U8 APUSH Vocabulary

Soviet Union

Communist superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War, seeking to expand its influence globally through ideology and military alliances.

Security Council

The most powerful body of the United Nations, tasked with maintaining international peace and security, with five permanent members holding veto power.

Satellite States

Eastern European countries under Soviet control during the Cold War, used as a buffer zone against Western influence and NATO.

Iron Curtain

Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the ideological and physical division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe during the Cold War.

George F. Kennan

American diplomat who authored the 'Long Telegram,' advocating for the containment of Soviet expansion and shaping U.S. Cold War policy.

Containment Policy

U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism by countering Soviet influence through economic, political, and military measures.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. foreign policy pledging support for nations resisting communism, initially providing aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent Soviet expansion.

George C. Marshall

U.S. Secretary of State who proposed the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan

U.S. economic aid program providing $13 billion to rebuild war-torn Europe, strengthen democratic governments, and counter Soviet influence.

Berlin Airlift

U.S.-led operation to supply West Berlin with food and goods during the Soviet blockade in 1948–1949, demonstrating American commitment to resisting communism.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Military alliance formed in 1949 between Western nations to provide collective security against Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

Soviet-led military alliance of Eastern Bloc nations formed in 1955 as a counterbalance to NATO.

National Security Act

1947 legislation restructuring U.S. defense, creating the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Security Council (NSC).

Douglas MacArthur

U.S. general who oversaw Japan's postwar reconstruction, democratization, and economic recovery after World War II.

Mao Zedong

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party who established the People's Republic of China in 1949 after defeating the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War.

Korean War

1950–1953 conflict between communist North Korea and democratic South Korea, ending in a stalemate.

38th Parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea established after World War II and reinforced after the Korean War.

Stalemate

The outcome of the Korean War, with no clear victory and the continued division of Korea along the 38th Parallel.

Brinkmanship

Cold War policy of pushing conflicts to the edge of war to force concessions, exemplified by the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Spirit of Geneva

1955 summit between U.S. and Soviet leaders signaling a temporary thaw in Cold War tensions during Eisenhower's presidency.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet leader who pursued de-Stalinization, led during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and promoted Soviet advancements in space exploration.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, sparking the Space Race and U.S. fears of Soviet technological superiority.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

U.S. agency established in 1958 to lead space exploration and counter Soviet advancements during the Space Race.

U-2 Incident

1960 event where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory, worsening Cold War tensions and embarrassing the Eisenhower administration.

Cuba

Became a communist state under Fidel Castro in 1959, leading to Cold War confrontations such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis.

Fidel Castro

Communist leader of Cuba who aligned with the Soviet Union, becoming a key figure in Cold War conflicts with the U.S.

Military-Industrial Complex

Term coined by Eisenhower warning of the growing influence of defense contractors and military spending on U.S. policy.

Berlin Wall

Barrier built in 1961 by East Germany to prevent emigration to West Berlin, symbolizing Cold War division and oppression.

Bay of Pigs

Failed 1961 U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro exiles, embarrassing the Kennedy administration and strengthening Castro's regime.

Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, resolved through negotiations that avoided nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

1963 agreement between the U.S., USSR, and UK banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.

John F. Kennedy

U.S. president (1961–1963) who led during the Cuban Missile Crisis, promoted civil rights, and initiated the Space Race.

Lyndon B. Johnson

U.S. president (1963–1969) who expanded civil rights through the Great Society programs and escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Non-Proliferation Treaty

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

Henry Kissinger

U.S. diplomat and National Security Advisor who led détente with the Soviet Union and negotiated the Paris Accords ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Détente

Period of eased Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR during the 1970s, marked by arms control agreements like SALT I.

Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I)

1972 treaty between the U.S. and USSR limiting the number of nuclear weapons, part of détente.

Soviet-Afghan War

1979–1989 conflict where the U.S. supported Afghan rebels against Soviet forces, contributing to the USSR's eventual collapse.

McCarran Internal Security Act

1950 law requiring communist organizations to register with the government and restricting subversive activities.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Congressional committee investigating alleged communist influence in the U.S., targeting Hollywood and government officials.

Alger Hiss

State Department official accused of espionage and convicted of perjury, symbolizing Cold War fears of communist infiltration.

Julius Rosenberg

American executed for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, heightening fears of espionage during the Cold War.

Joseph R. McCarthy

U.S. senator who led anti-communist witch hunts during the Second Red Scare, often making baseless accusations.

McCarthyism

Era of intense anti-communist suspicion and accusations during the Second Red Scare, led by Senator McCarthy.

Second Red Scare

Post-WWII fear of communist infiltration in the U.S., fueled by events like the Korean War and espionage cases.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill)

1944 law providing education, housing, and job benefits to WWII veterans, fueling postwar economic growth.

