Textbook 28.2 Full Chapter

Korean War

A conflict between North Korea (supported by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (supported by the United Nations, primarily the United States) from 1950 to 1953.

McCarthyism

The practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence, particularly associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy's anti-communist campaign in the 1950s.

Mao Zedong

Chinese communist revolutionary and founding father of the People's Republic of China.

Anticommunism

Opposition to communism, often manifested in political, social, and cultural contexts.

H-bomb

Hydrogen bomb, a thermonuclear weapon with much greater destructive power than atomic bombs.

Joseph McCarthy

U.S. Senator known for his anti-communist investigations and accusations in the early 1950s.

Space race

Competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to achieve advancements in space exploration and technology during the Cold War.

Douglas MacArthur

American general who played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II and commanded UN forces in the Korean War.

Armistice

A formal agreement to cease fighting, often a temporary measure until a final peace treaty is negotiated.

McCarthyism

Refers to the practice of making reckless accusations without proper evidence, particularly in relation to communism, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Joseph McCarthy

A Republican senator from Wisconsin who fueled fears of communism in the United States during the Cold War era through unfounded accusations and investigations.

Army-McCarthy hearings

Nationally televised hearings in 1954 where Senator Joseph McCarthy accused the U.S. Army of supporting Communists, leading to a famous confrontation with Army counsel Joseph Welch.

John Foster Dulles

Secretary of State under President Eisenhower who advocated for a more aggressive approach in the Cold War, rejecting Truman's containment policy and promoting brinksmanship.

Brinksmanship

The strategy of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome, as advocated by John Foster Dulles during the Cold War.

Sputnik

The world's first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.