Cold War to Reagan Era Flashcards

Flashcards covering topics from the Cold War through the Reagan Era.

Containment

U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism by limiting Soviet influence.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

U.S. policy pledging support to countries resisting communist subjugation, beginning with aid to Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan (1948)

U.S. initiative providing economic assistance to Western European nations to rebuild after WWII and prevent communist influence.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

Congressional committee investigating suspected communist activities within the U.S.

Joseph McCarthy

Senator known for alleging communist infiltration in the U.S. government during the early 1950s, leading to the 'Red Scare.'

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1949)

Military alliance formed between the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to counter Soviet aggression.

Iron Curtain

Term coined by Winston Churchill describing the division between communist Eastern Europe and capitalist Western Europe.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet Premier (1953–1964) who led during events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and initiated de-Stalinization.

Korean War (1950–1953)

Conflict between communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea, ending in an armistice and division at the 38th parallel.

Iran and Guatemala Coups

CIA-led operations in 1953 and 1954 to overthrow governments in Iran and Guatemala to prevent communist influence.

JFK (John F. Kennedy)

35th U.S. President (1961–1963), known for the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Space Race, and civil rights advocacy.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ)

36th U.S. President (1963–1969), known for the Great Society programs and escalation of the Vietnam War.

New Frontier

JFK's domestic and foreign policy agenda focusing on economic growth, civil rights, and space exploration.

Great Society

LBJ's set of domestic programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Flexible Response

JFK's defense strategy allowing for a range of military options to address threats.

Peace Corps

U.S. government agency sending American volunteers abroad to assist in social and economic development.

Bay of Pigs (1961)

Failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba.

Lee Harvey Oswald

Assassinated JFK; later killed by Jack Ruby before standing trial.

Vietnam War

Conflict between communist North Vietnam and capitalist South Vietnam, lasting from 1955 to 1975.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)

Alleged attacks on U.S. naval vessels by North Vietnamese forces.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)

Congressional resolution granting LBJ authority to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

War Powers Act (1973)

Law limiting the president's power to commit U.S. forces to armed conflict without congressional approval.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks on South Vietnamese cities.

Kent State (1970)

Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four.

Fall of Saigon (1975)

Capture of South Vietnam's capital by North Vietnamese forces, leading to the reunification of Vietnam under communist control.

Draft

Systematic conscription of young men into military service, notably during the Vietnam War.

Operation Rolling Thunder

U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam from 1965 to 1968.

Agent Orange

Herbicide used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, causing environmental damage and health issues.

Napalm

Flammable liquid used in incendiary bombs, causing severe burns and destruction during the Vietnam War.

Emmett Till

14-year-old African American lynched in Mississippi in 1955, sparking national outrage and civil rights activism.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court decision declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Little Rock Nine (1957)

Group of African American students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, under federal protection.

Civil Disobedience

Nonviolent resistance to unjust laws; key tactic in the Civil Rights Movement.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Law banning segregation in public places and outlawing employment discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Prohibited racial discrimination in voting, eliminating literacy tests and enabling federal oversight in certain states.

March on Washington (1963)

Civil rights rally where MLK gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Selma (1965)

Voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama highlighting police brutality.

Stokely Carmichael

Civil rights activist who popularized the phrase 'Black Power.'

Martin Luther King Jr.

Baptist minister and civil rights leader advocating nonviolence.

James Earl Ray

Assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.

Malcolm X

African American Muslim minister and activist; promoted Black self-defense and pride.

Black Panthers

Radical Black political organization founded in 1966; focused on self-defense and community programs.

ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)

Proposed amendment to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex; passed Congress in 1972 but never ratified.

Stonewall (1969)

Uprising by LGBTQ+ patrons against police raids at the Stonewall Inn in NYC.

NOW (National Organization for Women)

Founded in 1966 to advocate for women's rights.

AIM (American Indian Movement)

Activist group promoting Native American rights.

UFW (United Farm Workers)

Labor union led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta advocating for better pay and conditions for farmworkers.

César Chávez

Co-founder of the UFW, known for nonviolent protests and organizing strikes/boycotts.

Rise of Conservatism

Backlash against liberal policies of the 1960s–70s, leading to Reagan's election.

Barry Goldwater

1964 Republican presidential nominee; early leader in modern conservative movement.

Richard Nixon

37th U.S. president; known for Vietnamization, détente with China and the USSR, and the Watergate scandal.

Watergate (1972–1974)

Political scandal involving a break-in at DNC headquarters and Nixon’s cover-up; led to his resignation.

Gerald Ford

38th U.S. president; pardoned Nixon, dealt with economic troubles including inflation and energy crises.

Inflation

Rapid rise in prices during the 1970s, partly due to oil embargoes and government spending.

WIN (Whip Inflation Now)

Ford’s campaign encouraging voluntary inflation-fighting actions; largely ineffective.

Helsinki Accords (1975)

Agreement among 35 nations recognizing post-WWII European borders and committing to human rights; part of détente.

Apollo 11 (1969)

First successful moon landing; astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Détente

Easing of Cold War tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union in the 1970s.

Environmental Protection

Rising public concern led to the creation of the EPA in 1970 and key laws like the Clean Air Act.

Warren Burger

Chief Justice (1969–1986); court issued important rulings on abortion (Roe v. Wade), busing, and school prayer.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide based on a woman’s right to privacy.

Title IX (1972)

Federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Jimmy Carter

39th president; known for emphasis on human rights, energy policy, and economic struggles.

Crisis of Confidence (1979)

Speech where Carter addressed America’s loss of morale; criticized for seeming to blame the public.

Camp David Accords (1978)

Peace agreement between Egypt and Israel brokered by Carter.

Iran Hostage Crisis (1979–1981)

Iranian revolutionaries seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran; 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days.

Ronald Reagan

40th president; championed conservative values, economic deregulation, and a strong anti-communist foreign policy.

New Right

Conservative movement of the 1980s focused on family values and religious faith.

Reaganomics

Economic policies emphasizing tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending to stimulate growth.

Deregulation

Reduction of government rules in industries like banking, transportation, and communications under Reagan.

Berlin Wall (Fall, 1989)

Symbol of Cold War division; its fall marked the approaching end of the Cold War.

Tiananmen Square (1989)

Chinese government violently suppressed pro-democracy protests in Beijing.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Soviet leader who implemented reforms (glasnost, perestroika) and improved U.S.-USSR relations, hastening the Cold War’s end.

Sandra Day O’Connor

First woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981 by Reagan.

Star Wars (Strategic Defense Initiative)

Reagan’s proposed missile defense system using space-based technology; never fully developed.

Iran-Contra Affair

Secret Reagan administration operation selling arms to Iran and using proceeds to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

Challenger (1986)

Space shuttle exploded shortly after launch, killing all seven crew members.

35. John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)

Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs, anti-communist, assassinated.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)

Civil Rights Act/Voting Rights Act, Great Society (war on poverty, Tet offensive), Vietnam escalation, Gulf of Tonkin.

Richard Nixon (1969–1974)

Watergate scandal, opened relations with China, EPA, resigned.

Gerald Ford (1974–1977)

Pardoned Nixon, stagflation, never elected VP or President.

Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)

Camp David Accords, Iran hostage crisis.

Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)

Reaganomics, Cold War hardliner.