Mid-20th Century American History Review

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from mid-20th century American history, focusing on the Cold War, civil rights movements, and significant legislation.

Containment

A strategy to prevent the expansion of communism, established by George Kennan.

Truman Doctrine

President Truman's commitment to provide aid to countries threatened by communism, first applied to Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan

A US program providing $13 billion in aid to help rebuild Western Europe after WWII.

Domino Theory

The idea that the fall of one nation to communism would lead to the fall of neighboring nations.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a coalition formed in 1949 to deter Soviet aggression.

Iron Curtain

Winston Churchill's term for the divide between communist East and democratic West in Europe.

Berlin Airlift

The US and UK's operation to supply West Berlin after the USSR blocked land access from 1948 to 1949.

Korean War

Conflict from 1950 to 1953 where US-led UN forces defended South Korea against North Korea.

National Security Act of 1947

Legislation that created the Department of Defense, CIA, and National Security Council.

Joseph McCarthy

Senator known for leading the Red Scare in the 1950s, making unfounded accusations of communism.

GI Bill

Legislation providing veterans with mortgage support and funding for education, boosting the middle class.

Levittowns

Suburban developments created by William Levitt using mass-production techniques.

Postwar Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates between 1946 and 1964.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

The first federal civil rights law since Reconstruction, establishing a Civil Rights Commission.

Brown v. Board of Education

The 1954 Supreme Court decision declaring that segregated educational facilities are inherently unequal.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A year-long protest against bus segregation, sparked by Rosa Parks and led to Martin Luther King Jr.'s rise.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that prohibited discrimination in public places and employment based on various factors.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Law that abolished literacy tests and enhanced federal oversight to ensure African American voting rights.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Legislation granting President Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam without a war declaration.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack during the Vietnam War in 1968 that shifted public opinion against US involvement.

Great Society

LBJ's domestic agenda aimed at ending poverty and racial injustice, including programs like Medicare.

Watergate Scandal

A political scandal involving a break-in and cover-up that led to Nixon's resignation in 1974.