COLD WAR

Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill)

A 1944 law that provided various benefits to returning World War II veterans, including low-interest mortgages and tuition assistance for education.

Baby boom

A significant increase in the birth rate following World War II, particularly from 1946 to 1964.

Suburban growth

The expansion of residential areas on the outskirts of urban centers, particularly evident in the post-war era.

Sunbelt

A region in the U.S. characterized by a warm climate and rapid economic growth, especially in Southern states.

Harry Truman

The 33rd President of the United States, who served from 1945 to 1953, following Franklin D. Roosevelt's death.

Employment Act of 1946

Legislation aimed at promoting maximum employment, production, and purchasing power.

Council of Economic Advisers

A group of experts that advises the President of the United States on economic policy.

Inflation

A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.

Strikes

Work stoppages initiated by employees in order to demand changes from their employer.

Committee on Civil Rights

A presidential committee established by Truman to investigate civil rights issues and make recommendations.

Twenty-second Amendment

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution that limits presidents to two terms in office.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

Labor legislation that restricted the activities and power of labor unions.

Progressive Party

A political party formed in the 1940s to promote liberal policies, notably led by Henry Wallace.

Henry Wallace

The 33rd Vice President of the United States and leader of the Progressive Party in the 1940s.

States-Rights party (Dixiecrats)

A segregationist political party formed in 1948 that aimed to maintain white supremacy in the Southern U.S.

J. Strom Thurmond

A politician who was the governor of South Carolina and the presidential candidate for the Dixiecrats in 1948.

Thomas Dewey

A Republican politician who served as the Governor of New York and was the presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948.

Fair Deal

A set of proposals put forward by President Truman to expand social welfare and civil rights.

Cold War

The period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II.

Soviet Union

A socialist state that existed from 1922 to 1991, encompassing Russia and several other republics.

United Nations

An international organization formed in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries.

World Bank

An international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for development projects.

Communist satellites

Countries in Eastern Europe that were controlled politically and militarily by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Iron Curtain

A term used to describe the division between Western countries and the Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.

Winston Churchill

The British Prime Minister during World War II, known for his leadership and speeches.

George Kennan

An American diplomat and historian who advocated for the policy of containment of Soviet expansion.

Dean Acheson

The U.S. Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953, instrumental in the formation of NATO.

Containment policy

A foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

A policy established in 1947 that aimed to provide economic and military aid to countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe to help rebuild economies after World War II.

Berlin Airlift

A military operation in 1948-1949 to supply West Berlin with goods during the Soviet blockade.

East Germany

The German Democratic Republic, which existed from 1949 to 1990, aligned with the Soviet Union.

West Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany, formed in 1949 and aligned with Western nations during the Cold War.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

A military alliance established in 1949 between the U.S., Canada, and several Western European nations.

National Security Act (1947)

Legislation that restructured the U.S. military and intelligence agencies after WWII.

Arms race

A competition between nations for military superiority, notably during the Cold War.

NSC-68

A key U.S. policy document from 1950 that outlined the need for a build-up of military forces.

U.S.-Japanese Security Treaty

A treaty signed in 1951 that allowed U.S. military bases in Japan in exchange for security assurances.

Douglas MacArthur

A U.S. General who played a prominent role in the Pacific Theatre during WWII and the Korean War.

Chinese civil war

A conflict between the Nationalists and Communists in China, resulting in the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Chiang Kai-shek

The leader of the Nationalist government in China before it was overthrown by the Communists.

Taiwan

An island that became the refuge for the Nationalist government after their defeat in the Chinese civil war.

Mao Zedong

The founding father of the People's Republic of China and its communist leader.

People’s Republic of China

The official name of the state established by the Communists in 1949, led by Mao Zedong.

Joseph Stalin

The leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, known for his totalitarian regime.

Kim Il Sung

The leader of North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994.

Syngman Rhee

The first President of South Korea, serving from 1948 to 1960.

Korean War; U.N. police action

A conflict between North and South Korea from 1950 to 1953, with U.N. forces supporting South Korea.

38th parallel

The latitude line that divided North and South Korea before and during the Korean War.

Dennis et al. v. United States

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the Smith Act, criminalizing advocacy of violent overthrow of the government.

Smith Act (1940)

A law that made it a criminal offense to advocate for the violent overthrow of the U.S. government.

McCarran Internal Security Act (1950)

Legislation that required Communist organizations to register with the government and established controls on subversives.

House Un-American Activities Committee

A congressional committee used to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities among citizens.

Loyalty Review Board

A board established to investigate employees of the federal government for loyalty concerns.

Alger Hiss

A U.S. government official accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury.

Whittaker Chambers

A former Communist Party member who accused Alger Hiss of espionage.

Rosenberg case

The trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, accused of passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union.

Joseph McCarthy

A U.S. Senator known for his anti-communist activities and unsubstantiated accusations during the Cold War.

Yalta conference

A meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin in 1945 to discuss post-war reorganization.

Bretton Woods Conference

A 1944 conference that established a new international monetary system and financial institutions.

Nuremberg war crimes trial

Post-World War II trials held to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany for war crimes.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, particularly related to communism.

White flight

The phenomenon of white residents moving out of urban areas into suburbs, often in response to changes in local demographics.

Jiang Jieshi

Leader of the Chinese Nationalists, also known as Chiang Kai-shek. He was defeated by Mao Zedong’s communist revolutionaries in 1949 and was forced to flee to the island of Taiwan, where, with the support of the United States, he became president of the Republic of China.

George C. Marshall

Former World War II general who became secretary of state under President Harry Truman.

Reinhold Niebuhr

A liberal Protestant theologian whose teachings and writings aimed to relate Christian faith to the realities of modern politics.

Benjamin Spock

(1903-1998) Pediatrician and author of The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, which instructed parents on modern child-rearing, replacing traditional means of passing along such knowledge.