Unit 5 - The Cold War Begins - CONTAINMENT & FEAR OF COMMUNISM AT HOME

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and definitions related to the Cold War and its early events.

Containment

A foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the expansion of communism.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1947 to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War.

Marshall Plan

An American initiative passed in 1948 for foreign aid to Western Europe to help rebuild economies after World War II.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S. and several Western European nations.

Korean War

A conflict between North Korea (with support from China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (supported by the United Nations), lasting from 1950 to 1953.

Brinksmanship

The policy of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge of disaster rather than conceding.

Joseph McCarthy

A U.S. senator known for his anti-communist activities in the 1950s, specifically for leading a campaign against alleged communists in the government.

Sputnik

The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race.

Iron Curtain

A term used by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Western powers and the areas controlled by the Soviet Union.

Alger Hiss

An American government official accused of being a communist spy and convicted of perjury in connection with these charges.

Rosenbergs

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American citizens executed for espionage for allegedly transmitting nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union.

HUAC

House Un-American Activities Committee; a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated allegations of communist activity.

George Kennan

An American diplomat and historian, known for his advocacy for the policy of containment against Soviet expansion.

General MacArthur

A U.S. general who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II and in the Korean War.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China, ruling as the Chairman of the Communist Party from its establishment in 1949.

38th Parallel

The latitude that divided North and South Korea before and during the Korean War.

Berlin Airlift

An operation in 1948-1949 where the Allies supplied West Berlin by air after the Soviets blocked ground routes.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country falls to communism, neighboring countries will also fall, like a row of dominoes.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in 1962 between the U.S. and the Soviet Union involving Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba.

Vietnam War

A conflict in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975, primarily between North Vietnam (and allies) and South Vietnam, with significant U.S. involvement.

Detente

A period of improved relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1970s, characterized by arms control agreements.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A 1964 congressional resolution that granted President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam after an alleged attack on U.S. ships.

Yalta Conference

A meeting in 1945 between the leaders of the U.S., UK, and USSR to discuss post-war reorganization of Germany and Europe.

Iron Curtain Speech

A speech delivered by Winston Churchill in 1946 that described the division of Europe into Western democracies and Eastern communist nations.

McCarthyism

The period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the U.S. during the early 1950s, marked by Senator McCarthy's aggressive investigation tactics.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

A failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba in 1961 intended to overthrow Fidel Castro's government.

U-2 Incident

A 1960 event in which a U.S. U-2 spy plane was shot down over Soviet airspace, exacerbating Cold War tensions.