Free AP European History Exam 1914 to Present Question and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the aforementioned events did Khrushchev lose the support of the Soviet people for more than any other on the list?
- the Cuban missile crisis (Correct answer)
- de-Stalinization
- the Bay of Pigs invasion
- the way in which the Hungarian Revolution was handled
Correct answer: the Cuban missile crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 significantly eroded Nikita Khrushchev's support among the Soviet people and within the Communist Party leadership. His perceived backing down in the face of U.S. pressure and the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, without a clear victory, was seen as a humiliation. This loss of prestige contributed to his eventual removal from power in 1964.
Question 2: Which of the following areas does the Brezhnev Doctrine address?
- NATO countries
- Communist countries in Southeast Asia
- countries in the Soviet sphere of influence (Correct answer)
- Soviet republics
Correct answer: countries in the Soviet sphere of influence
The Brezhnev Doctrine, formulated in 1968, asserted the Soviet Union's right to intervene militarily in any socialist country where socialism was deemed to be threatened. This doctrine specifically applied to countries within the Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, justifying interventions like the one in Czechoslovakia to suppress reforms.
Question 3: One of the reasons why the Soviet Union and the United States engaged in the Cold War following World War II was
- the competition between rival political and economic systems (Correct answer)
- the refusal of the Western powers to give the Soviet Union a role in postwar Germany
- conflict over where to establish the border between Poland and Germany
- the religious differences of the two countries
Correct answer: the competition between rival political and economic systems
The Cold War was primarily driven by the fundamental ideological conflict between the United States' capitalist democracy and the Soviet Union's communist totalitarianism. Both superpowers sought to expand their respective political and economic systems globally, leading to a geopolitical struggle for influence, proxy wars, and an arms race. This competition shaped international relations for decades.
Question 4: All of the following were prioritized by Thatcherism. EXCEPT
- destroying the power of labor unions
- sharp tax cuts
- reduce government spending
- nationalization of industries (Correct answer)
Correct answer: nationalization of industries
Thatcherism, the political and economic policies of Margaret Thatcher, prioritized free markets, reduced government intervention, and individual liberty. Key aspects included privatizing state-owned industries, cutting taxes, reducing government spending, and significantly curbing the power of labor unions. Nationalization of industries, which involves state ownership, was directly contrary to Thatcher's core principles.
Question 5: What other Polish institution supported the Solidarity movement, which ultimately led to the fall of the Communist regime in Poland?
- the army
- the Polish parliament
- the Catholic Church (Correct answer)
- the peasantry
Correct answer: the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church played an indispensable role in supporting the Solidarity movement in Poland, which ultimately led to the fall of the Communist regime. It provided moral authority, a sense of national identity, and a safe haven for dissent against the atheist communist state. The election of Polish Pope John Paul II further emboldened the movement and its supporters.
Question 6: Six republics made up the communist Yugoslavia that emerged soon after the end of World War II: Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Macedonia. Despite their union, there remained ongoing turmoil, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, nationalistic feelings that had been simmering for some time exploded. These republics went to war in the middle of 1991 as a reason of
- Croatian, Slovenian, and Bosnian forces attacking Serbia
- Slovenia and Croatia declaring their independence (Correct answer)
- Croatia applying for NATO membership
- Bosnian Muslims attacking Serbs
Correct answer: Slovenia and Croatia declaring their independence
The immediate cause of the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s was the declarations of independence by Slovenia and Croatia in June 1991. These moves, driven by rising nationalism and a desire to break away from the Serb-dominated federal state after the fall of communism, were met with military intervention from the Yugoslav People's Army, initiating the violent breakup of Yugoslavia.
Question 7: In 1993, Czechoslovakia held a referendum on the issue despite the fact that 2.5 million people signed a petition calling for one and surveys indicating that the majority of its inhabitants opposed the decision.
- allowed local autonomy for all ethnic minorities
- sided with Serbia in the ongoing Balkan war
- joined both the European Community and NATO
- split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Correct answer)
Correct answer: split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Despite public opposition and petitions, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved on January 1, 1993, into two separate sovereign states: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This event, known as the 'Velvet Divorce,' was primarily a result of political disagreements between Czech and Slovak leaders regarding the future structure and governance of the federal state.
Free AP European History Exam 1914 to Present Question and Answers 1
Which of the aforementioned events did Khrushchev lose the support of the Soviet people for more than any other on the list?