Question 1

Which political act played a significant role in compounding the economic stagnation of Western Europe in the early 1970s?

Accepted Answer

The oil embargo staged by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1973 significantly contributed to the economic stagnation of Western Europe in the early 1970s. The embargo caused a global rise in oil prices, resulting in higher energy costs and inflation. This led to decreased investment, reduced consumer spending, and slowed economic growth in Western Europe.

Question 2

Which of the following was NOT a result of to the dissolution of the Soviet Union?

Accepted Answer

The removal of the Warsaw Pact was a direct result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as the pact was a military alliance between the Soviet Union and its satellite states. Therefore, E cannot be the answer as it is a result of the dissolution. A, B, C, and D were all consequences of the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Question 3

After the success of the "velvet revolution" in Czechoslovakia,the first open elections resulted in the playwright _________ being elected president.

Accepted Answer

Václav Havel was a playwright who became the first democratically elected President of Czechoslovakia after the Velvet Revolution in 1989.

Question 4

Although he had backed Mikhail Gorbachev in the summer of 1991,Boris Yeltsin,from his position as _________,joined with others to declare the end of the Soviet Union in the fall of 1991.

Accepted Answer

Boris Yeltsin was elected as the president of the Russian Federation in 1991 and played a pivotal role in the collapse of the Soviet Union later that year. He joined with leaders from other Soviet republics to declare the end of the Soviet Union and establish the Commonwealth of Independent States. He was not a member of the Soviet Politburo or the president of Byelorussia or the Supreme Soviet, and the position of president of the Soviet Union had been abolished before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Question 5

Which of the following did NOT endure and grow following the 1960s?

Accepted Answer

While the environmental movement, second-wave feminism, opposition to nuclear weapons, and the student population all endured and grew following the 1960s, violent student protests did not continue to be a prevalent form of activism. While there were certainly some instances of violent student protests after the 1960s, the overall trend shifted towards nonviolent forms of activism.

Question 6

The economic transformation that Western Europe experienced in the decades following World War II was,for the Eastern bloc:

Accepted Answer

The economic transformation that Western Europe experienced in the decades following World War II was virtually nonexistent in the Eastern bloc. The Eastern bloc experienced an economic slowdown due to its failure to innovate. While the Eastern bloc grew rapidly immediately after the war, it suffered a serious recession in the late 1960s. By the 1960s, while it had caught up with the West politically, it had not yet caught up economically.

Question 7

To what other year,packed with events and uncertainty,has 1968 frequently been compared?

Accepted Answer

1968 has often been compared to 1848 due to the widespread protests and revolutionary movements that occurred globally, similar to the wave of revolutions in 1848 across Europe. Both years were marked by idealistic movements that largely failed to achieve their goals.

Question 8

What was one of the first consequences of the Soviet policy of glasnost in Eastern Europe?

Accepted Answer

One of the first consequences of the Soviet policy of glasnost was the resurgence of the solidarity movement and other dissidents in Poland. The policy of glasnost, which allowed greater freedom of speech and expression, inspired and emboldened Polish dissidents to speak out against the repressive communist government. This led to the re-emergence of the solidarity movement, which had been banned in 1981, and the eventual downfall of the communist regime in Poland.

Question 9

The political unrest in Eastern Europe that had surfaced in 1968 peaked again in 1980 with the rise of a politicized labor union in Poland; _________ organized strikes that threatened to bring the government down.

Accepted Answer

The only option that fits the description of a politicized labor union in Poland that organized strikes and threatened to bring down the government is Solidarity.

Question 10

During the Vietnam War,many people opposed to the war took direct action against it by refusing to register for the draft or refusing induction into the armed forces.Among those who encouraged this action were Dr.Benjamin Spock,the nation's leading pediatrician,and _________,the chaplain of Yale University.

Accepted Answer

William Sloane Coffin was a prominent anti-war activist and chaplain of Yale University who encouraged young men to resist the draft and refuse induction into the armed forces during the Vietnam War.

Question 11

The Russian term perestroika refers to a:

Accepted Answer

Perestroika was a program of economic restructuring launched by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union in the 1980s. It aimed to modernize the communist economy and make it more efficient and decentralized.

Question 12

One manifestation of the upheavals of 1968 in Europe was the:

Accepted Answer

The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization and cultural reform in Czechoslovakia that began in January 1968 and ended with the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in August of that year. It was one of the most significant events of the 1968 upheavals in Europe.

Question 13

Which of the following statements best characterizes the status of Eastern European economies of the 1970s in comparison to their counterparts in Western Europe?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements best characterizes...

Question 14

In November 1989 the embodiment of the Cold War,the _________,was torn down by ordinary citizens.

Accepted Answer

The Berlin Wall was the physical embodiment of the Cold War tensions between East and West and was famously torn down by ordinary citizens in November 1989. The Iron Curtain refers to the ideological and physical divide between the Soviet Union and its satellite states in Eastern Europe and the rest of Europe, but it was not physically torn down like the Berlin Wall. The Great Wall is a historical landmark in China and is not related to the Cold War. The Moscow Wall and Kremlin are also not related to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

Question 15

Which of the following was an immediate political consequence of the events of 1968?

Accepted Answer

The events of 1968 led to the political recovery of leading conservatives from the United States to Czechoslovakia. In the United States, Richard Nixon, a conservative, was elected president in 1968 after the riots and protests of that year, while in Czechoslovakia, conservative elements within the Communist Party took control after the Prague Spring was crushed by Soviet forces.

Question 16

Arguably the most repressive dictatorship in Eastern Europe was that of  in:

Accepted Answer

The reference to "the most repressive dictatorship in Eastern Europe" suggests a regime that was notorious for its harsh rule. The only state in Eastern Europe in the given options that meets this criteria is Romania, which was under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu from the late 1960s until his overthrow and execution in 1989. Ceaușescu's rule was characterized by a cult of personality, widespread censorship and repression, and an oppressive secret police.

Question 17

The idea of a single,unified Europe had been the dream of many for years,a dream that was finally partly realized in 1991 with the formation of the _________,which included a single currency,a central European bank,and unified social policies.

Accepted Answer

The European Union was formed in 1991 with the aim of creating a single, unified Europe. It includes a single currency (the Euro), a central bank (the European Central Bank), and unified social policies, among other things. The other options listed are not accurate names for the organization.

Question 18

What international event staged during 1968 was specially marked by popular demonstrations and political violence?

Accepted Answer

The summer Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968 were marked by popular demonstrations and political violence, including the infamous Black Power salute during the medal ceremony for the 200-meter dash.

Question 19

Which of the following were immediate causes of the unrest in Paris during 1968?

Accepted Answer

The immediate causes of the unrest in Paris during 1968 were demands for modernization of university life and wage increases for embattled industries. The students and workers were protesting against the outdated and oppressive system, which they felt was not addressing their needs and demands. This led to widespread demonstrations, strikes, and clashes with the police, eventually resulting in the resignation of the French Prime Minister and a significant shift in French politics. While the other options played a role in shaping the context and background of the protests, they were not the immediate causes of the unrest.

Question 20

One consequence of the economic stagnation of the 1970s was:

Accepted Answer

The economic stagnation of the 1970s led to the rise of an independent labor movement in Poland, which ultimately resulted in the formation of the Solidarity movement in the 1980s. This movement played a significant role in the collapse of communism in Poland and the eventual collapse of many other Eastern bloc countries.

Quiz 28: Red Flags and Velvet Revolutions: The End of the Cold War,1960–1990