1960

Iron Curtain

A term coined by Winston Churchill referring to the division between Eastern (Soviet-controlled) and Western (democratic) Europe during the Cold War.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy initiative under President Harry Truman that aimed to contain the spread of communism by providing assistance to threatened countries.

Marshall Plan

An American initiative to aid Western Europe in rebuilding after WWII by providing economic assistance to prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift

A military operation in 1948-1949 where the Allies supplied West Berlin with food and fuel after it was blockaded by the Soviet Union.

Korean War

A war between North Korea and South Korea from 1950-1953 resulting in a stalemate and the establishment of the DMZ.

Douglas MacArthur

A U.S. general who led U.N. forces in the Korean War until he was dismissed by President Truman.

HUAC

House Un-American Activities Committee; a U.S. Congressional committee that investigated alleged communist influence.

Hollywood 10

A group of film industry professionals blacklisted after refusing to testify before HUAC.

Lavender Scare

A period in the 1950s when the U.S. government purged suspected homosexuals from government positions.

Alger Hiss

A former U.S. State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy, convicted of perjury in 1950.

Rosenbergs

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, American citizens executed for espionage for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unsupported accusations of communism in the 1950s, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, igniting fears of Soviet technological superiority.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy statement promising assistance to Middle Eastern countries facing communist threats.

U-2

A U.S. spy plane shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960, worsening U.S.-Soviet relations.

1956 Hungary

A nationwide revolt against Soviet control that was crushed by Soviet forces.

1956 Poland

A period of unrest in Poland where workers and intellectuals sought more freedom and reform.

CIA activities in the '50s

Covert operations by the CIA, including coups in Iran and Guatemala, to counter communist influence.

Hydrogen bomb

A powerful thermonuclear weapon developed by the U.S. in 1952, escalating the arms race.

Brinkmanship

A foreign policy approach where the U.S. pushed dangerous situations to the brink of war.

Dixiecrats

A political faction that split from the Democratic Party in 1948 over civil rights issues.

Levittown

The first mass-produced suburban community built in the late 1940s, symbolizing post-WWII suburban growth.

White flight/urban poor

Migration of white middle-class families to suburbs, often leaving poorer minority communities behind.

Franchise

A business model allowing others to use a company's brand and sell its products, gaining prominence in the 1950s.

Conglomerate

A large corporation made up of smaller companies in diverse industries, often formed in the 1950s.

Consumerism

The belief that personal happiness is achieved through purchasing goods and services, booming post-WWII.

Beatniks

A group of 1950s writers and artists rejecting conventional society, advocating for personal freedom.

Duck and Cover

A civil defense tactic taught to children during the Cold War for protection against nuclear attacks.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist countries in Eastern Europe, created in response to NATO in 1955.

NATO

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S., Canada, and Western European countries.

GI Bill

A law providing WWII veterans with benefits to help them achieve the American Dream.

Betty Friedan/Feminine Mystique

Betty Friedan’s 1963 book challenging traditional roles of women, sparking the second-wave feminist movement.

50s conformity

The social trend in 1950s America emphasizing uniformity in lifestyle and values.

Rock and roll

A genre of music that became popular in the 1950s, associated with youth rebellion and cultural shifts.

Loyalty Review Boards

Investigations set up by the U.S. government to root out communist sympathizers in federal positions.