Unit 8 Key Terms (1945-1980)

Yalta Conference

Meeting of the Big Three (Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin) in 1945 to discuss post-WWII affairs, leading to the division of Germany and the creation of the United Nations.

Containment

US strategy to limit the spread of communism, initially focused on Eastern Europe and later extended to Asia.

Truman Doctrine

Truman's commitment to containing communism by supporting free nations threatened by it, demonstrated through aid to Greece and Turkey in 1947.

Marshall Plan

US financial relief program for European nations post-WWII to prevent the spread of communism by aiding in economic recovery.

Berlin Airlift

Response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948, where allies airlifted supplies to the city, highlighting the division between East and West.

NATO

Military alliance formed in 1948 by the US and allies to defend against Soviet aggression, leading to the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Warsaw Pact

Eastern European response to NATO, a military alliance of communist nations heightening Cold War tensions.

NSC-68

Top-secret report by the US National Security Council in 1950, marking a shift towards a massive military buildup to combat Soviet communism.

Korean War

Conflict that began in 1950 at the 38th parallel, involving North Korea (supported by USSR) and South Korea (supported by the US), a proxy war of the Cold War.

HUAC/Hollywood Ten

House Un-American Activities Committee investigating communism in the US, targeting the Hollywood Ten who were blacklisted for refusing to testify.

Eisenhower Doctrine

Policy published in 1957 to combat communism in the Middle East, supporting nations facing communist aggression.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 event where the US discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense standoff and eventual agreement to remove missiles from both Cuba and Turkey.

Veterans Administration

Federal agency aiding WWII veterans in buying homes, boosting home ownership post-war and contributing to economic growth and suburbanization.

Collective Bargaining

Negotiations between trade unions and employers post-WWII, leading to higher wages, benefits, and reduced strikes.

Planned Obsolescence

Strategy encouraging frequent replacement of products, driving consumerism and industry growth through constant product turnover.

Beats

Group of writers rejecting mainstream culture, advocating personal freedom, and inspiring rebellion through literature.

Baby Boom

Spike in birth rates post-WWII until 1965, impacting job competition and social security.

Dr. Spock

Author advocating liberal parenting during the baby boom, though views remained somewhat conservative.

Mattachine Society

First US gay rights organization aiming for equal rights and same-sex marriage legalization.

Levittown

Suburban housing units by William J. Levitt, mass-produced to increase homeownership, albeit restricted to white Americans.

Shelley v Kramer

Supreme Court ruling outlawing housing discrimination, yet not effectively ending practices like redlining.

National Interstate and Defense Highway Act (1956)

Eisenhower's act authorizing $26 billion for national highways, influenced by Cold War ideology.

Ray Kroc/McDonald’s

Creator of fast-food culture, popularizing drive-throughs and emphasizing convenience.

Sunbelt

Southern and southwestern states benefiting from increased government defense spending and rapid migration post-WWII.

Kerner Commission

Report addressing urban race riots causes, warning of racial divisions and advocating for federal funding for African American communities.

Rights Liberalism

Civil rights movement redefining American liberalism to protect individuals from discrimination based on race, sexuality, and gender.

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

Prominent black trade union advocating for equality in defense jobs during WWII.

Jackie Robinson

First African American MLB player, symbolizing civil rights progress despite facing backlash.

States’ Rights Democratic Party/Dixiecrats (1948)

Southern Democrats breaking from the party over Truman's civil rights stance.

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP lawyer fighting racial discrimination, later becoming the first black Supreme Court justice.

Brown v Board

Landmark case declaring school segregation unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

Central High School/Little Rock (1957)

Integration attempt in Arkansas met with resistance, leading to federal intervention and showcasing support for African American rights.

United Farm Workers

Mexican American civil rights advocates who founded the UFW, a union fighting for better labor conditions through tactics like boycotts and hunger strikes.

Great Society

Johnson's social reform programs focusing on civil rights, antipoverty, education, and medical care, aiming to reduce poverty and inequality.

Economic Opportunity Act/War on Poverty

Johnson's legislation creating services like Head Start and Job Corps to alleviate poverty and foster economic growth.

Medicare/Medicaid

Johnson's health care programs assisting the elderly and the poor, funded differently and still existing today.

Equal Pay Act

Legislation ensuring equal pay for equal work, ending wage gaps between genders and protecting women from discrimination.

