APUSH Unit 8: The Cold War from 1945 to 1980

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and definitions related to the Cold War and significant events and policies from 1945 to 1980.

Cold War

A conflict between the US and the Soviet Union characterized by mutual suspicion, ideological battle, and proxy wars without direct open warfare.

Truman Doctrine

A policy announced by President Harry Truman in 1947 advocating for the containment of communism by providing support to countries threatened by Soviet influence.

Marshall Plan

A US program initiated in 1948 that allocated $13 billion to help rebuild European economies to prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Blockade

A Soviet project started in 1948 to limit access to West Berlin, prompting the US and allies to organize the Berlin Airlift to supply the city.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

A military alliance formed in 1949 to counter Soviet aggression and promote mutual defense among member nations.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe established in 1955 in response to NATO.

Nuclear Proliferation

The spread of nuclear weapons technology, particularly between the US and Soviet Union, leading to an arms race.

Proxy War

A war in which two opposing countries or parties support combatants in a third country to fight, as seen in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigations of communist infiltration in the 1950s.

The Great Society

A series of domestic programs launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation designed to enforce the voting rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments, prohibiting racial discrimination in voting.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

A failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by the CIA in 1961 to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba.

Domino Theory

The belief that the spread of communism in one nation would lead to the spread of communism in neighboring countries.

Tet Offensive

A major offensive by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in January 1968, which shocked American public opinion and marked a turning point in the Vietnam War.

Watergate Scandal

A political scandal involving the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up that led to President Nixon's resignation.