US History Final

Nuremberg Trials

A series of court proceedings held in Nuremberg, Germany, after World War II, in which Nazi leaders were tried for aggression, violations of the rules of war, and crimes against humanity.

Division and occupation of Germany

- 1948 Germany was split into West Germany and East Germany

- zones: US, France, USSR, Great Britain

- the soviets were already closer to the east side of Germany and the others were closer to the west side

Displaced People

those who are forced to leave their home because of war or persecution

Forced Immigration

going to another country against one's will; the American slave system is an example

Rebuilding Europe

The efforts to reconstruct and revitalize Europe after WWII

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Two Japanese cities on which the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs to end World War II. Aug of 1945

Marshall Plan

A United States program of economic aid for the reconstruction of Europe (1948-1952)

Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe

The post-World War II period when Soviet forces occupied Eastern European countries, leading to the establishment of communist governments and the rejection of Western Aid

Soviet Blockade of Berlin

Lead to Berlin Air Lift- Berlin Wall blockaded the Berlin people. US dropped resources to them

1949 Soviets get the A-bomb/ China is "lost."

The Soviet Unions acquisition of nuclear weapons and the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, leading to the establishment of the People's Republic of China

NATO is Formed

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of western countries. April, 1949

Korean War

The conflict between Communist North Korea and Non-Communist South Korea. The United Nations (led by the United States) helped South Korea.

1951 Soviets prepare for imminent war with the West, USSR doubles size of the Red Army.

The Soviet Union's military buildup in response to the perceived threat of war with Western Powers

Stalin's death

Death of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union in 1953. Replaced by slightly more friendly Khrushchev

1953 Soviets intervene in East German uprising

The Soviet intervention to suppress the popular uprising in East Germany

1954 France is defeated in Indo-China, Vietnam is divided north and south

The French defeat in the First Indochina War, leading to the division of Vietnam into North and South Vietnam

Warsaw Pact (1955)

An alliance between Russia and Eastern communist countries against Western capitalist countries

The Thaw

A period of relative liberalization and cultural openness in the Soviet Union under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev.

Khrushchev Speech

1956, Khrushchev's secret speech denouncing the excesses of Stalin's rule during the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Poland Uprising "Poznan" (1956)

Popular protests and uprisings in Poland against the communist government.

Hungarian Revolution

1956. Led by students and workers, installed Liberal Communist Imre Nagy. Forced soviet soldiers to leave and promised free election, renounced Hungary's military alliance with Moscow. Revolution was crushed by the Soviet Union.

Sputnik

October, 1957 - The first artificial satellite sent into space, launched by the Soviets.

Suez Canal Crisis

Military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel in 1957 after Egypt seized the Suez Canal from British administration.

Castro takes over Cuba

1959, Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba, establishing a communist regime.

Development of "Strategic Triad"

1960s, The development of the United States' nuclear triad, consisting of intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Soviet Union reveals that U.S. spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory

1960, The incident where a U.S. spy plane, the U-2, was shot down by the Soviet Union, leading to heightened tensions between the two countries.

Berlin Wall

Barrier set up in 1961 to separate East and West Berlin

Bay of Pigs Invasion

failed invasion of Cuba in 1961 when a force of 1,200 Cuban exiles, backed by the United States, landed at the Bay of Pigs.

Yuri Gagarin becomes first man in space

April 1961

Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 confrontation bewteen US and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963

agreement that banned atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons

President Kennedy's Assassinated

1963, The assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas.

Khrushchev "retires...." Replaced by Leonid Brezhnev.

The removal of Khrushchev from power and the ascent of Leonid Brezhnev as the leader of the Soviet Union.

Paris students to the barricades!

1968, The student protests and strikes in Paris, France, demanding social and political reforms.

Prague Spring

In 1968, Czechoslovakia, under Alexander Dubcek, began a program of reform. Dubcek promised civil liberties, democratic political reforms, and a more independent political system. The Soviet Union invaded the country and put down the short-lived period of freedom.

Vietnam War

A prolonged war (1954-1975) between the communist armies of North Vietnam who were supported by the Chinese and the non-communist armies of South Vietnam who were supported by the United States.

Race to the Moon

race between the Soviets and the US in the advance of science and space exploration. USA wins the race in 1969 as a part of the Apollo 11 mission

Détente, Nixon goes to Moscow/SALT I agreement

1972, The period of improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, marked by President Richard Nixon's visit to Moscow and the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) agreement.

Egypt and Syria attack Israel; Egypt requests Soviet aid

October, 1973, The surprise attack by Egypt and Syria on Israel, leading to the Yom Kippur War and Soviet support for Egypt.

English and French Versions of The Gulag Archipelago published/ Solzhenitsyn/ Soviet Dissidents

1974, The publication of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's book "The Gulag Archipelago," exposing the Soviet labor camp system and contributing to the dissent against the Soviet regime.

Helsinki Accords

Political and human rights agreement signed in Helsinki, Finland in 1975 by the Soviet Union and western European countries.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan to help the Afghan communist government crush anticommunist Muslim guerrillas; anti communist guerrillas received support from US and GB; USSR withdrew→ communist party remained in power

Solidarity movement in Poland

The Polish trade union and social movement, led by Lech Walesa, demanding workers' rights and political reforms.

Reagan and Andropov Named "Time Men of Year"

1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Yuri Andropov were jointly named Time magazine's "Men of the Year" for their roles in international affairs.

