Cold War Lecture Review (1945-1963)

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the major events, policies, and figures of the Cold War era from 1945 to 1963 based on lecture notes.

German Democratic Republic

The new Communist state evolved from the eastern zone of Germany under Soviet occupation.

Iron Curtain

A term used by Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe the division of Europe into two halves: 'an iron curtain has descended across the continent.'

Containment

A policy proposed by George F. Kennan in 1947 to maintain a 'long-term, patient but firm and vigilant' check on Russian expansive tendencies.

Marshall Plan

An extensive US economic aid program approved in 1948 that distributed $12\,\text{billion}$ to Western Europe over a four-year period.

Berlin Airlift

The 11-month US operation to fly supplies into Berlin following a 1948 Soviet blockade, leading to the creation of West and East Germany in 1949.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949), a military defense pact Truman joined to protect Western Europe, breaking the tradition of avoiding permanent alliances.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed by the Soviets in 1955 as a counter to West Germany’s entry into NATO.

NSC-68

A 1950 report that recommended quadrupling defense spending to $20\,\text{\%}$ of GNP to form alliances against Communist countries.

Cold War Liberalism

A policy forged by Truman and the 1940s-50s Democratic Party that preserved New Deal welfare, developed containment, and fought subversives.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

A law passed over Truman's veto that checked union power by outlawing closed shops, permitting 'right to work' laws, and requiring unions to purge communists.

Dixiecrats

Members of the States’ Rights party in 1948, led by J. Strom Thurmond, who broke away from the Democrats over Truman’s support for civil rights.

The Fair Deal

Truman’s reform program involving national health care, education aid, and civil rights legislation, most of which was blocked by conservatives.

Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A House committee reactivated in 1947 to find Communists within the government, the Boy Scouts, and the Hollywood film industry.

Alger Hiss

A State Department official accused by Whittaker Chambers of being a Communist; he was eventually convicted of perjury in 1948.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unsupported accusations about Communists in government to discredit the administration, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Modern Republicanism

Also called 'dynamic conservatism' under Eisenhower, this philosophy balanced fiscal conservatism with the acceptance of most New Deal programs.

Brinkmanship

A diplomatic policy advocated by John Foster Dulles that involved pushing Communist powers to the brink of war to liberate 'captive nations.'

Massive Retaliation

A defense policy relying on nuclear weapons and air power to spend less money ('more bang for the buck') while increasing pressure on enemies.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A 1957 policy pledge to assist any nation in the Middle East threatened by Communism.

Suez Crisis

A 1956 conflict involving Gamal Abdel Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal and subsequent attacks by Britain and France.

New Frontier

The domestic policy program of John F. Kennedy that included aid to education, health care, and urban renewal.

Alliance for Progress

A program established under JFK to promote land reform and economic development in Latin America.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation where a US naval blockade forced Khrushchev to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba in exchange for a non-invasion pledge.

Flexible Response

A policy adopted by Kennedy to increase spending on conventional arms and mobile forces to handle small 'brushfire' wars.