Early Cold War

Cold War

A period of tension between the Soviet Union and the United States marked by political, military, and ideological rivalry.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A policy that promised U.S. economic and military assistance to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.

United Nations

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

Interstate Highway Act

A 1956 law that authorized the construction of a nationwide system of interstate highways in the United States.

Iron Curtain

A term used to describe the ideological divide between Western Europe and the Soviet bloc during the Cold War.

Suburbs

Residential areas on the outskirts of a city that grew rapidly in the post-World War II era.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy established in 1947 to provide political, military, and economic assistance to countries threatened by communism.

Baby boom

A significant increase in the birth rate following World War II, particularly in the United States.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program launched in 1948 to aid Western Europe's economic recovery after World War II.

Berlin Airlift

The U.S. and British operation to supply West Berlin by air after the Soviet blockade in 1948-1949.

Containment Policy

A foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism during the Cold War.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 between North America and European nations.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in 1955 among the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China and the leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

Korean War

A conflict between North Korea (with the support of China and the USSR) and South Korea (with U.S. and UN support) from 1950 to 1953.

38th Parallel (Korea)

The latitude line that divided North and South Korea prior to and during the Korean War.

Douglas MacArthur

A U.S. General who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II and led UN forces during the Korean War.

Sputnik

The first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities in the 1940s and 1950s.

Joseph McCarthy

A U.S. Senator known for his anti-communist investigations during the early Cold War, particularly in the 1950s.

Rosenberg Trial

The 1951 trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were accused of espionage for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

Jonas Salk

An American physician who developed the first successful polio vaccine in the 1950s.

GI Bill

A law enacted in 1944 that provided various benefits to returning World War II veterans.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The 34th President of the United States (1953-1961), who played a significant role during the Cold War.