Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension and rivalry between the United States (and its allies) and the Soviet Union (and its allies) after World War II, without direct military conflict.
Eastern Bloc: Refers to the group of communist states in Eastern Europe, including Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and others.
Containment Policy: A strategy adopted by the United States to prevent the spread of communism by exerting diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Soviet-aligned countries.