Unit 8 APUSH Terms: Cold War Foreign Policy

Flashcards covering key terms related to Cold War foreign policy.

Truman Doctrine

President Truman's promise to provide economic and military aid to countries to stop the spread of communism.

Marshall Plan

U.S. initiative that provided $13 billion in economic aid to Western Europe to help rebuild after WWII.

Berlin Airlift

Operation where the U.S. dropped supplies into West Berlin when the Soviet Union blocked all ground routes.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed after WWII to counter Soviet aggression and ensure member countries' security.

Korean War

Military conflict that began when North Korea invaded South Korea, marking the first military fighting in the Cold War.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A congressional committee that investigated alleged communist activities in the U.S. during the early Cold War.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Massive Retaliation

U.S. defense strategy promising to respond with greater force if attacked with nuclear weapons.

CIA

Federal agency responsible for gathering foreign intelligence and conducting covert actions abroad.

Domino Theory

The idea that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the fall of neighboring countries.

Eisenhower Doctrine

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

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union, which sparked fear of Soviet missile capabilities in the U.S.

Military-Industrial Complex

The relationship between a country's military and the defense industry, which Eisenhower warned could threaten democracy.

Flexible Response

U.S. defense strategy adopted by President Kennedy that included a range of military and diplomatic options.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.