Baby Boom

Postwar surge in births (1946–1964), leading to economic growth, suburbanization, and cultural changes.

Levittown

Mass-produced suburban housing developments symbolizing postwar prosperity and the rise of suburban living.

Sun Belt

Southern and western states experiencing population and economic growth after WWII due to defense industries and favorable climates.

22nd Amendment

Constitutional amendment limiting U.S. presidents to two terms, passed after FDR's four-term presidency.

Fair Deal

Truman’s domestic program aimed at expanding New Deal policies, including healthcare reform, civil rights, and public housing.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

U.S. president (1953–1961) who pursued moderate policies, expanded infrastructure with the Interstate Highway Act.

Interstate Highway Act

1956 law funding the construction of a national highway system, facilitating suburbanization, economic growth, and military mobility.

New Frontier

JFK’s domestic agenda focused on advancing civil rights, space exploration, and social programs.

Great Society

LBJ’s ambitious set of programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice, including Medicare and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

New Federalism

Nixon’s policy of transferring power from the federal government to state and local governments, emphasizing decentralization.

Richard Nixon

U.S. president (1969–1974) known for détente, Vietnamization, the Watergate scandal, and his resignation following impeachment proceedings.

Stagflation

Economic condition of stagnant growth and high inflation during the 1970s, challenging traditional economic policies.

Rock and roll

Popular music genre emerging in the 1950s, symbolizing youth rebellion and cultural change.

Beatniks

Countercultural group of the 1950s rejecting mainstream values, advocating for artistic expression.

Kennedy Assassination

The 1963 killing of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, shocking the nation.

Warren Commission

Government investigation into JFK’s assassination, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

Committee on Civil Rights

Truman’s initiative to investigate racial discrimination and recommend policies to advance civil rights.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Civil rights organization fighting segregation and discrimination through legal challenges.

Jackie Robinson

First African American to play Major League Baseball, breaking racial barriers in sports.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 Supreme Court case declaring school segregation unconstitutional.

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP lawyer in Brown v. Board of Education; first African American Supreme Court justice.

Earl Warren

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who led landmark rulings advancing civil rights.

Desegregation

The process of ending racial segregation, particularly in schools and public facilities.

Little Rock Nine

Group of African American students integrating Central High School in Arkansas in 1957.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Year-long protest against bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama, led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Emmett Till

African American teenager brutally murdered in Mississippi in 1955, galvanizing the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Leader of the civil rights movement advocating nonviolent resistance.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Civil rights organization led by MLK, promoting nonviolent protests to achieve racial equality.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Youth-led civil rights group organizing sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and voter registration drives.

Covert action

Secret operations conducted by the CIA during the Cold War to undermine communist governments.

Suez Canal

Strategic waterway in Egypt; the 1956 Suez Crisis highlighted Cold War tensions.

Eisenhower Doctrine

U.S. policy pledging economic and military aid to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

International organization formed in 1960 to coordinate oil production and pricing.

Yom Kippur War

1973 conflict between Israel and Arab nations, leading to U.S. support for Israel.

Oil Embargo

1973 action by OPEC cutting oil exports to the U.S. and allies, causing energy shortages.

Camp David Accords

1978 peace agreement brokered by President Carter between Egypt and Israel.

Iran Hostage Crisis

1979–1981 event where Iranian revolutionaries held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

The Peace Corps

Volunteer program established by JFK in 1961 to promote global development through service.

Panama Canal

Commercial Importance. Was built to shorten the distance that ships had to travel to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal permits shippers of commercial goods, ranging from automobiles to grain, to save time and money by transporting cargo more quickly

Vietnam War

Prolonged conflict between communist North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Domino Theory

Belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow.

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

1964 congressional resolution giving LBJ broad authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Credibility Gap

Public skepticism about the government’s honesty regarding Vietnam.

Hawks vs. Doves

Hawks supported military intervention in Vietnam; Doves opposed the war.

Tet Offensive

1968 surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces, undermining U.S. confidence in the war effort.

Vietnamization

Nixon’s policy of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops and transferring responsibility for the war to South Vietnam.

Kent State Massacre

1970 killing of four student protesters by National Guard troops during anti-war demonstrations.

My Lai Massacre

1968 mass killing of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers, exposing the brutality of the war.

Pentagon Papers

Secret government documents leaked in 1971, revealing deception in U.S. policy during the Vietnam War.

Paris Accords

1973 agreement ending U.S. involvement in Vietnam, though fighting continued.

War Powers Act

1973 law limiting presidential authority to deploy troops without congressional approval.

Fall of Saigon

1975 capture of South Vietnam’s capital by North Vietnamese forces, marking the end of the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh

Communist leader of North Vietnam who fought for Vietnamese independence.