APUSH Unit 8 Vocab

Cold War

A period of political tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, roughly from 1947 to 1991, without direct military conflict but involving proxy wars, nuclear arms races, and ideological competition.

Soviet Union

A socialist state in Eastern Europe and Asia that existed from 1922 to 1991, led by the Communist Party, and composed of 15 republics, with Russia being the largest.

Joseph Stalin

The leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. His regime was marked by totalitarian control, purges, forced collectivization, and World War II leadership.

United Nations

An international organization established in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among the world's nations.

Satellites

Countries that were politically or economically dependent on a more powerful nation, particularly Eastern European countries controlled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Winston Churchill

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II and again in the early 1950s. He is famous for his leadership during WWII and his 'Iron Curtain' speech in 1946.

Iron Curtain

A metaphorical and physical barrier that divided Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War, separating Soviet-controlled communist nations from Western democratic nations.

Containment Policy

A U.S. foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism by providing economic, military, and diplomatic support to nations resisting Soviet influence.

George Marshall

A U.S. Army General and Secretary of State who proposed the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe after WWII and advocated for the policy of containment.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy declared in 1947 by President Harry S. Truman, aiming to contain the spread of communism by providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. initiative, enacted in 1948, to provide financial aid to help rebuild Western European economies after WWII and prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Airlift

A 1948-1949 operation in which the U.S. and its allies supplied West Berlin with food and supplies by air after the Soviet Union blockaded the city.

West Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany, a democratic state established in 1949, which included the western part of Germany during the Cold War.

East Germany

The German Democratic Republic, a communist state established in 1949, which included the eastern part of Germany during the Cold War and was controlled by the Soviet Union.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance formed in 1949, consisting of the U.S., Canada, and several European countries, to provide mutual defense against Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance formed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and its satellite states in Eastern Europe, designed as a counter to NATO.

National Security Act

A U.S. law passed in 1947 that restructured the government to coordinate national security and created the National Security Council (NSC), the CIA, and the Department of Defense.

Arms Race

A competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War to develop and accumulate more powerful nuclear weapons.

Douglas MacArthur

A U.S. general in WWII and the Korean War, known for his leadership in the Pacific during WWII and his controversial role in the Korean War.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China, who led the communist party from 1949 until his death in 1976.

People’s Republic of China

The communist state founded in 1949 by Mao Zedong, currently the most populous country in the world.

38th Parallel

The dividing line between North and South Korea that was established after World War II, and the site of the Korean War's division.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 between communist North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and democratic South Korea, supported by the U.S. and its allies.

John Foster Dulles

U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, known for his strong anti-communist stance and support for the policy of containment.

Brinkmanship

A Cold War strategy where both the U.S. and the Soviet Union pushed dangerous confrontations to the edge of war in order to force the opponent to back down.

Massive Retaliation

A policy developed during the Eisenhower administration that threatened to use nuclear weapons in response to Soviet aggression.

Korean Armistice

The ceasefire agreement signed in 1953, ending the Korean War and establishing the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

Nikita Khrushchev

The leader of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, known for his de-Stalinization efforts and his role during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Sputnik

The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The U.S. government agency established in 1958 to oversee space exploration and research.

U-2 Incident

A 1960 event in which a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, worsening U.S.-Soviet relations.

Fidel Castro

The communist leader who ruled Cuba from 1959 to 2008, known for his opposition to U.S. policies and his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Military-Industrial Complex

A term popularized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to describe the close relationship between the military, defense contractors, and the government.

Bay of Pigs

A failed U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba in 1961 aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro's government.

Berlin Wall

A wall built by East Germany in 1961 to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin, symbolizing the division of East and West during the Cold War.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in 1962 between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

A 1963 agreement between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom to prohibit nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater.

Flexible-Response Policy

A military strategy developed by President John F. Kennedy to address threats with a range of options, from conventional forces to nuclear weapons.

Non-Proliferation Treaty

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

Henry Kissinger

A U.S. diplomat and National Security Advisor under Presidents Nixon and Ford, known for his role in U.S. foreign policy, including the opening of relations with China.

Detente

A policy of easing tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1970s, involving arms control agreements and greater cooperation.

Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABMs)

Missile defense systems designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

Negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1970s to limit the number of nuclear weapons.

Loyalty Review Board

A U.S. government program during the early 1950s that investigated the loyalty of federal employees to ensure they were not members of the Communist Party or involved in subversive activities.

Dennis et al. v. United States

A 1951 U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Court upheld the conviction of Communist Party members for advocating the violent overthrow of the government under the Smith Act.

Smith Act (1940)

A U.S. law that made it a criminal offense to advocate the violent overthrow of the government or to belong to organizations that sought to do so.

McCarran Internal Security Act

A 1950 law that required communist organizations to register with the U.S. government and allowed for the detention of individuals during national emergencies.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated alleged communist activities and influence within the U.S. during the 1940s and 1950s.

Alger Hiss

A U.S. government official accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury in the 1950s, highlighting fears of communist infiltration.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

A married couple who were convicted and executed in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

McCarthyism

The practice of making baseless accusations of communism and subversion, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-communist crusade in the 1950s led to a climate of fear and repression.

Harry S. Truman

The 33rd president of the United States, who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt and made significant decisions, such as the use of atomic bombs on Japan and the establishment of the Truman Doctrine.

Employment Act of 1946

A U.S. law aimed at promoting maximum employment, production, and purchasing power in the post-WWII economy.

