Unit 7 Study Guide: Cold War, Civil Rights, and Vietnam (1946–1974)

A collection of flashcards covering key terms, concepts, and figures from the Cold War, Civil Rights era, and the Vietnam War.

GI Bill (1944)

Federal law providing veterans with education, housing loans, and job training benefits.

Suburbanization / Levittowns

Mass migration from cities to planned suburban communities, transforming American life.

Baby Boom

Dramatic rise in birth rates after WWII, creating a massive generation that influenced counterculture and protests.

Iron Curtain

Churchill's term for the ideological and physical divide between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.

Containment

U.S. foreign policy strategy to prevent the spread of communism beyond its existing borders.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

Truman's pledge to support free peoples resisting communist takeover, marking the start of U.S. intervention.

Marshall Plan (1948)

U.S. program providing economic aid to rebuild war-torn Western Europe, preventing economic desperation.

NATO / Warsaw Pact

Military alliances dividing the world into armed camps during the Cold War.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)

Nuclear deterrence doctrine where a nuclear attack would lead to mutual destruction.

McCarthyism

Campaign of accusations against suspected communists, creating a climate of fear and suspicion.

Sputnik

Soviet satellite launched in 1957, triggering U.S. fears of technological inferiority.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

13-day standoff over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, the closest the world came to nuclear war.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops and transfer combat responsibility to South Vietnam.

Search and Destroy

U.S. military tactic aiming to eliminate enemy forces, often resulting in civilian casualties.

Body Count Strategy

Measuring success by enemy soldiers killed, a flawed metric that ignored civilian deaths.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Massive surprise attack by North Vietnam, shocking Americans and turning public opinion against the war.

Pentagon Papers (1971)

Leaked study revealing government deception about the Vietnam War, leading to public distrust.

Kent State Shootings (1970)

National Guard killed 4 student protesters, galvanizing the anti-war movement.

The Counterculture

1960s youth movement rejecting mainstream values and embracing anti-war activism and experimentation.

Watergate Scandal (1972–74)

Nixon's campaign break-in and cover-up that destroyed public trust in government.

Saturday Night Massacre (1973)

Nixon's firing of the special prosecutor investigating Watergate, accelerating impeachment proceedings.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Leader of the nonviolent civil rights movement, known for his marches and 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Malcolm X

Advocated for Black self-defense and nationalism; later moderated views.

Little Rock Nine

Nine Black students who integrated Little Rock Central High School under federal protection.

Ho Chi Minh

Communist leader of North Vietnam and nationalist hero to many Vietnamese.

Viet Cong (VC)

Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam utilizing jungle warfare.

Daniel Ellsberg

Defense analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers to the press.

Credibility gap

Discrepancy between government claims and reality, especially in relation to the Vietnam War.

Flawed metrics in Vietnam

Body counts did not adequately measure success regarding territory or public support.