US History Semester 2 Part 2 note cards

Bay of Pigs

The US’s plan to use 1500 Cuban Exiles to invade Cuba and start a rebellion against the communist government. After the rebels set up an American-supported rival government, Castro will face uprisings from the thousands of Cubans who oppose communism.

Fidel Castro

The communist leader of Cuba who came into power after his own rebellion. Had close ties and connections to the USSR leading to US fear.

Cuban Missile Crisis

USSR had been shipping nuclear warheads to Cuba for months alongside soldiers and other military equipment.

Nikita Khrushchev

The USSR premier who smuggled missiles into Cuba causing the Cuban Missile Crisis, loved Fidel Castro a lot

John F Kennedy

An extremely good and popular president of the USA, presidency referred to as “camelot” because it was magical. Created Peace Corps, was a war hero in the Navy, and was the 1st Catholic president. Assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

Lee Harvey Oswald

The assassin who killed JFK without being part of any known conspiracies, acted solely alone. All evidence points to him as the sole killer, especially his mental issues.

Jack Ruby

The man who ended up shooting and killing Oswald after JFK’s assassination, also found to have acted alone but potential ties to the mafia.

Zapruder Film

The only known film of the Kennedy Assassination shot by Zapruder.

Ho Chi Minh

Vietnamese nationalist fighting for independence since the end of WWI. He also embraces communism. Vietnam is occupied by Japan during WWII. US backs Vietnam remaining a colony to France.

Ngo Dinh Diem

The ruler of South Vietnam resented by Buddhists due to persecuting laws against them since he was a Catholic.

Domino Theory

If a country turned communist, so would the neighboring countries alongside it.

Vietcong

Communist forces found in South Vietnam who waged a guerilla war against South Vietnam

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1964 Congressional resolution that authorized President Johnson to commit US troops to South Vietnam to fight a war against North Vietnam.

Agent Orange

Herbicide used by the US military during the Vietnam war to eliminate jungle cover. Named for the orange-striped barrels in which it was stored. Exposing about 2.6 million US Service members and 2.1-4.8 million Vietnamese. Has many negative short and long term effects like birth defects

Napalm

Jellied gasoline dropped in canisters that explode on impact and cover large areas in flame; dropped by US planes during the Vietnam war.

Split-Screen Culture

You have 2 sides, one which tells the true story and the other what we see

Hawk

Person who supported US involvement in the Vietnam War

Dove

Person who opposed US involvement in the Vietnam War

Draft

The way the US got soldiers to fight in Vietnam, if they said no they would be arrested. There were ways to get out of serving like Conscientious Objector (due to religious beliefs I cant kill) or deferment (ill do it later)

Credibilty Gap

A difference between what a person claims and what the obvious truth is, found notably in the Watergate Scandal

TET Offensive

The big show/attack of the VC, losing American prestige and morale and ended the war in essentially a tie. Johnson won’t run again

Vietnamization

US combat forces slowly withdrew from Vietnam, transferring duties to the South Vietnamese. Nixon authorized expansion of the war into Cambodia without letting people know.

Kent State

College in Ohio where after many protests over Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia and Nixon calling college students “bums”, 4 students were shot and killed by the national guard.

Pentagon Papers

Papers that got revealed that showed the US government knew they should not have gone to Vietnam and kept fighting but still did anyways

Paris Peace Accords

Agreement ended in January 1973, cease fire, withdraw of US troops, return of POW’s, allowing the North Vietnamese to remain in South Vietnam. The negotiators earned Nobel Peace Prizes in 1973. “peace with honor”

War Powers Act

Restricted the president’s war making powers by forcing him to consult Congress within 48 hours. A congressional attempt to check the growth of power in the “imperial presidency”.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

This event marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War and the USSR. Happened because leaders trusted each other and allowed demonstrations to happen

German Unification

East Germany and West Germany unified again into Germany causing minor fear in UK and France out of fear of another WW, but Germany was peaceful

Columbine Shooting

The deadliest mass school shooting that occurred in Colorado caused by a psychopathic kid and a depressed kid.