NW Period 8 and 9 Flashcards: 1945-Present

Satellite Countries

Eastern European nations controlled by the Soviet Union after World War II, forming a buffer zone between the USSR and Western Europe.

Iron Curtain

Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division of Europe between Western democracies and Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc countries during the Cold War.

Containment Policy

U.S. foreign policy strategy during the Cold War aimed at preventing the spread of communism, particularly by containing Soviet influence in vulnerable regions.

Truman Doctrine

U.S. policy announced by President Harry Truman in 1947 providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism, particularly Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan:

U.S. program initiated in 1948 providing economic aid to help rebuild Western European countries devastated by World War II, aimed at preventing the spread of communism and fostering stability and prosperity.

Berlin Airlift

Western Allies' response to the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948-1949, providing food and supplies to the city by air, demonstrating Western resolve and solidarity during the Cold War.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Military alliance formed in 1949 among Western European and North American countries, pledging mutual defense against aggression, particularly from the Soviet Union.

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance established in 1955 among Eastern Bloc countries, led by the Soviet Union, in response to the formation of NATO, solidifying Soviet control over Eastern Europe.

Hollywood Un-American Activities Committee

Congressional committee established in 1947 to investigate alleged communist influence in the film industry, leading to censorship, blacklisting, and the persecution of suspected communists and sympathizers.

McCarthyism

term referring to the anti-communist witch hunts and tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s, characterized by baseless accusations, fear-mongering, and persecution of suspected communists.

Domino Theory

Cold War doctrine asserting that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries, prompting U.S. intervention to prevent its advance.

Sputnik

First artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, initiating the space race and heightening Cold War tensions, leading to increased investment in science and technology in the United States.

Hydrogen Bomb

thermonuclear weapon with vastly greater destructive power than atomic bombs, developed by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War arms race.

Loyalty Review Board

U.S. government agency established in 1947 to investigate federal employees for alleged disloyalty to the United States, particularly suspected communists.

Hollywood Blacklist

Informal list of individuals in the entertainment industry suspected of communist sympathies or involvement, resulting in censorship, loss of employment, and reputational damage during the Red Scare.

Lavender Scare

McCarthy-era campaign targeting suspected homosexuals as security risks and subjecting them to discrimination, harassment, and dismissal from government positions.

Henry Gerber

LGBT rights activist who founded the Society for Human Rights, the first known gay rights organization in the United States, in 1924

Alger Hiss

American government official accused of being a Soviet spy in the late 1940s, leading to a highly publicized trial and conviction for perjury, a case that fueled Cold War paranoia.

Korean War

Conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by the United Nations and primarily the United States, lasting from 1950 to 1953.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. senator known for his anti-communist crusade and witch hunts during the early Cold War period, exploiting fears of communism for personal and political gain.

Geneva Accords

1954 agreements ending the First Indochina War and partitioning Vietnam into North and South, leading to the Vietnam War and U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.

Domino Theory

Cold War doctrine asserting that the fall of one country to communism would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries, prompting U.S. intervention to prevent its advance.

Truman

33rd President of the United States (1945-1953), known for his leadership during the end of World War II, the start of the Cold War, and his domestic policy initiatives, including desegregation of the military.

Eisenhower

34th President of the United States (1953-1961), known for his leadership during the Cold War, including the doctrine of massive retaliation and the Interstate Highway System.

Eisenhower Doctrine

U.S. foreign policy initiative announced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957, pledging economic and military aid to Middle Eastern countries threatened by communism or aggression from outside powers.

Fidel Castro

Cuban revolutionary leader who overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and established a communist regime in Cuba, aligning with the Soviet Union and sparking Cold War tensions.

U-2 Incident

1960 espionage crisis resulting from the downing of an American U-2 spy plane over Soviet territory, leading to the capture of pilot Francis Gary Powers and heightened Cold War tensions.

John F. Kennedy

35th President of the United States (1961-1963), known for his leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the space race, and civil rights movement, and his tragic assassination in 1963.

Brown v. Board of Education

Landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1954 ruling that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, overturning the doctrine of "separate but equal" established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

Montgomery Bus Boycotts

Civil rights protest in 1955-1956 in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus, leading to a Supreme Court decision desegregating public transportation.

Rosa Parks

African American civil rights activist known for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and as a symbol of resistance against racial segregation in the United States.

Baby Boom

Significant increase in birth rates in the United States following World War II, lasting from approximately 1946 to 1964, resulting in a demographic bulge and cultural impact.

Feminine Mystique

Seminal feminist book by Betty Friedan published in 1963, critiquing the societal expectations and limitations imposed on women and sparking the modern women's movement.

Betty Friedan

American feminist writer and activist, author of "The Feminine Mystique" and co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW), a leading figure in the women's movement.

