Cold War through the Korean War

These flashcards cover key concepts, events, and terms related to the Cold War, as discussed in lecture notes.

Cold War

The hostile but nonviolent struggle for power between the United States and the Soviet Union from the end of World War II to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Yalta Conference

A conference held in February 1945 with Allied leaders to discuss post-war reorganization.

Potsdam Conference

A conference in July and August 1945 for Allied leaders to finalize post-World War II plans for Europe.

Proletariat

The working class in a society.

Collectivism

An economic system where the people jointly own the means of production and distribution.

Superpowers

Nations that are powerful enough to influence or control less powerful states.

Containment

The U.S. foreign policy aimed at restricting the expansion of Soviet influence after World War II.

Atomic energy

The power released by a nuclear reaction.

UN Atomic Energy Commission

A panel established by the United Nations in 1946 to propose controls on atomic energy.

Iron Curtain

The ideological barrier between Eastern and Western Europe from 1945 to 1990.

Hegemony

The dominating influence of one country or group over others.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy established in 1947 providing aid to countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. plan to aid Europe's economic recovery post-World War II by providing funds.

Berlin Blockade

The Soviet blockade of Berlin from 1948 to 1949 to force Allied nations to abandon plans for a democratic West German state.

Coup d'état

The sudden overthrow of a government by violent means.

Satellite nations

Countries under the control of another country.

NATO

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S. and several Western nations for collective security.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in response to NATO in 1955, involving the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc allies.

Korean War

A war from 1950 to 1953 between North and South Korea, with U.S. and UN support for the South.

Demilitarized zone (DMZ)

An area where military forces are prohibited, often along the border of conflicting states.

Third World

Nations that gained independence from colonialism post-World War II and are not aligned with the West or East.

Covert action

Secret operations aimed to shape events in a foreign country supporting a nation's foreign policy.

Arms race

A competition among nations to achieve superior weapons arsenals.

H-bomb

A hydrogen bomb, more powerful than an atomic bomb, first tested by the U.S. in 1952.

Brinkmanship

A foreign policy strategy of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge of war.

Deterrence

A military strategy to prevent adversaries from attacking by developing a powerful weapons arsenal.

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

The principle that both superpowers would respond to a nuclear attack, preventing the Cold War from escalating to a hot war.

Communist sympathizers

Individuals who support communist ideology without being formal members of the Communist Party.

Subversion

Actions intended to overthrow a government.

Loyalty oaths

Pledges of loyalty to an organization or nation.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A U.S. House committee that investigated subversive organizations from 1938 to 1975.

Incriminate

To provide evidence that suggests someone is guilty.

Contempt of Congress

The willful failure to obey Congressional authority.

Blacklist

A list of people suspected of wrongdoing and excluded from opportunities.

Alger Hiss case

A court case involving Alger Hiss accused of espionage, fueling the fear of subversion.

Perjury

The act of lying under oath.

Rosenberg trial

The 1951 trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg charged with espionage, leading to their execution.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unsubstantiated accusations of subversion, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Censured

To formally reprimand or scold someone.

Atomic Age

The period characterized by the development and use of atomic weapons.

Civil defense

The organization training citizens for protection during a war or disaster.

Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA)

A federal agency created in 1951 to prepare Americans for potential nuclear threats.