apush unit 8

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, from the end of World War II in 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, marked by political, military, and ideological rivalry.

Soviet Union

A socialist state in Eastern Europe and Asia, led by the Communist Party, and the primary rival to the United States during the Cold War.

Joseph Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union from the 1920s until his death in 1953, responsible for the expansion of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and the early stages of the Cold War.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations.

Security Council

A principal organ of the United Nations, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, with permanent members (U.S., Soviet Union, UK, China, and France).

World Bank

An international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.

satellites

Refers to countries in Eastern Europe under the influence or control of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during WWII and the early Cold War, known for his opposition to Soviet expansion and his speech on the Iron Curtain.

Iron Curtain

A metaphorical division between the Soviet-controlled Eastern bloc and the Western democracies, first used by Winston Churchill in 1946.

containment policy

U.S. policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism, first articulated by George F. Kennan in 1947.

George Marshall

U.S. Secretary of State who developed the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe after WWII.

Dean Acheson

U.S. Secretary of State under Truman who played a key role in the formulation of the U.S. Cold War strategy.

George F. Kennan

U.S. diplomat and historian who developed the concept of containment to stop the spread of Soviet communism.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. policy, announced in 1947, to support countries resisting communism, specifically Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program of economic aid to Western Europe, proposed by George Marshall, to help rebuild economies after WWII and prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin airlift

A 1948–1949 operation by the U.S. and allies to supply West Berlin by air after the Soviet Union blockaded the city.

West Germany

The capitalist state established in 1949 in the western part of Germany, backed by the U.S. and its allies.

East Germany

The communist state established in 1949 in the eastern part of Germany, under Soviet control.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations to counter Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in 1955 by the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states in response to NATO.

National Security Act

A 1947 law that restructured the U.S. military and intelligence agencies, creating the CIA and the Department of Defense.

arms race

The competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to build up the largest and most powerful nuclear arsenal during the Cold War.

NSC-68

A key U.S. government document from 1950 that outlined the strategy of containment and the buildup of military forces to combat Soviet influence.

Douglas MacArthur

U.S. general who played a key role in the Pacific during WWII and later in the Korean War before being removed by President Truman.

U.S.-Japanese security treaties

Post-WWII agreements between the U.S. and Japan, including a security pact that allowed U.S. military presence in Japan.

Chiang Kai-shek

Leader of the Republic of China, supported by the U.S., who retreated to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War.

Mao Zedong

Leader of the Communist Party in China, who established the People's Republic of China in 1949 after defeating Chiang Kai-shek's forces.

Taiwan

The island where the Republic of China government, led by Chiang Kai-shek, retreated after the communist takeover of mainland China in 1949.

People’s Republic of China

The communist government established by Mao Zedong in 1949 after the defeat of the Nationalist government.

38th parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea, with the North controlled by communists and the South by a U.S.-backed government.

Kim Il-sung

The communist leader of North Korea, who initiated the Korean War by invading South Korea in 1950.

Syngman Rhee

The U.S.-backed president of South Korea during the Korean War.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 between communist North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by the U.S. and other UN forces.

John Foster Dulles

U.S. Secretary of State under Eisenhower, known for advocating an aggressive stance against the Soviet Union and communist expansion.

brinkmanship

A Cold War policy of pushing a situation to the edge of disaster (the "brink") in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome.

massive retaliation

A Cold War policy advocated by John Foster Dulles, stating that any Soviet aggression would be met with a disproportionate nuclear response.

Korean armistice

The ceasefire agreement signed in 1953 that ended the Korean War and established the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

atoms for peace

A proposal by President Eisenhower in 1953 to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, promoting the sharing of nuclear technology.

open-skies policy

A 1955 U.S. proposal to allow the U.S. and Soviet Union to conduct aerial surveillance of each other's territory to ease tensions.

spirit of Geneva

A term referring to the 1955 meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev in Geneva, which briefly thawed Cold War tensions.

Nikita Khrushchev

Leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin, known for his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and efforts to reduce Cold War tensions.

peaceful coexistence

A policy advocated by Khrushchev to live in peace with the capitalist West, despite ideological differences.

Hungarian revolt

A 1956 uprising in Hungary against Soviet control, which was crushed by Soviet forces.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, which initiated the space race.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

U.S. government agency established in 1958 to manage the nation's civilian space exploration efforts.

U-2 incident

The 1960 downing of an American U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union, which worsened U.S.-Soviet relations.

Cuba

An island nation in the Caribbean that became a focal point of Cold War tensions after Fidel Castro's communist revolution in 1959.

Fidel Castro

Leader of the Cuban Revolution and head of Cuba’s communist government, which aligned with the Soviet Union.

military-industrial complex

A term coined by President Eisenhower referring to the relationship between the military and the defense industry, which he warned could influence U.S. policy.

Bay of Pigs

A failed 1961 U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, aiming to overthrow Castro's government.

Berlin Wall

A barrier constructed in 1961 by East Germany, supported by the Soviet Union, to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin.

Cuban missile crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

A 1963 agreement between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the UK to ban nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in space.

flexible-response policy

A Cold War military strategy developed under President Kennedy, aiming for a range of military options in response to Soviet threats.

Non-Proliferation Treaty

A 1968 international treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.

