Cold War
A conflict between two belligerents in which neither engages in open warfare with the other.
Cold War Causes
Stopping communism, defying the Yalta Conference, conflict with Berlin and supply lines.
Truman Doctrine
Advocated containment of communisms by lending support by any country threatened by Communism.
Berlin Blockade (1948)
Attempt by the Soviet Union to limit the ability of the United States, Great Britain and France to travel to their respective sectors of the city of Berlin. Was retaliated with the Berlin Airlift.
NATO and Warsaw Pact
Military alliances formed to resist any aggressive action of the other.
Nuclear Proliferation
The spread of nuclear weapons, fissionable material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information to nations. There was an increased arms race as well.
Korean War
When North Koreans (supplied by the Soviet Union) invaded South Koreas, the United Nations send American troops to push back the North Koreans. China sent further the Southern troops back to the 38th parallel. Proxy war and direct result of the Truman Doctrine.
2nd Red Scare (WW2)
Required the government and labor union employees to pledge loyalty to the US and against communism (ex. Federal Employee Loyalty and Security Program)
Taft-Hartley Act
Prohibits unions from performing certain practices and requires disclosure of certain activities. The act has many detractors who feel the act has hurt labor laws and decrease worker rights.
Unamercain Activités Committee
Began searching for communism influence in America, especially in Hollywood. Caused the Hollywood 10 to be singled out as communists and summoned to testify in Congress.
McCarthyism - Jospeh McCarthy
Part of the Red Scare where a production of a series of investigations and hearings to expose supposed communist infiltration of various areas of the U.S. government happened.
Rosenburg Case
Americans convinced the Soviet Union stole plans for their atomic bombs from the US accused the communist Rosenburgs leading to their deaths by electric chair.
Servicemen’s Readjustment Act
Gave the WW2 veterans opportunities to go to college on the government’s money and taken out low interest loans to buy houses and start businesses.
WW2 Effects
Increased highway/road system, baby booms, Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, and increased suburbs w/cars.
Interstate Highway Act (1956)
Created fast moving highways allowing people to commute to their jobs from home. Increased migration and moving around the United States.
Spread of Mass Culture
TVs w/sitcoms, scared of communism/nonconformity, shared values, increased advertising industry exploiting people’s need for status, credit cards, and rock ‘n’ roll music.
Beatniks
Members of a social movement in the 1950s and early 1960s who subscribed to an anti-materialistic lifestyle (ex. Catcher in the Rye)
Executive Order 9981 (1948)
President Truman banned segregation in the US armed forces. Wasn’t enforced until the Korean War.
Committee on Civil Rights
Tasked with examining real conditions of civil rights in America and fixing it. Recommended desegregating military, ending poll taxes, and federal protecting from lynching.
24th Amendment
Abolished the poll tax.
Brown vs. Board of Education
Overturned Plessy vs. Ferguson, integrating schools. Much stalling came from the Southern states.
Southern Manifesto
Argued that the Supreme Court engaged in abuse of power during the Brown vs. Board of Education decision and Southern states shuts schools down instead of integrating. This also lead to the Little Rock Nine event.
Decolonization
Gradual and peaceful for some British colonies largely settled by expatriates but violent for others, where native rebellions were energized by nationalism. The new nations became valuable potential allies for the US against the Soviets.
Guatemala
The US coup of the socialist government here installed a military dictatorship here.
Bay of Pigs Invasion
A failed attack launched by the CIA during the Kennedy administration to push Cuban leader Fidel Castro from power.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
When US intelligence agencies discovered Soviet style missiles being stockpiled in Cuba, Americans were extremely scared. The US was doing this in Turkey at the same time though.
Domino Theory
Cold War policy that suggested a communist government in one nation would quickly lead to communist takeovers in neighboring states, each falling like a row of dominos.
Military-Industrial Complex
Network of individuals and institutions involved in the production of weapons and military technologies. Opposed as military decisions seemed to be moving more into the hands of those producing military weapons.
Gulf on Tonkin Incident
The North Vietnamese firing on a US battleship there for military advice, allowed LBJ to justify US military involvement in Vietnam. This events resolution allowed LBJ to excursive any powers to protect American interests in Vietnam.
Credibility Gap
An apparent difference between what is said or promised and what happens or is true. Largely present during the Vietnam War.
Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese and communist Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in South Vietnam. The U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses before finally repelling the communist assault.
Vietnamization - Richard Nixon
Provided for the removal of American troops from Vietnam while still providing financial aid and ammunitions to the Southern Vietnam.
