Cold War & 1950s Terms

Space Race

Competition between the US and the Soviet Union; began when the Soviets launched the world’s first satellite, Sputnik. This caused the US to update standards in math and science.

“In God We Trust”

In 1956 the US adopted this as the official motto to distinguish the nation from communist countries that restricted religion.

Cold War

1945-1990 Period of political hostility between the USA and Soviet Union. Both sides used propaganda, threats and short periods of conflict in other nations.

Korea

A nation in eastern Asia divided between North and South and separated since 1953 by a demilitarized zone (18th parallel) policed by US and North troops. North is hostile towards the west; friends with China; a Communist Dictatorship.

McCarthyism

1950-1954 attempted to investigate and identify Communists living in the US and working in the US government. Those accused lost jobs or were alienated from their community.

Beatniks

Members of a movement of writers and poets who rejected all forms of convention or conformity. They listened to Jazz, practiced Eastern religions and wore berets.

Suburbia

A term used to describe the nations suburbs and the people who live there. Their creation was made possible by the automobile and the interstate highway system. Now that people can commute to the city for work, many people lived outside the city.

Truman Doctrine

To support democratic countries fighting or resisting communism with money or military equipment. Established the policy of containment to stop communism from spreading.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Soviets started building missile sites in Cuba, in response the US quarantined Cuba. The two sides agreed to remove their missile sites in Cuba and Turkey.

HUAC (House of Un-American Activities Committee)

formed in 1938 to investigate subversive organizations such as labor unions and the film industry to find Communist sympathizers.

Polio Vaccine

Developed by Jonas Salk; it was made up of very small parts of the polio virus. It was deemed 90% effective.

Iron Curtain

A metaphor to symbolize a growing barrier between Communist Eastern and democratic western Europe. Winston Churchill used this metaphor in a speech.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one nation fell to communism its neighboring countries would also fall. This was a particular threat during the Vietnam war.

Interstate Highway System

Authorized by Congress in 1956. A road system connecting major cities around the country by a network of super highways. It was also to serve as an evacuation route in case of nuclear attack. It provided for a boost in trade, and suburbia living.

Containment

A political strategy to limit the spread of communism. It was to keep communism where it is at. First termed by George Kennan.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

A military alliance of Western European countries along with the US and Canada to provide collective security.

Potsdam Conference

A meeting of the allied leaders to finalize post WWII plans for Germany by dividing Berlin and Germany into occupation zones. Tensions began to rise between the US and USSR, and many claim the Cold War started here.

The Marshall Plan

A post WWII recovery plan for European nations by offering funds as long as the money was spent on American goods. It promoted democracy and opposed the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift

The Soviet Union blockaded all travel in and out of Berlin to force them to fall to communism. The US responded by airlifting 2.5 million tons of supplies for the next 10 months. The Soviets eventually called off the blockade and West Berlin did not fall to communism.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of Eastern European countries led by the Soviet Union. A response to NATO.

Mao Zedong

Leader of Communist China who defeated the nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek. The defeated Nationalists field to Formosa and renamed it Taiwan. This forced the US to search for an ally in Asia.

Sunbelt

The belt of warm weather states that it stretched from Florida to California. After WWII factories started moving into the Sunbelt due to lower labor costs and fewer labor unions.

MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction)

The invention of the H-Bomb fueled a deadly arms race. This policy meant either side would respond to a nuclear attack by launching its missiles, guaranteeing both sides could destroy each other.

Rosenberg Trial

Husband and wife Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were charged with passing atomic secrets to the Soviets. They were sentenced to death amid protests of their innocence.

Berlin Wall

A concrete wall that the Communist East German government built in 1961 to enclose West Berlin from the rest of East Germany. This was to prevent easterners from fleeing into West Berlin and escaping communism. It stood until 1989.

Baby Boom

A large increase in the number of babies born in proportion to the size of the population. It happened in the 1950s due to the late number of marriages after WWII.

Fair Deal

Reforms passed by President Truman that increased the minimum wage, increased spending on education and enacted a national health insurance program.

Levittown

The 1st planned community in the US they were small, boxy and almost identical homes and 36 could be built in one day