The Cold War was never an actual war. This was a period of deep tension between the USA and the Soviet Union. This period saw a period of rivalry, proxy wars, an arms race, and the building of alliances like NATO. If you already know this and consider yourself a political expert, it’s time to take a quiz and test your knowledge. This Cold War quiz consists of twenty questions that will test your understanding of the topic.
This Blog Includes:
- 20 Cold War Questions with Answers for Cass 12
- 1.What was the Cold War primarily a conflict between?
- 2. During which years did the Cold War take place?
- 3. Which term describes the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe?
- 4. What was the name of the U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism?
- 5. Which event nearly caused a nuclear war between the U.S. and USSR in 1962?
- 6. Which alliance represented the Western bloc during the Cold War?
- 7. What was the main purpose of the Marshall Plan?
- 8. Which U.S. president famously said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”?
- 9. What was the Soviet Union’s equivalent of NATO?
- 10. Which war was a proxy conflict between the U.S. and the USSR in the 1950s?
- 11. What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched by the USSR?
- 12. Which 1970s policy eased tensions between the U.S. and USSR?
- 13. Who was the Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
- 14. What was the “Domino Theory” during the Cold War?
- 15. Which event marked the symbolic end of the Cold War in 1989?
- 16. What was the name of the U.S. spy plane shot down over the USSR in 1960?
- 17. Which Soviet policy introduced openness and transparency under Gorbachev?
- 18. Which country was NOT part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War?
- 19. What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) also known as?
- 20. Which treaty limited nuclear weapons between the U.S. and USSR in 1987?
- Answer Key
- FAQs on the Cold War Quiz
20 Cold War Questions with Answers for Cass 12
Here is a Cold War quiz that you can take. We have provided the answer to these questions below. First, take the test and later on match with the answers.

1.What was the Cold War primarily a conflict between?
A. USA and UK | C. Germany and France |
B. USA and USSR | D. China and Japan |
2. During which years did the Cold War take place?
A. 1914-1945 | C. 1939-1945 |
B. 1950-1980 | D. 1947-1991 |
3. Which term describes the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe?
A. Berlin Wall | C. Marshall Plan |
B. Iron Curtain | D. Red Scare |
4. What was the name of the U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism?
A. Truman Doctrine | C. Eisenhower Doctrine |
B. Monroe Doctrine | D. Roosevelt Corollary |
5. Which event nearly caused a nuclear war between the U.S. and USSR in 1962?
A. Korean War | C. Vietnam War |
B. Cuban Missile Crisis | D. Berlin Blockade |
6. Which alliance represented the Western bloc during the Cold War?
A. Warsaw Pact | C. United Nations |
B. NATO | D. League of Nations |
7. What was the main purpose of the Marshall Plan?
A. Rebuild Europe to prevent communism | C. Create a military alliance |
B. Fund space exploration | D. Colonize Africa |
8. Which U.S. president famously said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”?
A. John F. Kennedy | C. Richard Nixon |
B. Dwight D. Eisenhower | D. Ronald Reagan |
9. What was the Soviet Union’s equivalent of NATO?
A. Warsaw Pact | C. KGB |
B. COMECON | D. Red Army |
10. Which war was a proxy conflict between the U.S. and the USSR in the 1950s?
A. Vietnam War | C. Gulf War |
B. Korean War | D. Falklands War |
11. What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched by the USSR?
A. Apollo | C. Vostok |
B. Sputnik | D. Soyuz |
12. Which 1970s policy eased tensions between the U.S. and USSR?
A. Containment | C. Glasnost |
B. Détente | D. Perestroika |
13. Who was the Soviet leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
A. Joseph Stalin | C. Mikhail Gorbachev |
B. Nikita Khrushchev | D. Leonid Brezhnev |
14. What was the “Domino Theory” during the Cold War?
A. Fear that one communist country would lead to others falling | C. A Soviet economic plan |
B. A strategy for nuclear war | D. A U.S. space program |
15. Which event marked the symbolic end of the Cold War in 1989?
A. Fall of the Berlin Wall | C. Vietnam War’s end |
B. Cuban Missile Crisis | D. Chernobyl disaster |
16. What was the name of the U.S. spy plane shot down over the USSR in 1960?
A. U-2 Incident | C. SR-71 Mission |
B. Bay of Pigs | D. Manhattan Project |
17. Which Soviet policy introduced openness and transparency under Gorbachev?
A. Perestroika | C. Brezhnev Doctrine |
B. Glasnost | D. Stalinism |
18. Which country was NOT part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War?
A. Poland | C. Spain |
B. Czechoslovakia | D. Hungary |
19. What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) also known as?
A. Iron Curtain | C. Space Race |
B. Star Wars | D. Red Shield |
20. Which treaty limited nuclear weapons between the U.S. and USSR in 1987?
A. SALT I | C. START Treaty |
B. INF Treaty | D. NPT |
Also Read:
- American Presidents Quiz: Can You Ace All 20+ Questions?
- Medieval Indian History Quiz with Answers for Students
- How Many European Cities Can You Name?
Answer Key
Here is the answer key to the Cold War quiz. Match your answers, and let us know how much you have scored in the table below:
B. | 6. B | 11.B | 16. A |
D | 7. B | 12. B | 17. B |
B. | 8. D | 11. B | 18 C |
A | 9. A | 14. A | 19. B |
B | 10. B | 15. A | 20. B |
FAQs on the Cold War Quiz
The Cold War is an ideological conflict between the US and the USSR. It is marked by tension and rivalry between the two superpowers. The Cold War resulted in an arms race, a space race, and even proxy wars. The Cold War is a topic that you have to study in the 12th standard in political science.
Some of the questions that can be asked about the Cold War are as follows: 1)What Presidents stand out to you during the Cold War and why? 2)Where were you when the Berlin Wall fell, and what did you think would happen next?
The full from of USSR is Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. It is also known as the Soviet Union. This was a transcontinental country that spanned most of Eurasia (1922 to 1991). However, the country disintegrated in 1991. Hence, today there is no USSR.
For more information on such related topics to level up your interview preparations, visit our interview preparation page. Check out our career counselling blogs and follow Leverage edu.