James Dean

American actor and cultural icon of the 1950s, known for his roles in films such as "Rebel Without a Cause" and "East of Eden," symbolizing youthful rebellion and angst of the counterculture movement.

Beat Generation:

Literary movement of the 1950s counterculture, characterized by rejection of conformity, experimentation with drugs and alternative lifestyles, and critique of materialism and consumer culture.

GI Bill

provided benefits to World War II veterans, including education, training, home loans, and unemployment compensation, facilitating postwar prosperity and social mobility.

Levittowns

Suburban communities built by developer William Levitt in the post-World War II era, featuring mass-produced, affordable housing and contributing to suburbanization and the American Dream.

Mamie Till-Mobley

American educator, activist, and mother of Emmett Till, the 14 year old boy who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 after allegedly whistling at a white woman. Her decision to have an open-casket funeral helped Emmett Till’s murder become a symbol of the brutality of racism and injustice in the Jim Crow South.

Lyndon Johnson

36th President of the United States (1963-1969), known for his leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and his ambitious domestic agenda, including the Great Society programs.

Great Society

Series of domestic programs and reforms initiated by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s, aimed at combating poverty, promoting civil rights, and improving quality of life in the United States.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark U.S. legislation outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and ending segregation in public accommodations and employment.

Roe v. Wade

Landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1973 establishing a woman's constitutional right to abortion, striking down state laws criminalizing or restricting access to abortion.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions

U.S. congressional resolutions passed in 1964 authorizing President Lyndon Johnson to use military force in Vietnam, leading to escalation of the Vietnam War.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Radical student organization founded in 1960 advocating for social justice, civil rights, and anti-war activism, a leading force in the New Left movement.

Counterculture

Cultural and social movement of the 1960s challenging mainstream values and norms, characterized by experimentation with alternative lifestyles, anti-establishment attitudes, and opposition to the Vietnam War.

Kent State University

Site of a tragic shooting in 1970 during a protest against the Vietnam War, in which Ohio National Guard troops killed four unarmed student protestors and wounded nine others.

Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) Program

Federal volunteer program launched in 1965 as part of Johnson’s War on Poverty, providing opportunities for Americans to serve in impoverished communities.

Medicare

U.S. government health insurance program established in 1965 providing coverage for elderly and disabled individuals, a key component of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society initiatives.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Civil rights organization founded in 1960 to coordinate and support nonviolent direct action and grassroots organizing in the struggle for racial equality.

Freedom Rides

Civil rights protests in 1961 challenging segregation on interstate buses and bus terminals in the South, often met with violence and arrests, leading to federal intervention and desegregation orders.

March on Washington

Massive civil rights demonstration held in 1963 in Washington, D.C., where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, advocating for racial equality and justice.

Martin Luther King Jr.

African American civil rights leader and Baptist minister, known for his nonviolent activism and leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Organization formed by MLK in 1957. Aimed to mobilize the vast power of Black churches on behalf of black rights. Trained and tested African Americans for ability to remain calm so they could participate nonviolently in marches and "sit ins"

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Landmark U.S. legislation prohibiting racial discrimination in voting practices, particularly in the South, and enforcing voting rights protections for African Americans.

Black Nationalism

Political and social movement advocating for the empowerment, independence, and self-determination of African Americans, often emphasizing pride in African heritage and community unity.

Nation of Islam

African American religious and political movement founded in the early 20th century, promoting black nationalism, self-reliance, and separatism, and led by figures such as Malcolm X.

Malcolm X

African American Muslim minister and civil rights activist, a prominent leader in the Nation of Islam and later a proponent of black nationalism and human rights, assassinated in 1965.

Black Panthers

Revolutionary socialist organization founded in 1966 advocating for self-defense, community empowerment, and revolutionary change, known for its militant stance and programs for social justice.

National Organization for Women (NOW

Feminist organization founded in 1966 advocating for women's rights, including reproductive rights, equal pay, and an end to discrimination and violence against women.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

Native American advocacy organization founded in 1968 advocating for indigenous rights, treaty enforcement, and cultural preservation, known for its activism and protests.

Cesar Chavez

Mexican American labor leader and civil rights activist, co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, and advocate for farmworkers' rights and social justice.

Brown Berets

group founded by Chicano high schools students, modeled after Black Panthers; the group published a newspaper, ran a free clinic, and fought against police brutality, poor housing/education conditions for Latinx people, and the VIetnam War

504 Sit-In

Disability rights protest held in 1977 at federal offices in San Francisco, demanding enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and civil rights protections for people with disabilities.

Judy Heumann

Disability rights activist and leader of the 504 Sit-In protest, advocating for disability rights and accessibility, and serving in various government positions to promote disability inclusion.