Henry Kissinger

U.S. Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, known for his role in shaping foreign policy and promoting détente with the Soviet Union.

détente

A policy of easing Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, particularly during the Nixon administration.

antiballistic missiles (ABMs)

Missiles designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles, a key component of arms control agreements during the Cold War.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

Negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1970s to limit the number of nuclear weapons.

Second Red Scare

The period of intense fear of communism and its influence in the United States after World War II, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, spurred by fears of Soviet espionage and communist subversion.

Loyalty Review Board

A U.S. government agency created in 1947 to investigate the loyalty of federal employees and identify potential communist sympathizers.

Dennis et al. v. United States

A 1951 Supreme Court case in which the Court upheld the conviction of communist leaders under the Smith Act for advocating the violent overthrow of the government.

Smith Act (1940)

A law that made it a criminal offense to advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government or to belong to an organization that did.

McCarran Internal Security Act (1950)

A law that required communist organizations to register with the U.S. government and allowed for the detention of individuals deemed a threat to national security during a national emergency.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A congressional committee established in 1938 to investigate suspected disloyalty and subversive activities, particularly those related to communism.

Whittaker Chambers

A former communist party member and government official who became a key witness in the case against Alger Hiss, accusing him of espionage.

Alger Hiss

A former U.S. State Department official who was accused of being a Soviet spy in the 1940s and convicted of perjury in 1950.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

A married couple who were executed in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. Senator from Wisconsin known for his aggressive campaign against alleged communists in government and the entertainment industry during the 1950s.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unsupported accusations of communist subversion or disloyalty, particularly in the government and entertainment industries, associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist crusade.

Harry S. Truman

The 33rd President of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953, who oversaw the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.

Employment Act of 1946

A law that aimed to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power in the postwar economy, establishing the Council of Economic Advisers.

Council of Economic Advisers

A group of economists established to advise the president on economic policy and issues such as unemployment, inflation, and growth.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill of Rights or GI Bill)

A 1944 law that provided benefits for returning World War II veterans, including education, housing, and employment assistance.

Baby boom

A significant increase in birth rates following World War II, particularly from 1946 to 1964, contributing to demographic shifts and economic growth.

Levittown

Planned communities developed by William Levitt in the 1940s and 1950s, known for their mass production of affordable homes for returning veterans.

Sun Belt

A region of the United States stretching across the South and Southwest, which saw significant population growth after World War II due to its warmer climate and growing job opportunities.

22nd Amendment

A 1951 constitutional amendment that limited presidents to two terms in office, passed following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms.

Taft-Hartley Act

A 1947 law that restricted the power of labor unions by outlawing closed shops, secondary boycotts, and other union activities deemed harmful to workers’ rights.

Fair Deal

A set of domestic policies proposed by President Truman in 1949 aimed at expanding New Deal programs, including universal health insurance and civil rights.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The 34th President of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961, known for his leadership during the Cold War and his policies promoting economic prosperity.

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW)

A federal agency established in 1953 to oversee public health, education, and social services programs.

Soil-bank program

A program under President Eisenhower’s administration that paid farmers to remove land from cultivation to reduce surpluses and conserve soil.

Modern Republicanism

Eisenhower’s approach to governance that balanced conservative fiscal policy with moderate social policies, often referred to as “dynamic conservatism.”

Highway Act

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which authorized the construction of an interstate highway system to improve transportation and stimulate economic growth.

Interstate highways

A network of highways established by the Federal-Aid Highway Act to connect the nation and facilitate the movement of goods and people.

New Frontier

The set of domestic and foreign policies proposed by President John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s, aiming at advancing civil rights, space exploration, and economic growth.

Trade Expansion Act

A 1962 law that granted the president authority to negotiate international trade agreements to reduce tariffs and promote exports.

New Federalism

A political philosophy associated with President Richard Nixon that emphasized the transfer of federal responsibilities to state and local governments.

Revenue sharing

A policy introduced under Nixon that allowed state and local governments to spend federal funds with fewer restrictions, aiming to increase local control and reduce bureaucracy.

Stagflation

The economic condition during the 1970s in which high inflation and high unemployment occurred simultaneously, challenging traditional economic policy.

Television

A medium that became a central part of American life in the 1950s, influencing culture, politics, and entertainment. It revolutionized communication and entertainment, with shows reaching a broad audience.

Credit cards

Plastic cards introduced in the 1950s that allowed consumers to make purchases on credit, leading to a rise in consumer spending and a shift toward a more credit-based economy.

Fast food

The rise of national fast-food chains, such as McDonald's, in the 1950s, marked a shift toward convenience-based eating, with mass production methods and standardization.

Paperback books

Affordable books sold in softcover format that became widely popular in the 1950s, making literature more accessible to the general public.

Rock and roll

A new genre of music that emerged in the 1950s, blending rhythm and blues with country and pop, influencing youth culture and becoming a symbol of rebellion and independence.

Conglomerates

Large corporations formed by the merger of several different businesses, often across industries, which became more common in the 1950s, as businesses sought stability and growth.

The Lonely Crowd

A book by sociologist David Riesman published in 1950, which argued that postwar American society was shifting from a culture of inner-directed individuals to one of other-directed conformity.

The Affluent Society

A book by economist John Kenneth Galbraith published in 1958, which critiqued the consumer-driven affluence of 1950s America and warned of growing inequality and the lack of attention to public needs.

The Catcher in the Rye

A novel by J.D. Salinger published in 1951, telling the story of a troubled teen named Holden Caulfield, which became an iconic work of American literature representing adolescent alienation.