to the United States' approach towards the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of UN actions in the late 1980s?

Accepted Answer

The UN action in the late 1980s supported by all permanent members of the UN Security Council including both the United States and Soviet Union was to send a group of monitors to oversee the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. It did not involve economic sanctions or military intervention, as described in options A and B. Option D is incorrect as the UN did take action, as stated in option C.

Question 9

When Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany,

Accepted Answer

When Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, the country's economy was in crisis due to the effects of World War I, the Great Depression, and reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler promised to help restore Germany's economic strength and create jobs through his policies, which appealed to many Germans.

Question 10

The rise of populism that began in 2016

Accepted Answer

The rise of populism can be traced back to a reaction against economic and political globalization that began at the end of the Cold War. This is evident in the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump, and the rise of populist parties in Europe. Populist leaders have tapped into people's fears and frustrations regarding issues such as immigration, trade, and the loss of national sovereignty. These issues have been exacerbated by the economic downturn that followed the 2008 financial crisis.

Question 11

Although the Cold War did not involve direct military conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union,it can be characterized as a period during which

Accepted Answer

The Cold War was characterized by a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union for political and economic influence around the world. However, direct military conflict did not occur between the two superpowers. Instead, they engaged in proxy wars or conflicts fought by third-party nations, such as the Vietnam War and Korean War. This was done as a way to avoid a direct military confrontation between the two superpowers.

Question 12

The most important outcome of World War II was

Accepted Answer

The emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as two superpowers was the most significant outcome of World War II. It led to the Cold War and shaped international relations for decades to come, while Europe lost its dominance in world politics due to its devastation during the war. The creation of the United Nations was also significant, but it was overshadowed by the power struggle between the two superpowers. The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the rise of nationalism occurred during World War I, not World War II. Lasting peace in Asia was also not achieved, as the Korean War and Vietnam War broke out in the following years.

Question 13

At the pinnacle of its power in 2016,the Islamic State controlled large swaths of territory in

Accepted Answer

In 2016, the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) controlled large areas of both Syria and Iraq. While they did have a presence in other countries such as Libya, the main areas of control were in Syria and Iraq.

Question 14

Which international relations perspective rose to dominance around the time of World War II?

Accepted Answer

Realism rose to dominance around the time of World War II, as scholars and policymakers focused on the behavior of nation-states in the context of international conflict and competition. Realism emphasizes the importance of power, security, and self-interest in shaping international relations, and is often associated with a pessimistic view of the possibilities for international cooperation and peace.

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true of U.S.and Soviet involvement in the Middle East during the Cold War?

Accepted Answer

The Middle East was a scene of proxy confrontations between the U.S.-supported Israel and Soviet-backed Arab states during the Cold War. Both superpowers were heavily involved in Middle East politics and competed for influence in the region.

Question 16

During the Cold War,________ was the strategic idea to push the Soviet Union out of Eastern Europe and back to its own borders,and ________ was the strategic idea to protect the status quo from further Soviet expansion.

Accepted Answer

Rollback was the strategy aimed at pushing the Soviet Union out of its satellite states in Eastern Europe, intending to roll back communism to its borders. Containment, on the other hand, was designed to prevent further Soviet expansion, maintaining the status quo without necessarily rolling back existing Soviet influence.

Question 17

Which of the following domestic policies were initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev and other Soviet reformers beginning in the mid-1980s,contributing to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union?

Accepted Answer

Mikhail Gorbachev and other Soviet reformers initiated policies of political openness (glasnost) and economic restructuring (perestroika) in the mid-1980s. These policies contributed to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union by allowing for more freedom of expression and private enterprise, weakening the central government's control over the economy and political dissent. The dissolution of the Soviet Union was not purely in response to U.S. actions.

Question 18

Which of the following was the alliance between the Soviet Union and several East European states in the post-World War II era?

Accepted Answer

The Warsaw Pact was the alliance between the Soviet Union and several East European states in the post-World War II era. NATO was the alliance between the United States and several Western European countries, the League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization that existed from 1920 to 1946, and the Nonaligned Movement was a group of states that chose not to align themselves with either the Western or the Eastern bloc during the Cold War.

Question 19

Which of the following is true of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?

Accepted Answer

The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis ended with an agreement between the United States and Soviet Union, known as the "Kennedy-Khrushchev Agreement," where the Soviets agreed to remove their missiles from Cuba in exchange for a U.S. promise not to invade Cuba and to remove similarly capable missiles from Turkey. None of the other options are true.

Question 20

The lessening of tensions between the United States and Soviet Union beginning in the late 1960s is called

Accepted Answer

The term used for the lessening of tensions between the United States and Soviet Union in the late 1960s is détente. This term is used to describe the relaxation of tensions during the Cold War, which allowed for improved relations between the two superpowers. Appeasement, on the other hand, refers to the policy of giving in to demands from other countries in order to avoid conflict. Accommodation refers to the act of adapting or adjusting to a situation or person. Easement refers to the act of reducing, lessening or easing something, such as restrictions or tension.

Quiz 2: The Historical Context of Contemporary International Relations