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill of Rights or GI Bills)

A 1944 law that provided various benefits for World War II veterans, including education, healthcare, and loans for homes or businesses.

Baby Boom

A significant increase in birth rates in the U.S. following World War II, leading to a population surge and influencing economic and social trends.

Levittown

A series of mass-produced suburban housing developments in the U.S. after World War II, known for their affordability and uniform design, and seen as a symbol of postwar suburbanization.

22nd Amendment

A U.S. constitutional amendment ratified in 1951 that limits presidents to two terms in office.

Taft-Hartley Act

A 1947 law that restricted the activities and power of labor unions, including prohibiting certain types of strikes and requiring union leaders to take non-communist oaths.

Fair Deal

President Harry S. Truman’s domestic policy agenda aimed at expanding social welfare programs, raising the minimum wage, and improving housing and healthcare for all Americans.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The 34th president of the United States, a former WWII general, who led the country during the 1950s and initiated policies such as the Eisenhower Doctrine and the Interstate Highway Act.

Modern Republicanism

Eisenhower’s approach to governance that sought to balance conservative fiscal policies with the expansion of social welfare programs.

Highway Act

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which funded the construction of a nationwide network of interstate highways.

New Frontier

President John F. Kennedy's domestic program, which aimed at addressing issues such as civil rights, poverty, and space exploration.

Beatniks

Members of a social and artistic movement in the 1950s that rejected materialism and embraced alternative lifestyles, literature, and art.

Jackie Robinson

The first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the 20th century, breaking the color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Committee on Civil Rights

A U.S. government committee established in 1946 to investigate and propose solutions to civil rights issues, especially racial segregation.

Thurgood Marshall

An African American lawyer and civil rights advocate who argued landmark cases before the Supreme Court, including Brown v. Board of Education, and later became the first African American Supreme Court justice.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

A 1954 Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson’s 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Southern Manifesto

A 1956 document signed by Southern members of Congress that opposed the desegregation of public schools following the Brown decision.

Desegregation

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

Little Rock

Refers to the 1957 crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas, when the governor attempted to block the integration of Little Rock Central High School, leading to a confrontation with federal authorities.

Rosa Parks

An African American woman whose arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Martin Luther King Jr.

A prominent civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent protest and is best known for his role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and his 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A 1955-1956 protest against the segregation of buses in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

An organization founded by Martin Luther King Jr. to coordinate nonviolent civil rights activities in the South.

Sit-in Movement

A form of nonviolent protest in which participants sit at segregated lunch counters or other public places to demand service and equality.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

A civil rights organization formed in 1960 by students that played a key role in the sit-in movement and other protests against racial segregation.

Covert Action

Secret operations by governments to influence events in other countries without direct military intervention, often associated with the CIA during the Cold War.

Suez Crisis

A 1956 international crisis in which Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, leading to military intervention by Britain, France, and Israel, and a diplomatic response by the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A U.S. policy announced in 1957 that provided military and economic aid to countries in the Middle East threatened by communist influence.

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

An international organization formed in 1960 that coordinates the policies of oil-producing countries, primarily in the Middle East, to manage oil production and prices.

Yom Kippur (October) War

A 1973 conflict between Israel and a coalition of Arab nations (primarily Egypt and Syria), which occurred during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.

Oil Embargo

A 1973 embargo imposed by OPEC against countries that supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War, leading to an oil crisis in the U.S. and other countries.

Camp David Accords

A peace agreement brokered by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 between Egypt and Israel, leading to Egypt recognizing Israel and Israel withdrawing from the Sinai Peninsula.

Peace Corps

A U.S. government program established in 1961 to send American volunteers abroad to assist in educational, health, and economic development projects.

Alliance for Progress

A 1961 U.S. initiative aimed at establishing economic cooperation with Latin American countries to promote political stability and prevent the spread of communism.

Ngo Dinh Diem

The first president of South Vietnam, whose authoritarian rule was supported by the U.S. until his assassination in 1963.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country in a region fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall, like a row of dominoes.

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)

A military alliance formed in 1954 to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, including countries like the U.S., Britain, and France.

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

A 1964 resolution passed by Congress that granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to use military force in Vietnam after alleged attacks on U.S. ships.

General William Westmoreland

The U.S. commander during the Vietnam War who oversaw American military operations and is associated with the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Tet Offensive

A 1968 military campaign by North Vietnam and the Viet Cong that surprised U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, marking a turning point in public opinion about the war.

Robert F. Kennedy

A U.S. Senator and brother of President John F. Kennedy, known for his advocacy of civil rights and his run for the 1968 presidency, which ended with his assassination.

Richard Nixon

The 37th president of the United States, known for ending the Vietnam War, his role in the Watergate scandal, and opening relations with China.

Democratic Convention in Chicago

A 1968 political event where protests erupted outside the Democratic National Convention, largely over the Vietnam War, and the police response was criticized for its violence.

Hubert Humphrey

The Vice President under Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic candidate in the 1968 presidential election, who was associated with pro-war policies during the Vietnam War.

Henry Kissinger

U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under Nixon and Ford, known for his role in shaping foreign policy, including détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with China.

Vietnamization

A policy implemented by President Nixon to gradually withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam while increasing the role of South Vietnamese forces in the war.

Nixon Doctrine

A policy that stated the U.S. would honor its current defense commitments but would expect allied nations to take care of their own defense, especially in the developing world.

Kent State

A 1970 incident where National Guardsmen opened fire on protesting students at Kent State University, killing four and leading to widespread anti-war protests.