The Cold War Thaws: 1947-1968

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Cold War era, focusing on the period of thawing tensions between 1947 and 1968.

Second Red Scare

Period of heightened fear of communism in the United States, occurring in the late 1940s through the 1950s.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

Committee created in 1938 to investigate suspected disloyalty and subversive activities, shifted focus to anti-communism after World War II.

Blacklist

A list of individuals or entities that are denied employment or other services because of their alleged political affiliations or behavior.

Klaus Fuchs

A scientist involved in the Manhattan Project, who was later revealed to be a Soviet spy.

McCarthyism

The practice of making allegations of subversion or treason without proper evidence, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Duck and Cover

A civil defense drill practice during the Cold War for students to protect themselves from potential nuclear attacks.

Eisenhower Doctrine

A U.S. foreign policy that promised military and economic assistance to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.

Brinkmanship

The practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster to achieve the most advantageous outcome.

Warsaw Pact

A mutual defense treaty established in 1955 between the Soviet Union and several Eastern Bloc countries in response to NATO.

Detente

A period of relaxed tensions and improved relations between the U.S. and the USSR during the Cold War.

Brezhnev Doctrine

The Soviet policy asserting the right to intervene in the affairs of communist countries to maintain socialism.

Domino Theory

The idea that if one country falls to communism, neighboring countries will follow suit in a chain reaction.

Indochina

The region encompassing Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, particularly during the period of colonial and Cold War conflicts.

Cuban Missile Crisis

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

Tet Offensive

A major offensive by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in January 1968, which significantly shifted public opinion about the Vietnam War.