Key Concepts of Cold War and Post-War America

Containment

The U.S. policy of preventing the spread of communism by offering aid and support to countries threatened by communist expansion.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed by the United States and its Western European allies to counter the Soviet Union.

Berlin Airlift

A massive effort by the U.S. and its allies to supply West Berlin with food and supplies during the Soviet blockade in 1948-1949.

Brinkmanship

The policy of pushing a situation to the brink of war or disaster in order to force the other side to back down.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed by the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies to counterbalance NATO.

Arms race

The competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to develop and deploy more and more advanced weapons, including nuclear weapons.

38th parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea, established after World War II.

Détente

A period of improved relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, characterized by negotiations and agreements.

McCarthyism

A period of intense anti-communist suspicion and paranoia in the United States, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, sparking the Space Race.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A U.S. policy of providing military and economic aid to countries in the Middle East threatened by communism.

Berlin Wall

A wall built by East Germany in 1961 to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A tense confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1962, triggered by the Soviet placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Domino theory

The belief that if one country falls to communism, its neighbors will also fall, like a chain of dominoes.

HUAC

The House Un-American Activities Committee, a congressional committee that investigated communist influence in the United States.

Anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs)

Missiles designed to shoot down other ballistic missiles, potentially carrying nuclear weapons.

Broken arrow

A term used to describe an accidental nuclear weapon explosion or incident.

Checkpoint Charlie

A famous border crossing point between East and West Berlin, often a site of tense confrontations.

Madman theory

A strategy used by President Nixon to intimidate the Soviets during the Cold War by suggesting he was unpredictable and might resort to nuclear weapon.

Space Race

The competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to achieve superiority in space exploration, technology, and research.

Suburbanization

The process by which people move from urban areas to suburbs, typically resulting in the growth of suburban communities.

Urban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding regions.

Infrastructure

Fundamental facilities and systems (roads, bridges, utilities) serving a community.

Zoning

Local government regulation that dictates land use in specific areas.

Commuter

A person who travels from home to work and back, especially from suburbs to a city.

Voting Rights Act 1965

Prohibited States from restricting voting rights

Levittown

First suburb created in the state of New York

Gentrification

The process of renovating urban neighborhoods, often displacing low-income residents.

Greenbelt

An area of open land around a city where development is restricted.

White flight

The movement of white residents from urban centers to suburban areas.

Housing segregation

The separation of people into different neighborhoods based on race or income.

Bedroom community

A suburb where most residents commute elsewhere for work.

Decentralization

The transfer of population and economic activity from central areas to outlying regions.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

An act which outlawed segregation and reversed Jim Crow.

Planned community

A residential area designed and built with specific zoning and layout goals.

Tax base

The collective wealth (often in property value) that a municipality can tax.

Interstate Highways

The creation of roads which spanned lengths of the country for transportation.

Subsidy

Financial assistance provided by the government, often used to promote homeownership.

Mixed-use development

Urban planning that combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in one area.

Baby Boom

Influenced suburbanization and the increase of babies led to more families.

Counter-culture

A group that rejects mainstream values and creates its own lifestyle.

Deindustrialization

The decline of manufacturing industries, leading to job losses.

Globalization

Increased interaction between nations through trade, technology, and communication.

Service Sector

A part of the economy that provides services instead of goods.

Sun Belt

A region in the southern US that experienced population and economic growth.

Raeganomics

President Ronald Reagan's economic policies that focused on tax cuts, reducing government spending, and free-market activity.

Conservatism

A political belief in limited government, traditional values, and free enterprise.

Political Polarity

The divide between political parties, leading to arguments.

Yom Kippur War

A 1973 war between Israel and other Arab countries, which led to US involvement and the oil embargo.

Rust Belt

US region with many old factories that lost jobs as industries declined.

War on Terror

A campaign that the US launched to combat terrorism after 9/11.

Al Qaeda

A terrorist organization that Osama Bin Laden led; responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Patriot Act

A law passed after 9/11 that gave the government power to monitor terrorist activity.

Vietnam War

A conflict where the US tried to stop the spread of communism in Vietnam.

Taliban

An Islamist group that ruled Afghanistan and gave shelter to Al Qaeda.

Homeland Security

A department created to protect the US from terrorist attacks.

Guantanamo Bay

A US military prison used to hold suspected terrorists.

Watergate Scandal

An investigation that found out that Nixon aided burglars and used federal agencies to sabotage political opponents.

Lewinsky Affair

A scandal between President Clinton and a white house intern, Monica Lewinsky, leading to his impeachment.

War Powers Act

A law that limits the president's ability to send US troops into combat without approval from Congress.