Great Society - LBJ
Sought to abolish poverty by creating a limited welfare state with a series of programs. Created the Office of Economic Opportunities, Medicare, Medicaid, and abolished immigration quotas. Demostrated increased liberalism.
Gideon vs. Wainwright (1963)
Ruled if a person is impoverished and cannot afford their own attorney in court, then the state must provide one for them.
Griswold vs. Connecticut (1965)
Ruled that laws which forbade the use pf birth control were unconstitutional.
Engel vs. Vitale (1962)
Deemed school prayer unconstitutional as it violated the 1st Amendment’s provision for the separation of church and state.
Baker vs. Carr (1962)
Decided that states must redrew their legislative districts so that they more accurately uphold voting rights.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
A 13-month mass protest that ended with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses is unconstitutional. Joined by MLK Jr.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Peaceful protests organized by this Conference in Alabama were met with firehoses and police dogs to shut them down.
March on Washington
The largest gathering for civil rights of its time used to promote Civil Rights and economic equality for African Americans. This is where MLK Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Malcom X
Tried to convince African Americans that integration was not the way to freedom, separatism and militarism was. He was against the nonviolence King preached and lead to rise of the Black Panthers (secured black rights through violence).
Civil Rights Act (1964)
Made discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or sex illegal.
Voting Rights Act
Prohibited racial discrimination in the voting booth by outlawing literacy tests and poll taxes. Authorized federal government to oversee voting in states with lower black populations.
Loving vs. Virginia
Struct down state lows which made interracial marriage illegal.
The Feminine Mystique
Explored the boredom and inprisonment of the typical housewife. Sold over 1 million copies.
National Organization for Women
Advocated for women’s rights using the same tactics employed by member of the Civil Rights movement to secure equal opportunities and equal way for women in the workforce.
Title 9
Banned discrimination on the basis of gender with respect to education. Helped secure funding for women’s sports.
Equal Rights Amendment
Would prevent discrimination on the basis of sex. Movement by Phyllis Shlaflty and Stop ERA caused this to fall short for the amount of votes needed to ratify it.
Counterculture Movement (1960s)
Era of change in identity, family unit, sexuality, dress, and the arts. It was a time when youth rejected social norms and exhibited their disapproval of racial, ethnic, and political injustices through resistance, and for some subgroups, revolt. HIPPIES!!!
Roe vs. Wade
Declared that states could not prohibit women from having abortions in the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy.
United Farm Workers
Created by Cesar Chevez and Delores Huerta to protect the interests of farm workers. Organized boycott of grapes to pressure farm owners to increase pay.
American Indian Movement
Aimed to reclaim their heritage and tribal traditions, achieve self determination, and address system poverty. Alcatraz Island, which had been abandoned by the US and should’ve been given back to the Natives, was occupied by them.
Self Determination Act
Allowed for Indian tribes to have greater autonomy and to have the opportunity to assume the responsibility for programs and services administered to them on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior through contractual agreements.
Stonewall Inn Riots
Series of spontaneous protests by members of the gay community in response to a police raid that began in the early morning hours at a gay bar. Led to increased gay acceptance.
Young Americans For Freedom
College conservatives who wanted too support the US involvement in Vietnam because it was stopped communism.
Students for a Democratic Society
College democrats who released feelings through the Port Huron Statement which stressed participatory democracy. Challenged the norm that every effort was needed to stop communism.
Kent States Massacre (1970)
Members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of a Universities demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine Kent State students.
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
This formation lead to decreased oil exports to the US and increased prices. Called for new forms of energy for the US.
Environmental Protection Agency
Protects people and the environment from significant health risks, sponsors and conducts research, and develops and enforces environmental regulations.
Clean Air Act
Gives the Environmental Protection Agency the necessary tools to protect our families from a number of harmful pollutants that can cause asthma and lung disease.
The New Right - Barry Goldwater
Conservatives who resisted the onslott of liberalism, where proud of religious values, openly populists, and anti-equalitarian.
John Birch Society
Anti-Communist society to "promote less government, more responsibility, and a better world".
The Religious Right
Conservative Christians who opposed liberal and progressive trends, especially against Roe vs. Wade.
Watergate Scandal
Burglary and illegal wiretapping of the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee by members of President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign and the subsequent cover-up of the break-in resulting in Nixon's resignation.
Affirmative Action
An active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and for women. Conservatives were against.
Bakke vs. University of California
The Supreme Court ruled that a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process was unconstitutional, but a school's use of "affirmative action" to accept more minority applicants was constitutional in some circumstances.
Camp David Accords (1979)
Signed by President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem and established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt.