Post War America: Cold War to 9/11 Overview

Detente

A period of relaxed tensions and improved relations between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Proxy War

A conflict where two opposing countries support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly.

Arms Race

A competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons.

Space Race

The competition between the US and the Soviet Union to achieve significant milestones in space exploration.

Marshall Plan

A US program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II to prevent the spread of communism.

Truman Doctrine

A US policy to provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces.

Containment

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

Domino Theory

The theory that a political event in one country will cause similar events in neighboring countries, particularly in the context of communism.

Ronald Reagan

The 40th President of the United States who played a significant role in ending the Cold War.

Mikhail Gorbachev

The last leader of the Soviet Union whose reforms led to the end of the Cold War.

SDI (Star Wars)

A proposed missile defense system intended to protect the US from nuclear missile attacks.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of Western countries established for mutual defense.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance of communist nations in Eastern Europe established in response to NATO.

Perestroika

A political movement for reformation within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during the 1980s.

Glasnost

A policy of more open and transparent government and greater freedom of information in the Soviet Union.

Fidel Castro

The leader of Cuba who established a one-party socialist state and was a key figure during the Cold War.

Korean War

A conflict between North Korea (with support from China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (with support from the US) from 1950 to 1953.

SALT I & II

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks agreements between the US and the Soviet Union to limit nuclear arms.

Sputnik

The first artificial Earth satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the start of the space race.

Explorer I

The first satellite launched by the United States in 1958, in response to Sputnik.

Berlin Airlift

The operation in 1948-1949 where the US and its allies supplied West Berlin by air after the Soviet blockade.

Harry Truman

33rd President of the United States, known for implementing the Marshall Plan and leading the country during the early Cold War.

Dwight Eisenhower

34th President of the United States, known for his leadership during the Cold War and the establishment of the Interstate Highway System.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Martin Luther King

Civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent protest and delivered the famous 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. Senator known for his anti-communist pursuits during the Second Red Scare.

Second Red Scare

Period of intense anti-communism in the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s.

House Un-American Activities Committee

Committee established to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities by private citizens, public employees, and organizations.

blacklisting

The practice of denying employment to individuals based on their alleged political beliefs or associations.

Bloody Sunday

A day in 1965 when civil rights marchers were violently confronted by law enforcement in Selma, Alabama.

Freedom Riders

Civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated southern United States to challenge the non-enforcement of Supreme Court decisions.

Brown vs Board of Education

Landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Warren Court

The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, known for its progressive decisions on civil rights and liberties.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Open letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. advocating for civil disobedience against unjust laws.

Black Panthers

A revolutionary socialist organization founded to combat police brutality and promote civil rights for African Americans.

GI Bill

Legislation that provided various benefits to returning World War II veterans, including education and housing assistance.

Federal Highway Act

Legislation that authorized the construction of a national network of interstate highways.

Fair Deal

President Truman's program aimed at expanding social welfare and civil rights.

Executive Order 9981

Order issued by President Truman to desegregate the armed forces.

Sunbelt

Region in the southern United States known for its warm climate and rapid population growth post-World War II.

Levittown

A large suburban development created by Levitt & Sons, known for its mass production of affordable housing.

Baby Boom

Significant increase in birth rates following World War II, particularly in the United States.

Beatnicks

A group of American writers and artists in the 1950s who rejected conventional society and promoted alternative lifestyles.

Little Rock Nine

Group of nine African American students who enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in 1957, facing violent opposition.

Civil Rights Act of 1957

First civil rights legislation passed since Reconstruction, aimed at increasing voter registration among African Americans.

New Frontier

President Kennedy's domestic program aimed at addressing social issues and advancing civil rights.

Peace Corp

Volunteer program established by Kennedy to provide social and economic development abroad.

March on Selma

A series of marches in 1965 advocating for voting rights for African Americans.

Freedom Summer

Campaign launched in 1964 to increase voter registration among African Americans in Mississippi.

Children's March

A 1963 protest in Birmingham, Alabama where children marched for civil rights and were met with police violence.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba.

Bay of Pigs

Failed invasion of Cuba by U.S.-backed Cuban exiles in 1961.

Berlin Wall

Barrier that divided East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, symbolizing the Cold War.

George Wallace

Governor of Alabama known for his pro-segregation stance and opposition to civil rights.

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th President of the United States, known for his Great Society programs and civil rights legislation.

Malcolm X

Civil rights activist who advocated for black empowerment and was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam.

Stokley Carmichael

Civil rights activist known for his role in the Black Power movement and for coining the term 'Black Power.'

Black Power

Movement advocating for racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions for black people.

Nation of Islam

Religious and political movement that promotes black nationalism and self-sufficiency.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act

Legislation aimed at eliminating barriers to voting for African Americans.

24th Amendment

Constitutional amendment that prohibits the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

Medicare & Medicaid

Federal programs established to provide health insurance to the elderly and low-income individuals.

Headstart

Program designed to promote school readiness for children from low-income families.

Immigration Act of 1965

Legislation that abolished the national origins quota system and allowed for increased immigration from non-European countries.

Dept of Urban Housing & Development

Federal department established to address urban development and housing issues.

Higher Education Act

Legislation aimed at increasing federal funding for colleges and providing financial assistance to students.

Economic Opportunity Act

Law aimed at combating poverty through various programs and initiatives.

War on Poverty

LBJ's initiative aimed at reducing poverty in the United States.

The Other America

Book by Michael Harrington that highlighted poverty in the United States.

Feminine Mystique

Book by Betty Friedan that sparked the second wave of feminism in the United States.

Title IX

Federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities.

NOW

National Organization for Women, founded to advocate for women's rights and equality.

ERA

Equal Rights Amendment, proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution aimed at guaranteeing equal rights regardless of sex.

Phyllis Shafley

Conservative activist known for her opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.

Roe vs Wade

Landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States.

Feminism

Movement advocating for women's rights and equality.

AIM

American Indian Movement, organization advocating for Native American rights and sovereignty.

Counter Culture

Social movement in the 1960s that rejected traditional values and norms.

New Left

Political movement in the 1960s advocating for civil rights, social justice, and anti-war sentiments.

Hippies

Members of the counterculture movement known for their rejection of conventional society and embrace of peace and love.

Vietnam War

Conflict in Vietnam involving the U.S. military, marked by significant anti-war protests.

Kent State and Jackson State shootings

Incidents in 1970 where students protesting the Vietnam War were shot by National Guardsmen, leading to widespread outrage.

Watergate break-in

Political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters that led to Nixon's resignation.

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States who resigned due to the Watergate scandal.

Silent Majority

A term used by Nixon to describe a significant number of Americans who did not publicly express their opinions.

Southern Strategy

Nixon's plan to gain political support in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans.

Kent State Shooting

The killing of four students by National Guardsmen during a protest against the Vietnam War in 1970.

Watergate

A major political scandal involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up by Nixon.

CREEP

Committee to Re-elect the President, involved in the Watergate scandal.

Stagflation

An economic condition characterized by stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and high inflation.

OPEC

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which was upset with the US due to its support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

Camp David Accords

A peace agreement between Israel and Egypt brokered by President Carter, aimed at establishing peace in the Middle East.

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency, established to protect human health and the environment.

Gerald Ford

The 38th President of the United States who succeeded Nixon and controversially pardoned him.

Pentagon Papers

A classified report that revealed the US government's misleading information about the Vietnam War.

Tet Offensive

A major military campaign during the Vietnam War in 1968 that shifted public opinion against the war.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

A controversial naval engagement that led to increased US involvement in Vietnam.

War Powers Resolution

A federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the US to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress.

Iran Hostage Situation

A diplomatic crisis where 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage in Iran for 444 days.