APUSH VOCAB COLD WAR

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Cold War

The ideological and political rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union after WWII, lasting until the 1990s.

Containment

U.S. foreign policy to stop the spread of communism, particularly in Europe and Asia, during the Cold War.

Long Telegram

A 1946 message by George Kennan recommending the containment of Soviet influence to avoid the spread of communism.

Iron Curtain

A term coined by Churchill to describe the ideological and physical division between Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe and the West.

Truman Doctrine

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

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program, starting in 1948, offering economic aid to Western European countries to rebuild their economies after WWII and prevent communism.

NATO

A 1949 military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and European nations to counter Soviet aggression and promote collective defense.

NSC-68

A 1950 National Security Council document calling for a massive increase in U.S. military spending to counter the Soviet threat.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950-1953 where North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, fought South Korea, supported by the U.S., ending in a stalemate.

Decolonization

The process, post-WWII, of former colonies gaining independence from European powers, particularly in Asia and Africa.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state holds total control over all aspects of life, often led by a single, dictatorial leader.

Fair Deal

President Truman's post-WWII program of domestic reforms aimed at extending New Deal policies, including healthcare and civil rights.

Operation Dixie

A failed 1948 campaign by labor unions to organize workers in the Southern U.S. and expand union influence in the region.

Taft-Hartley Act

A 1947 law that limited the power of labor unions by banning closed shops and requiring union leaders to pledge they weren't communists.

Dixiecrats

Southern Democrats who broke away from the Democratic Party in 1948 over civil rights issues, supporting segregation and states' rights.

McCarthyism

The practice of making unfounded accusations of communist sympathies, particularly associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s.

Hollywood Ten

A group of film industry professionals blacklisted for refusing to testify about their involvement with communism before the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Army-McCarthy hearings

A series of 1954 televised hearings where Senator McCarthy was discredited for his aggressive tactics in accusing individuals of communist ties.

McCarran-Walter Act

A 1952 law that strengthened immigration restrictions and allowed for the deportation of suspected communists and subversives.