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63 Terms
1
Tet Offensive
In January 1968 a massive coordinated attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces shocked the public and was widely broadcast by the media while eroding trust in official optimistic reports
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2
Counterculture
A 1960s–1970s movement resisting mainstream society and epitomized by events like Woodstock that reshaped social norms and challenged traditional values
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3
Servicemens Readjustment Act
1944 law providing WWII veterans with benefits (tuition, housing, loans) to ease their transition to civilian life and boost the post-war economy
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4
The Cold War
A period of geopolitical tension (c. 1947–1991) between the U.S. and the USSR marked by ideological conflict, an arms race, and proxy wars
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5
Containment
A U.S. Cold War strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism by supporting allies and intervening in regional conflicts
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6
Domino Theory
The idea that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow, justifying U.S. intervention in regions like Southeast Asia
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7
Truman Doctrine
A 1947 policy pledging U.S. support to countries resisting communism, launching American Cold War intervention efforts
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8
Euro Recovery Program
Also known as the Marshall Plan (1948), a program providing economic aid to rebuild Western European economies and prevent communist influence
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9
Berlin Blockade
In 1948 the USSR blocked access to West Berlin to force Allied withdrawal, an act that backfired with the subsequent airlift
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10
Berlin Airlift
A 1948–1949 operation where Western Allies flew supplies into West Berlin after the Soviet blockade, symbolizing resistance to communism
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11
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, established in 1949 as a military alliance for collective defense against potential Soviet aggression
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12
Executive Order 9835
Issued in 1947 it established a loyalty program to root out communist influence in the U.S. government during the early Cold War
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13
Military-Industrial Complex
A term warning of the close, influential relationship between the military, government, and defense industry that may drive excessive spending
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14
Sputnik
The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the USSR in 1957, which spurred the U.S. to accelerate its investment in science and technology
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15
Accelerated Suburban Growth
The rapid post-WWII expansion of suburbs reflecting economic prosperity, increased housing demand, and changing lifestyles
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16
Great Society
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1960s set of programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice through reforms in education, healthcare, and civil rights
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17
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Landmark legislation outlawing segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin to advance equality
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18
Civil Rights Act of 1968
Also known as the Fair Housing Act it prohibited discrimination in housing, expanding access and opportunities for minorities
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19
24th Amendment
Ratified in 1964 it abolished the poll tax in federal elections, removing financial barriers to voting
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20
Bloody Sunday
The 1965 Selma, Alabama event where peaceful civil rights marchers were violently confronted, galvanizing support for voting rights reform
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21
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Critical legislation that outlawed discriminatory voting practices, significantly expanding ballot access for African Americans
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22
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
A 1964 congressional resolution granting President Johnson authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam following alleged attacks
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23
Vietnamization
A 1969 policy under President Nixon to shift combat responsibilities to South Vietnamese forces in an effort to reduce American troop involvement
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24
Antiwar Movement
A growing opposition in the late 1960s and early 1970s marked by events such as the Kent State and Jackson State shootings that united diverse groups against the Vietnam War
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25
Pentagon Papers
A 1971 leaked classified study exposing decades of U.S. government missteps in Vietnam that fueled debate on transparency and deepened public distrust
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26
End of U.S. Engagement in the Vietnam War
The 1973 Paris Peace Accords that signaled a costly retreat from Vietnam and reshaped U.S. military strategy
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27
Korean War
A 1950–1953 conflict sparked by North Korean communist aggression that prompted U.S. intervention under the containment policy and set a precedent for Cold War actions
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28
McCarran Act
A 1950 law requiring the registration of communist organizations and imposing strict measures against suspected activities that deepened Cold War mistrust
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29
in god we trust
The 1954 adoption of a national motto using religious language to counter communist atheism while reinforcing American identity and unity
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30
Space Race
A late 1950s competition between the U.S. and USSR to achieve space exploration milestones that accelerated scientific innovation and symbolized ideological rivalry
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31
Arms Race
A 1950s–1960s competition to develop superior nuclear and conventional weapons that escalated global tensions and shaped Cold War military strategies
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32
Rust Belt
Declining industrial centers in the Northeast and Midwest that experienced economic downturn after World War II
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33
Sun Belt
Economically dynamic and warmer Southern regions that attracted post–World War II migration and spurred regional growth
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34
Rural to Urban
The postwar trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of better jobs and modern lifestyles that accelerated urban growth and modernization
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35
Baby Boom
The dramatic surge in birth rates from 1946 to 1964 that fueled suburban expansion and transformed America’s social and economic landscape
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36
Beat Generation
A 1950s literary movement embracing nonconformity and spontaneous expression that challenged mainstream norms and inspired future cultural revolutions
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37
Rock and Roll
A 1950s music genre that fused rhythm and blues with country and became a symbol of youthful rebellion and innovation
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38
American Pop Culture
The global spread and influence of American cultural products during the Cold War that reshaped societal norms and reinforced soft power
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39
Kitchen Debate
The 1959 exchange between Nixon and Khrushchev using a model kitchen to symbolize consumer modernity and ideological contest
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40
American Dream
The Cold War vision of prosperity and success underscored by consumer culture and suburban living as markers of freedom
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41
Nikita Khrushchev
The Soviet leader from 1953 to 1964 known for his role in Cold War politics and for engaging in public exchanges that contrasted Soviet and American policies
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42
Viet Minh
An early anti-colonial movement led by Ho Chi Minh that fought French colonial rule and evolved into a Cold War proxy force
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43
Viet Cong
Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam determined to overthrow the American‑backed regime during the Vietnam War
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44
My Lai Massacre
The 1968 atrocity in which U.S. troops killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in South Vietnam that intensified antiwar protests and moral outrage
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45
Credibility Gap
The late 1960s discrepancy between official government statements and the grim realities of the Vietnam War that eroded public trust
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46
Tinker vs Des Moines
The 1969 Supreme Court decision upholding students’ First Amendment rights and empowering youth activism amid political dissent
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47
War Powers Act
The 1973 law that limited the President’s ability to deploy military forces without Congressional approval, reasserting legislative control over war-making
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48
Army Master Sgt Raul “Roy” Perez Benavidez
A celebrated Vietnam War hero awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary valor under fire that symbolized personal sacrifice amid conflict
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49
Silent Majority
A term coined in 1969 describing the large, unexpressed group of Americans who supported government policies, reflecting deep political divides
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50
Franklin D Roosevelt
The U.S. President from 1933 to 1945 whose New Deal reforms transformed federal intervention in society during the Great Depression
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51
Lyndon B Johnson
The U.S. President from 1963 to 1969 who launched the Great Society by enacting sweeping reforms in civil rights, healthcare, and education
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52
New Deal
A series of 1933 programs and reforms aimed at economic recovery during the Great Depression that redefined the federal government’s role
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53
Medicare
The 1965 federal health insurance program for seniors that increased access to healthcare and improved quality of life
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54
Medicaid
The 1965 joint federal-state program providing health coverage to low-income individuals and families that reduced economic barriers to healthcare
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55
Immigration Act of 1965
The law that abolished racially based quotas, modernizing U.S. immigration policy and diversifying the nation’s demographics
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56
Democratic Convention of 1968
A contentious event marked by fierce debates over the Vietnam War and social change that underscored deep societal divisions
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57
26th Amendment
Ratified in 1971 to lower the voting age from 21 to 18, expanding democratic participation and empowering young voters
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58
Selective Service System
The reinstated draft during the Vietnam War that required U.S. males to register for military service and sparked widespread protest
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59
Mario Savio
The influential figure of the 1964 Berkeley Free Speech Movement known for impassioned speeches advocating student rights and civil liberties
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60
Young Americans for Freedom
The conservative youth organization founded in 1960 that promoted traditional values and free enterprise while contributing to ideological polarization
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61
Students for a Democratic Society
The radical student group from the early 1960s that advocated for participatory democracy and social justice, fueling antiwar and civil rights movements
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62
Summer of Love
The 1967 event in San Francisco where thousands embraced peace, music, and alternative lifestyles as a symbol of countercultural unity
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63
Weathermen
The radical faction of leftist activists formed in 1969 that adopted militant tactics against government policies, highlighting divisions within the protest movement