Stonewall Riots

Series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City in 1969, widely considered a turning point in the gay rights movement.

Marsha P. Johnson

African American transgender activist and prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, known for her involvement in the Stonewall Riots and advocacy for transgender rights.

Sylvia Rivera

Latina transgender activist and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, and pioneer in the fight for transgender rights and visibility.

Harvey Milk

First openly gay elected official in California and prominent LGBTQ+ rights activist, known for his advocacy for LGBTQ+ representation and civil rights before his assassination in 1978.

Gloria Steinem

Feminist writer, activist, and co-founder of Ms. magazine, a leading voice in the women's movement advocating for reproductive rights, gender equality, and social justice.

Miss America Pageant Protest

Feminist demonstration held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1968, critiquing beauty standards, sexism, and the objectification of women in the Miss America pageant. Protestors burned symbolic feminine items such as bras, hairspray, false eyelashes, corsetys, mops, etc.

Dolores Huerta

Mexican American labor leader and civil rights activist, co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union with Cesar Chavez, advocating for farmworkers' rights and social justice.

James Baldwin

African American writer and activist, known for his novels, essays, and speeches on race, sexuality, and social justice, a prominent voice in the Civil Rights Movement.

Yuri Kochiyama

Japanese American civil rights activist, known for her advocacy for Japanese American internment reparations, Puerto Rican independence, and solidarity with oppressed peoples.

Berlin Wall

Barrier constructed by East Germany in 1961 to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin, symbolizing the division between communist and capitalist blocs during the Cold War.

Bay of Pigs

Failed invasion of Cuba by CIA-backed Cuban exiles in 1961, aiming to overthrow Fidel Castro's regime, but ending in disaster and embarrassment for the United States.

Tet Offensive

Major offensive launched by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam War in 1968, challenging U.S. military assertions of progress and undermining public confidence in the war effort.

Napalm

Highly flammable chemical weapon used extensively by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, causing devastating burns and destruction, and contributing to anti-war sentiment.

My Lai Massacre

Mass killing of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops in the village of My Lai in 1968, a war crime that shocked the world and fueled opposition to the Vietnam War.

Woodstock Music Festival

Iconic 1969 music festival in upstate New York, featuring performances by leading musicians of the era and attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees, emblematic of the counterculture movement.

Pentagon Papers

Classified U.S. government documents leaked to the press in 1971, revealing the government's deception and escalation of the Vietnam War, and sparking public outrage and opposition.

Richard Nixon

37th President of the United States (1969-1974), known for his foreign policy initiatives, including détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with China, and his resignation over the Watergate scandal.

Watergate

Political scandal involving the Nixon administration's efforts to cover up its involvement in the burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters, leading to Nixon's resignation in 1974.

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

International organization of oil-producing nations formed in 1960, wielding significant influence over global oil prices and production.

Camp David Accords

Peace agreements signed in 1978 between Israel and Egypt, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, leading to diplomatic normalization and the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.

Iranian Hostage Crisis

1979-1981 diplomatic standoff between Iran and the United States, with Iranian revolutionaries holding 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days, leading to a failed rescue attempt and diplomatic tensions.

Religious Right

Political movement in the United States advocating for conservative Christian values in public policy and government, particularly prominent in the late 20th century with Ronald Reagan

Iran-Contra Affair

Political scandal during the Reagan administration involving covert arms sales to Iran in exchange for hostages and illegal diversion of funds to support anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua.

SALT Treaties

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1970s, resulting in arms control agreements aimed at reducing nuclear weapons and promoting détente (peace).

Ronald Reagan

40th President of the United States (1981-1989), known for his conservative policies, including tax cuts, deregulation, and a strong anti-communist stance, shaping the modern Republican Party.

Reaganomics

Economic policies of President Ronald Reagan, emphasizing supply-side economics, tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending, aiming to stimulate economic growth and curb inflation.

Neoconservatism

Political ideology emphasizing assertive U.S. foreign policy, promotion of democracy and human rights abroad, and skepticism of international organizations and diplomacy, influential in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Iraq War

U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, resulting in the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, but leading to protracted conflict, instability, and sectarian violence in Iraq.

Barack Obama

44th President of the United States (2009-2017), the first African American to hold the office, known for his healthcare reform (Affordable Care Act), economic stimulus, and foreign policy initiatives.

Black Lives Matter Movement

Grassroots movement advocating for racial justice and against police brutality and systemic racism, sparked by the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's killer in 2013 and gaining momentum in subsequent years.

Me Too Movement

Social movement against sexual harassment and assault, sparked by allegations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leading to widespread awareness, activism, and accountability efforts