AP US History Unit 8.1

GI Bill

provided veterans of WWII with funds for college education, unemployment insurance, and housing

Levittown

used mass production techniques to build 17,000 inexpensive homes in NY, NJ and PA. It became a symbol of the movement to the suburbs during Post war years

Security Council

Body in the UN, consisted of 15 members. There were five permanent members that had veto power: United States, Great Britain, France, China, and the Soviet Union

Communist Satellites

Central and Eastern European nations ruled by Communist dictators, most of them loyal to the Soviet Union

World Bank

initial purpose was to fund rebuilding after World War II.

Iron Curtain

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill used to  describe the Soviet Union's policy of isolating and controlling the Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe.

Containment Policy

how to contain Soviet aggression. called for a long-term, firm, and vigilant containment of the Soviet's expansion tendencies. They believed this would eventually cause them to back off their Communist ideology of world domination

NATO

military alliance, It consists of the United States, Canada, and ten European nations. Its purpose was to defend Western Europe against outside attack.

NSC-68

A 1950 secret report  that U.S must fight the Cold War by:
1) quadruple U.S. defense spending to 20% of GNP
2) form alliances with non-Communist countries
3) convince Americans that a costly arms build up was necessary for defense

McCarthyism

process of recklessly accusing people in the government and the arts of being Communists.

Baby boom

Between 1945 and 1960, 50 million people born. This generation would profoundly affect the nation's social institutions and economic life

Sunbelt

Post WWII, many Americans moved to southern states. They were attracted by a warmer climate, lower taxes, and defense-related industry jobs

Employment act 1946

progressive measures such as increased minimum wage and efforts to maintain full employment.

United Nations

worldwide organization was founded and allowed membership of all countries. Maintain international security and authorize peacekeeping missions.

Truman Doctrine

in response to a Communist-led uprising against the government in Greece and Soviet demand for some control of a water route in Turkey. In 1947, President Truman asked Congress for $400 million in economic and military aid to assist Greece and Turkey against totalitarian regimes

Marshall Plan

U.S. economic aid to help European nations revive their economies and strengthen democratic governments. This plan offered $12 billion in aid to western and southern Europe.

Berlin airlift

Soviets cut off all access by land to West Berlin. The United States flew planes in with supplies to help the people. At the same time, the U.S. sent 60 bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs to bases in England.

38th parallel

Japan gave up its former colony Korea and the country was divided along this parallel. The northern area was occupied by the Soviet forces and the south by the U.S. forces.

House Un-American activities committee

investigated Communist influence in the government and within organizations such as the Boy Scouts and Hollywood film industry. Many were called to testify before the committee and some were blacklisted.

22nd Amendment

limited a president to a maximum of two full terms in office.