The Feminine Mystique

Book by Betty Friedan criticizing societal expectations on women and encouraging them to seek fulfillment outside domestic roles.

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Civil rights organization fighting for equal rights for women and against discrimination in all spheres.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Resolution giving Johnson unrestricted power in conducting operations in Vietnam, leading to open warfare against North Vietnam.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Johnson's bombing campaign against North Vietnam to destroy morale, revealing the war's prolonged nature.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Organization of college students advocating for social change, inspired by civil rights movements.

New Left/Free Speech Movement

Radical students focusing on cultural issues and organizing protests against restrictions on political activities.

Young Americans for Freedom

Conservative organization supporting free enterprise, limited government assistance, and the war.

Tet Offensive

North Vietnamese and Vietcong attack on South Vietnam revealing the war's reality and leading to Johnson's credibility loss.

Title IX

Expansion of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination in education, leading to increased funding for women's sports programs.

Stonewall Inn

Site of a raid sparking the gay liberation movement and leading to advocacy for gay rights.

silent majority

Term used by Nixon to describe his supporters who did not publicly express their opinions, representing a majority of the population.

Vietnamization

Nixon's policy transferring ground fighting troops to South Vietnam to address anti-war sentiments and achieve peace.

Kent State

Site of an anti-war protest where National Guardsmen fired upon students, resulting in casualties and marking a turning point.

My Lai

Massacre in a South Vietnamese village leading to protests against the atrocities committed during the Vietnam War.

Détente

Nixon's policy aiming for peace with the USSR and China, regulating arms and increasing trade to reduce tensions.

SALT I

Treaty between Nixon and Brezhnev limiting the number of nuclear weapons each nation had, marking the beginning of detente.

Warren Court

SCOTUS under Chief Justice Warren supporting civil rights, criminal rights, and reproductive freedom, opposed by conservatives.

Milliken v

SCOTUS case ruling that busing plans had to stay within a single school district, hindering school integration efforts.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Cartel managing oil prices and production, formed by oil-rich countries to control oil costs.

Energy Crisis

Crisis caused by OPEC oil embargo leading to oil shortage, increased prices, and national speed limits in the US.

Environmentalism

Movement seeking to conserve natural resources, limit pollution, and increase environmental consciousness, leading to policy changes.

Silent Spring

Book by Rachel Carson highlighting the negative effects of pesticides on the environment and human health.

Earth Day

Annual event created to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote protection of the earth.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Agency created to enforce environmental laws, control pollution, and protect public health and the environment.

Stagflation

A term used in the 70s to describe a combination of increased unemployment, stagnant consumer demand, and inflation, leading to a challenging economic situation.

Deindustrialization

The dismantling of US manufacturing and industry in the 70s and 80s, resulting in increased overseas competition and a decline in jobs and labor movement power.

Rust Belt

Refers to the heavily industrialized regions in the Northeast and Midwest that experienced economic decline due to deindustrialization, leading to abandoned plants and distressed communities.

Watergate (1972)

Nixon's scandal involving wiretapping at the Democratic National Convention, leading to investigations, hush money payments, and ultimately Nixon's resignation.

War Powers Act (1973)

Legislation passed after Watergate to limit the president's power in deploying US forces without Congress approval, aiming to maintain checks and balances in war decisions.

Freedom of Information Act (1974)

An Act passed post-Watergate to provide citizens access to federal records and increase transparency about government actions.

Deregulation

Carter's initiative in the 1970s to reduce federal agency regulations, promote free-market ideas, and increase competition, impacting industries like airlines, trucking, and railroads.

Bakke v

A Supreme Court case challenging affirmative action, leading to a ruling against quotas but allowing consideration of race in admissions.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Proposed amendment to ensure gender equality under federal and state law, facing opposition and failing to be ratified by enough states before the deadline.

Phyllis Schlafly/STOP ERA

Conservative lawyer who founded STOP ERA to oppose the Equal Rights Amendment, fearing it would lead to unwanted societal changes like women being drafted and extended abortion rights.

Roe v

Landmark Supreme Court case establishing the right to abortion under the Constitution, sparking ongoing debates and opposition from religious and conservative groups.

Harvey Milk

First openly gay man elected to public office in 1977, who supported gay rights ordinances before being assassinated in 1978, causing outrage in San Francisco.

Evangelicalism

Protestant Christian movement emphasizing personal salvation, biblical literalism, and repentance, appealing to lower-class Americans and promoting traditional family values.