1950s

McCarthyism

Anti-communist campaign in the U.S. led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s, marked by accusations without evidence and fear of communist infiltration.

Eisenhower

U.S. President (1953–1961) who used a policy of containment and “massive retaliation” to limit communism during the Cold War.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)

U.S. government committee that investigated suspected communists, especially in Hollywood, during the Cold War.

Muhammad Mossadeq

Iranian prime minister who nationalized oil industry; overthrown in a 1953 CIA-backed coup.

Destalinization

Process started by Nikita Khrushchev to remove Stalin’s policies and reduce repression in the Soviet Union.

Arms Race

Competition between the U.S. and USSR to build more and stronger nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

MAD - Mutually assured destruction

Space Race

Competition between the U.S. and USSR to achieve space exploration milestones (e.g., Sputnik, Moon landing).

1st Satellite in space - Sputnik; 1st person in space - Yuri Gagarin (Soviet Union)

1st humans on the moon - Apollo 11 (US)

Suez Crisis

1956 conflict when Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, leading to invasion by Britain, France, and Israel.

Caused by Arab socialism & nationalism

Berlin Crisis 1961 (Berlin Wall)

Tensions over Berlin led to the construction of the Berlin Wall, dividing East and West Berlin.

Millions East Germans fled to the West through Berlin’s open sector borders

Brinkmanship

Cold War strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the brink of war to force the other side to back down.

the act of moving close to the brink of nuclear war without going over