APUSH Chapter 27 Terms

Iron Curtain

Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the Cold War divide between western Europe and the Soviet Union.

Containment

U.S. Cold War strategy that sought to prevent global Soviet expansion and influence through political, economic, and, if necessary, pressure as a means of combatting the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

A foreign policy established in 1947 by President Harry Truman, pledging to provide military and economic assistance to countries resisting communism, particularly Greece and Turkey.

Marshalll Plan

U.S. program providing aid to rebuild Western European economies after World War II to prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift

The U.S. response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948-1949, which involved airlifting supplies to West Berliners to sustain their needs and thwart communism.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

An intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries for mutual defense against aggression.

National Security Act

A 1947 law that established the Department of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency, aimed at reorganizing the U.S. military and intelligence community.

Taft-Hartley Labor Act

A 1947 U.S. labor law that restricted the power of labor unions, promoting the right to work and limiting closed shops.

Fair Deal

A series of proposals put forth by President Harry Truman aimed at expanding social welfare programs and civil rights, as well as promoting economic growth after World War II.

Dixiecrats

A political party formed in 1948 by Southern Democrats who opposed civil rights reforms and promoted states' rights.

NSC-68

A key national security policy document created in 1950 during the Cold War, which advocated for a significant increase in military spending and a strategy of containment against the Soviet Union.

House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)

A committee established in 1938 that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities among private citizens, public employees, and organizations in the United States, mainly focused on communism during the Cold War.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unfair allegations and accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy, particularly during the early 1950s.