WWII

Benito Mussolini

The fascist dictator of Italy who ruled from 1922 to 1943 and led Italy into WWII as part of the Axis Powers.

Adolf Hitler

The dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, instigated World War II and orchestrated the Holocaust, leading to millions of deaths.

Neutrality Act of 1935

Prohibited the U.S. from selling arms or loans to nations at war, aiming to prevent U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts.

Neutrality Act of 1936

Extended the 1935 act by prohibiting U.S. loans to countries at war, reinforcing a policy of non-involvement.

Neutrality Act of 1937

Extended the arms embargo to cover civil wars, notably the Spanish Civil War, further preventing U.S. intervention.

Quarantine Speech of FDR

In his 1937 speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for economic sanctions against aggressor nations to curb the spread of fascism.

Blitzkrieg

Meaning 'lightning war,' was a rapid military strategy employed by Germany during WWII, utilizing fast-moving tanks, airplanes, and infantry.

Cash and carry

Enacted by the U.S. in 1939, allowed warring nations to buy arms from the U.S. if they paid in cash and transported the goods themselves.

Arsenal of Democracy

President Roosevelt referred to the U.S. as the 'Arsenal of Democracy,' highlighting its role as a primary supplier of arms to Allied nations during WWII.

Lend-Lease Act

1941 legislation that allowed the U.S. to supply military aid to Allied nations on credit, helping them fight Axis Powers without direct involvement.

Atlantic Charter

Signed by FDR and Winston Churchill in 1941, outlined post-WWII goals, including self-determination for nations and an international peacekeeping body.

Pearl Harbor

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, led the U.S. to enter WWII, resulting in the destruction of a significant portion of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

War Production Board

Created during WWII, directed the production of war materials and converted peacetime industries into wartime producers.

Office of Price Administration

Established during WWII, controlled inflation by setting price ceilings on goods and implementing rationing of essential resources.

Office of War Information

Responsible for creating propaganda to boost American morale and support for WWII, shaping public opinion on the war effort.

Manhattan Project

A secret U.S. project that developed the first atomic bombs, used to end the war in the Pacific by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Double V

Advocated for African Americans to achieve victory against fascism abroad and racism at home, promoting civil rights and equality.

Korematsu v US 1944

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the government's decision to intern Japanese Americans during WWII.

Internment of Japanese Americans

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, later widely criticized as a civil rights violation.

Rosie the Riveter

Symbol for women who worked in factories during WWII, helping to shift gender roles as women filled jobs traditionally held by men.

Strategic bombing

In WWII, involved targeting key infrastructure, factories, and cities to disrupt the enemy's war production, causing significant civilian casualties.

Island hopping

Military strategy used by the U.S. in the Pacific during WWII, where forces bypassed heavily fortified islands to capture strategically important ones.

Iron Curtain

Metaphor coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe during the Cold War.

Cold War

Prolonged geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, lasting from the late 1940s to 1991, marked by nuclear arms races.

Satellite nations/ Soviet bloc

Countries in Eastern Europe under Soviet control, forming the Soviet bloc, central to the Cold War's ideological struggle.

Containment

A U.S. foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism by providing aid to countries resisting communist influence.

George Kennan's Argument

An American diplomat who argued for the containment of Soviet power, suggesting the U.S. should limit communism through diplomatic means.

Truman Doctrine

Announced in 1947, U.S. policy providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism, particularly Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan

U.S. initiative that provided over $12 billion in economic aid to Western Europe to help rebuild after WWII and prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Blockade

(1948-1949) An attempt by the Soviet Union to force Allies out of West Berlin by cutting off all access to the city.

Berlin Airlift

A massive U.S. and Allied operation to supply West Berlin with food and fuel during the Soviet blockade, demonstrating commitment to Berlin.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, established in 1949, is a military alliance of Western countries aimed at countering Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

Formed in 1955, a military alliance of Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries in response to NATO, reinforcing Europe's division during the Cold War.

Arms race

Competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War to build up nuclear arsenals, leading to development of powerful weapons.

National Security Act of 1947

Established the U.S. Department of Defense, the CIA, and the National Security Council, creating a centralized military and intelligence structure.

Korean War

(1950-1953) A conflict between communist North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and non-communist South Korea, supported by the U.S.

38th parallel

Line of latitude that divides North and South Korea, established after the Korean War.

Eisenhower Doctrine

Announced in 1957, committed the U.S. to using force to protect Middle Eastern countries from communist influence.

Military-Industrial Complex

Coined by President Eisenhower, refers to the close relationship between the U.S. military and defense contractors, warning of undue influence.

Dulles's Brinkmanship

John Foster Dulles's policy during the Cold War involving pushing the Soviet Union to the brink of war to prevent the spread of communism.

MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction)

Cold War doctrine that both the U.S. and Soviet Union would face total annihilation in a nuclear war, deterring attacks.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race between the U.S. and the USSR.

Berlin Wall

Erected in 1961, a physical barrier dividing East and West Berlin, symbolizing the division between communist and capitalist Europe.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 standoff between the U.S. and Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)

Signed by the U.S., Soviet Union, and UK, prohibiting nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in space, easing Cold War tensions.

Red Scare

Periods of intense fear and suspicion of communism in the U.S., particularly during the 1920s and after WWII, leading to paranoia.

The Smith Act (1940)

Made it a criminal offense to advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government, used to prosecute suspected communists during the Red Scare.

McCarran Internal Security Act (1950)

Required communist organizations to register with the government and imposed restrictions, contributing to the climate of fear during the Red Scare.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

Congressional committee investigating alleged communist influence in the U.S., leading to blacklisting of many individuals.

Rosenberg Case

Involved the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for allegedly spying for the Soviet Union, symbolizing Cold War espionage fears.

McCarthyism

Refers to Senator Joseph McCarthy's campaign in the 1950s to expose suspected communists in the U.S., often based on flimsy evidence.

Employment Act of 1946

Aimed to promote full employment, production, and purchasing power in the U.S., establishing the Council of Economic Advisers.

GI Bill

Passed in 1944, provided WWII veterans with benefits such as financial aid for education and housing, contributing to the middle class.

Baby Boom

Significant increase in U.S. birth rates from 1946 to 1964, marking a period of demographic expansion and social change.

Levittown

A suburban community built after WWII known for affordable homes, becoming a model for suburban development in post-war America.

Sun Belt

U.S. region from the South to West, experiencing population growth and economic development after WWII due to a warmer climate.

22nd Amendment (1951)

Ratified in 1951, limits U.S. presidents to two terms in office, ensuring no president can hold the office for more than eight years.

Taft-Hartley Act

Of 1947, restricted activities and power of labor unions, limiting ability to strike and requiring union leaders to declare they were not communists.

Fair Deal

President Harry Truman's proposal to expand social welfare programs, though many initiatives were blocked by Congress.

Modern Republicanism

Promoted by President Eisenhower, balancing conservative fiscal policies with liberal social programs, advocating for smaller federal government.

Interstate Highway Act of 1956

Authorized construction of a nationwide system of highways, facilitating suburban growth and transportation of goods and people.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

U.S. dropped atomic bombs on these cities in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender and ending WWII, causing immense civilian casualties.

Big Three

The leaders of the U.S., Soviet Union, and Britain during WWII: FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, who made key wartime decisions.

Yalta Conference

1945 meeting between the Big Three to discuss post-WWII issues, including the establishment of the United Nations and the future of Europe.

United Nations

Founded in 1945, an international organization aimed at promoting peace, security, and cooperation among member states after WWII.

NASA

Established in 1958, the U.S. agency responsible for space exploration and research, driving the space race during the Cold War.

Fidel Castro

Communist leader of Cuba from 1959 until 2008, whose regime led to tensions with the U.S. and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Bay of Pigs

Failed U.S.-backed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro in 1961, embarrassing the U.S. and solidifying Castro's power in Cuba.