Skip to content

Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Year 11 - History

Containment and the Domino Theory

The USA, 1954–75 conflict at home and abroad

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils study a modern society and the issues that affected it in great depth over a shorter period. They learn about the key events, developments, people and stories that shaped this modern society over a period of around twenty to thirty years.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the importance of the Domino Theory.

Key Notes

  • America had been opposed to communism long before the Cold War started.
  • Communism spread rapidly after World War Two.
  • America committed itself to containing the spread of communism.
  • Eisenhower believed communism might spread in Southeast Asia.
  • Eisenhower committed large amounts of money to supporting Diem to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Containment: Containment was a foreign policy strategy used by the US during the Cold War to try to prevent the spread of communism
  • Domino Theory: the Domino Theory was the idea that if one country fell to communism more would follow
  • Marshall Aid: Marshall Aid (or the Marshall Plan) was the American strategy of giving money to European countries to help them recover after World War Two

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Foreign aid support packages, for instance Marshall Aid, are made up of just money.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

America had been opposed to communism long before the Cold War started. Communism spread rapidly after World War Two.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'Containment'

Containment was a foreign policy strategy used by the US during the Cold War to try to prevent the spread of communism.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Foreign aid support packages, for instance Marshall Aid, are made up of just money. Correction: Equipment such as heavy machinery or weapons, natural resources such as coal, as well as money, make up foreign aid support packages.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 History guide library.