Gorbachev comes to power in USSR / Perestroika/Glasnost

1985, Mikhail Gorbachev's rise to power in the Soviet Union, introducing reforms such as perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness).

Reagan Berlin Wall speech

"Tear down this wall!" is a line from a speech made by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in West Berlin on Friday, June 12, 1987, calling for the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to open up the barrier which had divided West and East Berlin since 1961.

Berlin Wall comes down

1989, The fall of the Berlin Wall, symbolizing the end of the Cold War division in Germany and Europe.

Germany Reunited

1990, The reunification of East Germany and West Germany, marking the end of the Cold War division in Germany.

August 1991 "Putsch" fails, Russia, under leadership of democratically elected Boris Yeltsin, secedes from the USSR, ending the USSR and creating the CIS. Russia adopts democratic-capitalism as its economic/political model

The failed coup attempt by Soviet hardliners, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin, adopting democratic-capitalist reforms in Russia.

G.I. Bill

Provided benefits to World War II veterans, including education, housing, and unemployment compensation.

Cold War

Tense political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, characterized by the arms race and ideological conflicts.

Korean War

Conflict between North and South Korea that involved the United States and other UN forces in support of South Korea.

Suburbs

Residential areas outside of cities that experienced significant growth after World War II.

Television

Popular electronic medium that revolutionized entertainment and information dissemination in American households.

Consumerism

Emphasis on buying and consuming goods as a key element of the American way of life.

Teenagers

Distinct age group that gained cultural recognition and consumer influence in the post-World War II era.

Baby Boomers

Generation born between 1946 and 1964, characterized by a significant increase in birth rates following World War II.

White Collar Jobs

Professional and managerial occupations that require mental or administrative work, contrasting with manual labor jobs.

Rock and Roll

Popular music genre that emerged in the 1950s, blending elements of rhythm and blues, country, and other styles.

Beats

Cultural movement of the 1950s characterized by non-conformity, spontaneity, and rejection of mainstream values.

Counterculture / Jack Kerouac

Social and artistic movement that rejected mainstream society's values and norms. Jack Kerouac was a prominent figure and writer associated with the Beat Generation.

National Highway System

Network of highways connecting major cities and facilitating transportation and commerce across the United States.

Rosa Parks

Civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycotts.

Montgomery Bus Boycotts

Protest campaign against segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama, following Rosa Parks' arrest.

MLK

Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., prominent leader of the civil rights movement and advocate for nonviolent resistance.

Brown v. Board of Education

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

Little Rock Nine

Group of African American students who faced resistance and violence when integrating Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

Freedom Riders

Activists who rode interstate buses into segregated Southern states to challenge and protest racial segregation on public transportation.

Alliances

Formal agreements between nations to provide mutual support and defense in the event of war.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by a Serbian nationalist in June 1914, which triggered the outbreak of World War I.

Trench Warfare

A type of combat where soldiers fought from fortified trenches, resulting in stalemate and heavy casualties.

Central Powers

The alliance consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria during World War I.

Allied Powers

The alliance consisting of Great Britain, France, Russia, and later joined by the United States and other countries during World War I.

War of Attrition

A strategy employed by both sides of the war, aiming to exhaust the enemy's resources and manpower.

No Man's Land

The area between opposing trenches, characterized by heavy gunfire and barbed wire, making it dangerous and difficult to cross.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty signed in 1919 that officially ended World War I and imposed heavy penalties on Germany, leading to resentment and contributing to future conflicts.

Lusitania

A British passenger liner sunk by a German submarine in 1915, leading to public outrage as many civilians, including Americans, lost their lives.

U-Boats

German submarines used to disrupt Allied shipping during World War I.

Fourteen Points

A set of principles outlined by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1918 as a basis for peace negotiations, focusing on self-determination and the establishment of the League of Nations.

League of Nations

An international organization established after World War I to promote peace and prevent future conflicts, but it ultimately failed to prevent World War II.

War Reparations

Payments and compensations imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles to cover the costs of the war and damages caused.

Trench Foot

A painful and debilitating condition caused by prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions in the trenches.

Gavrilo Princip

The Bosnian Serb nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, sparking the beginning of World War I.

Stalemate

A situation in which neither side of a conflict can make progress or gain an advantage.

Armistice

A temporary cessation of hostilities, often used as a precursor to peace negotiations.

Mobilization

The process of preparing and organizing resources, troops, and equipment for war.

Propaganda

Biased or misleading information used to shape public opinion and support for a particular cause or government.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

A treaty signed in 1918 between Soviet Russia and the Central Powers, which resulted in Russia's withdrawal from World War I.

Prohibition

the period from 1920 to 1933 when the sale of alcoholic beverages was prohibited in the United States by a constitutional amendment

Wallstreet

is an eight-block-long street in New York City; one of the most famous streets in the world, known for its role in the international financial system

Wallstreet Crash

in one day, people went from rags to riches, investors lost $3 billion in 3 weeks

19th Amendment (1920)

Gave women the right to vote

Scopes Trial

1925 trial of a Tennessee schoolteacher for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution

KKK (Ku Klux Klan)

organization that promotes hatred and discrimination against specific ethnic and religious groups

Harlem Renaissance

A period in the 1920s when African-American achievements in art and music and literature flourished

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Stock Market Crash

Another leading component to the start of the Great Depression. The stock became very popular in the 1920's, then in 1929 in took a steep downturn and many lost their money and hope they had put in to the stock.

Great Depression

The severe economic downturn that began with the stock market crash of 1929 and lasted throughout the 1930s, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty.