Cold War

Cold War

1945 - 1991 A state of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union without actual fighting, which divided the world into two camps.

Berlin Wall

a concrete and wire barrier that separated East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was built by the government of what was then East Germany to keep East Berliners from defecting to the West.

containment

to restrict expansion of communism

Domino Theory

1950s and 1960s a theory suggested that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also start to fall to communism (imagine falling dominos).

stalemate

no winner, a draw or tie

38th Parallel

38° N in East Asia that separates communist North Korea and democratic South Korea.

arms race

a competition between the US and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons

space race

competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to be the first to land a man on the moon was a contest to gain technological superiority

blockade

to seal off a place in order to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.

Cuban Missile Crisis

a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1962 over the presence of missile sites in Cuba; one of the "hottest" periods of the Cold War.

Korean War

South Korea and the United States resisted Chinese and North Korean aggression. The war ended in a stalemate.

Vietnam War

The United States supported South Vietnam to protect it from communism in North Vietnam. Not all Americans supported US involvement. The conflict ended in a cease-fire agreement in which U.S. troops withdrew.

Communism

a system of government in which the state controls the economy, and a small group (or individual) governs the country

Capitalism

an economic system based on supply and demand; people and the government own businesses

Baby Boomers

The 78 million people born during the baby boom, following World War II and lasting until the early 1960s

partition

divide into parts

GI Bill

law passed in 1944 to help returning veterans buy homes and pay for higher educations

United Nations

An international organization formed after WWII to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.