APUSH Unit 12 (Cold War)

Disarmament

Efforts to reduce, limit, or abolish armaments and weapons.

Stimson Doctrine (1923)

A policy stating the U.S. would not recognize any government established as a result of forceful seizure of power.

Good Neighbor policy (1933)

Franklin D. Roosevelt's initiative to improve relations with Latin American countries.

Axis Powers (1940)

The alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.

Mussolini- Fascism (1922)

Benito Mussolini's rise to power and establishment of a fascist dictatorship in Italy. A political ideology emphasizing authoritarianism, nationalism, and the suppression of dissent.

Hitler- Nazi Party (1933)

Adolf Hitler's rise to power as the leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party in Germany. This party promoted extreme nationalism, totalitarianism, and anti-Semitism, leading to the implementation of policies that culminated in World War II.

Japanese expansion (1931)

Japan's military expansion into Manchuria and later into China.

Nanjing Massacre (1937)

The massacre of Chinese civilians by Japanese troops following the capture of Nanjing.

Isolationism

A national policy of avoiding political or economic alliances with other countries, prevalent in the U.S. before World War II.

Nye committee (1934-1936)

A U.S. Senate committee that investigated the causes of World War I.

Neutrality Acts (1935, 1936, 1937, 1939)

A series of laws passed by the U.S. Congress to keep the country out of foreign wars.

America First Committee (1940-1941)

An organization that opposed U.S. entry into World War II.

Munich Conference (1938)

A meeting that allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.

Appeasement

The policy of making concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict, used by Britain and France towards Germany in the 1930s.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

The German invasion that marked the beginning of World War II.

Blitzkrieg

A rapid, overwhelming military attack using coordinated land and air forces.

cash and carry (1939)

A policy allowing belligerent nations to purchase arms in the U.S. with cash and transport them on their own ships.

Selective Service Act (1940)

The U.S. conscription law that established the draft.

Destroyers for bases deal (1940)

The agreement in which the U.S. provided Britain with 50 destroyers in exchange for naval bases.

Lend-lease Act (1941)

A law that allowed the U.S. to provide military aid to countries resisting aggression. It authorized the transfer of arms and supplies to allied nations without immediate payment.

Atlantic Charter (1941)

A statement of war aims and peace goals agreed upon by the U.S. and the UK. It outlined principles for post-war world order, including the right of all peoples to choose their form of government and a commitment to disarmament.

Four Freedoms (1941)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's summary of fundamental human rights. These include freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

Japanese trade restrictions, frozen assets (1941)

U.S. economic sanctions imposed on Japan before Pearl Harbor. These sanctions included a freeze on Japanese assets in the U.S. and restrictions on oil and other essential exports, aiming to restrict Japan's military expansion.

Pearl Harbor (1941)

The surprise military strike by the Japanese against the U.S. naval base in Hawaii.

War Labor Board (1942)

A U.S. government agency that mediated disputes between management and labor during World War II.

Bracero program (1942-1964)

A program that allowed Mexican workers to work in the U.S. during labor shortages.

Fair Employment Practices Commission (1941-1946)

An agency that banned discriminatory hiring practices.

Smith-Connally Act (1943)

A law that gave the U.S. government control over the production and sale of cotton.

OFF (Office of Facts and Figures, 1941-1942)

An agency that collected and analyzed economic data. It focused on providing information to assist in wartime decision-making and policy development. 

OWI (Office of War Information, 1942-1945)

An agency responsible for domestic propaganda and information during World War II.

WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots, 1943-1944)

A program that allowed women to serve as military pilots.

Executive Order 9066 (1942)

An order that authorized the internment of Japanese Americans.

Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)

A Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.

"Double V" campaign

A campaign by African Americans during World War II for victory over fascism abroad and victory over discrimination at home.

CORE (Congress of Racial Equality, 1942)

A civil rights organization that used nonviolent protest to end segregation.

Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)

A naval campaign during World War II between the Allies and Germany. It involved prolonged battles for control of the Atlantic sea routes against German U-boats and surface raiders.

"Strategic bombing" (1940-1945)

The targeting of civilian and industrial areas to damage the enemy's war effort.

Operation Torch (1942)

The Allied invasion of North Africa during World War II. It marked the first time British and American forces worked together on an extensive scale to defeat Axis powers in the region.

Eisenhower (1953-1961)

34th President of the United States, containment through more aggressive tactics such as the Domino Theory and massive retaliation. He also promoted the Eisenhower Doctrine, aimed at containing communism in the Middle East.

Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943)

A major and decisive battle between Germany and the Soviet Union. It marked a turning point in the Eastern Front of World War II, with the Soviet forces successfully encircling and defeating the German army.

D-Day (1944)

The Allied invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II. It was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history, leading to the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control.

The Holocaust (1941-1945)

The systematic genocide of approximately six million Jews by Nazi Germany.

Battle of Midway (1942)

A decisive naval battle in the Pacific theater of World War II. It resulted in a significant victory for the United States, turning the tide against Japan.

Island hopping (1943-1945)

A military strategy used by the Allies to capture strategically important islands in the Pacific.

Kamikaze attacks (1944-1945)

Japanese suicide attacks using pilots in specially adapted aircraft.

