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NSC-68
A National Security Council document, approved by President Truman in 1950, developed in response to the Soviet Union's growing influence and nuclear capability; it called for an increase in the US conventional and nuclear forces to carry out the policy of containment.
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Berlin Blockade
The blockade was a Soviet attempt to starve out the allies in Berlin in order to gain supremacy. The blockade was a high point in the Cold War, and it led to the Berlin Airlift.
Truman Doctrine (1947)
Stated that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to resist internal left-wing movements and prevent them from falling into the Soviet sphere. Early example of application of "containment" doctrine.
Korean Conflict (1950-1953)
The conflict involved the communist North, supported by USSR and China, and the democratic South, supported by U.S. and UN forces, and ended in a stalemate.
Berlin Crisis 1947
Occurred when the countries controlling the zones in western Germany decided to unite them; Stalin had other plans.
Long Telegram (1946)
The message written by George Kennan to Truman urging the United States to focus on containing the spread of Soviet influence.
Soviet A-Bomb
Refers to the testing of the first USSR atomic test bomb in August 1949, continuing the arms race between the Soviets and the US.
Containment
A U.S. foreign policy adopted by President Harry Truman in the late 1940s, aimed at stopping the spread of communism by creating alliances and helping weak countries.
Marshall Plan
A plan for aiding European nations in economic recovery after World War II to stabilize and rebuild their countries and prevent the spread of communism.
Soviet Bloc
The Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries that installed Communist regimes after World War II and were dominated by the Soviet Union.
Domino Theory
The US theory that if one country fell to Communism, then others would follow.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an alliance made to defend one another if attacked by another country.
The American Century
Characterization of the period since the mid-20th century as being dominated by the United States in political, economic, and cultural terms.
"Iron Curtain" speech, 1946
Speech delivered by Winston Churchill calling for an alliance of the American people against communism.
Truman Doctrine
A U.S. policy announced by President Harry Truman providing economic and military aid to free nations threatened by internal or external opponents.
China and Mao Tse-tung
Chairman of the People's Republic of China from 1949 to 1959, leading the Chinese Communist Party until his death.
Ho Chi Minh
Communist leader of North Vietnam; used guerrilla warfare to fight anti-communist attacks supported by the U.S.
Battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954)
Military engagement in which French forces were defeated by Viet Minh nationalists, leading to the end of French colonial involvement in Indochina.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)
Joint resolution passed by Congress allowing U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson to use military force in Southeast Asia without a formal declaration of war.
Alger Hiss
Former State Department official accused of being a Communist spy and convicted of perjury, with Richard Nixon prosecuting.
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
American communists executed for conspiracy to commit espionage concerning the atomic bomb.
Whittaker Chambers
TIME magazine editor who confessed to spying for the Soviet Union and named fellow spies.
McCarran Act of 1950
Made it illegal to advocate for a totalitarian government; restricted employment and travel for those associated with Communist organizations.
Bay of Pigs
Failed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, leading to increased tension between the U.S. and Cuba.
HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)
Committee responsible for identifying and rooting out communists in American government and society.
CPUSA
The Communist Party of the USA; appealing to blacks for its focus on class rather than race.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
A major Cold War confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, reaching the closest approach to nuclear war.
Senator Joseph McCarthy
Claimed to have a list of communists in government; became a symbol of post-WWII anti-communist hysteria.
"Hollywood Ten"/"blacklist"
The Hollywood Ten were cited for contempt of Congress; the blacklist included names of individuals barred from employment due to alleged Communist ties.
1960 election
John F. Kennedy won against Richard Nixon, aided by the civil rights issue and a favorable television appearance.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
New Frontier
Campaign program by JFK in the 1960 election focusing on economic revitalization and social reforms.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Legislation designed to overcome legal barriers preventing African Americans from voting.
The Great Society, 1964-65
LBJ’s social reform initiatives aiming to eliminate poverty and racial injustice; included Medicare and Medicaid.
AIM
American Indian Movement; demanded greater rights for Native Americans and sometimes used violence to make their point.
Emmett Till (1955)
Murdered at 14 for allegedly whistling at a white woman; his death galvanized the Civil Rights Movement.
James Meredith (1962)
First African American student at the University of Mississippi; his enrollment sparked violent riots and government intervention.
Cesar Chavez
Labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.
Rosa Parks
Civil rights leader whose refusal to give up a bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
March on Washington (1963)
Political rally where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech advocating for civil rights.
Betty Friedan
Feminist writer best known for her book "The Feminine Mystique" which sparked the Second Wave of feminism.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Organization founded by MLK Jr. to lead the nonviolent civil rights movement.
Malcolm X
Civil rights activist who advocated for Black nationalism and was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam.
Rachel Carson
Biologist and environmentalist known for her opposition to pesticides harmful to wildlife.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Prominent civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent protests against racial discrimination.
Bloody Sunday
1905 event where guards fired on peaceful Russian protesters, killing hundreds.
Stonewall
Referencing actions taken to resist cooperation with authorities, significant in LGBTQ+ rights movement.
1960 Greensboro sit-ins
Peaceful protests by black students demanding service at segregated lunch counters.
Redlining
Banks refused mortgage loans based on geographical boundaries, affecting minority communities.
Freedom Rides/CORE
Initiatives by the Congress of Racial Equality to challenge segregation through bus rides into the South.
SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
Student-led group that emerged from the sit-in movement, advocating for civil rights.
Kent State
Site of violent protests where four students were killed by National Guardsmen.
Tet Offensive
1968 attacks by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnamese New Year, affecting public perception of the Vietnam War.
Vietnamization
Nixon's strategy for ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam through troop withdrawal and support for South Vietnamese forces.
Cold War Pledge (JFK)
Kennedy's campaign promise to restore American strength during the Cold War.
communist party usa
Radical political party advocating for the overthrow of capitalism; never had a large membership.
Charles Wright Mills
Sociologist known for promoting the concept of sociological imagination.
David Reisman
Author of "The Lonely Crowd"; identified personality types in society.
Levittown
First mass-produced suburb in the U.S., representing postwar suburban development.
Richard Hofstadter
Historian who analyzed the dynamics of Jacksonian democracy in relation to capitalism.
Emmet Till
Chicago boy murdered in Mississippi in 1955, his case sparked national outrage over civil rights.
Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1963)
MLK's letter defending nonviolent protest against segregation and racism.
sclc
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, led by MLK to organize resistance to segregation.
Stonewall Riots (1969)
Clashes between police and LGBTQ+ patrons at the Stonewall Inn, marking a pivotal moment in the gay rights movement.
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