The Manhattan project (1942-1946)

A research and development project that produced the first nuclear weapons.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)

The cities in Japan where the U.S. dropped atomic bombs.

Unconditional surrender

The demand by the Allies for the Axis powers to surrender without conditions.

Truman (1945-1953)

33rd President of the US, He succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt after Roosevelt's death. His presidency also included significant events such as the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Korean War, and the implementation of the Truman Doctrine which aimed to contain communism.

Tehran Conference (1943)

A meeting between the leaders of the U.S., UK, and USSR to discuss war strategy. It was significant for establishing the framework for post-war Europe and discussing military operations against Nazi Germany.

Yalta Conference (1945)

A meeting to discuss post-World War II reorganization. Key leaders included Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin.

Potsdam Conference (1945)

A meeting to address post-war issues and the fate of Germany. Key leaders included Truman, Churchill, and Stalin.

United Nations (1945)

An international organization founded to promote peace and cooperation. It was established after World War II to replace the League of Nations and prevent future conflicts.

The Cold War (1947-1991)

A period of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

UN Security Council

One of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It has 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power.

Satellite nations

Countries under the influence or control of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The "iron curtain" (1946)

A term used to describe the ideological and political division of Europe.

Containment

A U.S. foreign policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism.

The Truman Doctrine (1947)

A policy stating that the U.S. would support nations threatened by communism. It was primarily aimed at Greece and Turkey, providing military and economic assistance to help them resist communist influence.

The Marshall Plan (1948)

A U.S. program to aid in the economic recovery of Europe after World War II. It provided financial assistance to rebuild European economies and prevent the spread of communism.

The Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)

A joint Western effort to supply West Berlin during a Soviet blockade.

East vs. West Germany

The division of Germany into communist East Germany and democratic West Germany.

NATO (1949)

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance.

Warsaw Pact (1955)

A military alliance formed by the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries.

National Security Act (1947)

A U.S. law that established the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Arms race

A competition between nations to increase the size and quality of their military forces.

NSC-68 (1950)

A top-secret document that outlined U.S. strategy for the Cold War. It emphasized the need for a substantial military build-up to counter the Soviet threat.

The Korean War (1950-1953)

A conflict between North and South Korea, with involvement from China and the U.S.

General MacArthur

U.S. military leader during the Korean War. He was known for his controversial strategies and was eventually dismissed by President Truman.

Brinkmanship

The policy of bringing a situation to the brink of disaster to force a decision.

Communist Control Act of 1954

A law that required Communist Party members to register with the U.S. government.

John Foster Dulles

U.S. Secretary of State who advocated for a hardline stance against communism.

Nikita Khrushchev

Soviet Premier known for his policy of peaceful coexistence.

"New Look" (1953)

A strategy that emphasized nuclear weapons as the primary means of defense. This policy aimed to reduce conventional military forces while increasing reliance on nuclear deterrence against potential communist threats.

SEATO (1954)

The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, a collective defense agreement.

CENTO (1955)

The Central Treaty Organization, a mutual defense agreement in the Middle East.

United States Information Agency (1953-1999)

An agency that managed public diplomacy. It aimed to promote American values and influence abroad through information dissemination and cultural exchange.

Geneva conference (1954)

A meeting to discuss peace in Korea and Indochina.

"spirit of Geneva"

The positive atmosphere and agreements reached at the Geneva conference. It fostered cooperation between major powers during the Cold War.

U-2 incident (1960)

The shooting down of a U.S. spy plane over the Soviet Union.

Open skies initiative

A proposal for nations to allow aerial observation to promote transparency.

Hungarian uprising (1956)

An anti-Soviet revolution in Hungary.

The Third World

Countries that were not aligned with either the U.S. or the Soviet Union.

CIA activity - Iran, Guatemala (1953)

Covert operations aimed at undermining communist influences, including the overthrow of governments.

Fidel Castro (1959)

Cuban revolutionary who led the country into communism.

Suez Canal incident (1956)

A crisis over the nationalization of the Suez Canal.

Eisenhower Doctrine (1957)

A policy of intervention to protect Middle Eastern nations from communism. It stated that the US would provide military or economic assistance to countries resisting communist aggression.

Sputnik (1957)

The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union.

NASA (1958)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for space exploration.

McCarran-Walter Act (1952)

A law that restricted immigration and strengthened loyalty oaths.

The Red Scare (1940s-1950s)

A period of fear of communism in the U.S.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee, 1938-1975)

A committee that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities. It was particularly focused on potential communist influence in the U.S. government and society.

Hollywood "blacklists" (1947-1960)

Lists of people in the entertainment industry who were denied work due to alleged communist affiliations.

Alger Hiss (1948)

A case involving a U.S. government official accused of spying for the Soviet Union.

The Rosenberg case (1951)

A case involving Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed for espionage.

McCarthyism (1950s)

The practice of making or encouraging unfounded accusations of subversion or treason. It was characterized by aggressive investigations and questioning, often targeting individuals in government, academia, and the entertainment industry.

Employment Act of 1946

A law that established the goal of maximum employment. The act aimed to promote economic growth and stability by coordinating policies of government agencies.

GI Bill (1944)

A law providing benefits to returning World War II veterans.

Baby boom (1946-1964)

A period of increased birth rates following World War II.

Suburbs

Residential areas on the outskirts of a city.