World War II and the Cold War

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and key concepts related to World War II and the Cold War, facilitating a better understanding of the lecture material.

World War II

A global conflict from 1939 to 1945 involving most of the world's nations.

Cold War

A period of political tension between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II.

Fascism

A political ideology characterized by authoritarianism, nationalism, and the suppression of opposition.

Containment

A U.S. foreign policy aimed at preventing the spread of communism.

Japanese Internment

The forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, significant in turning the tide of WWII.

The Marshall Plan

An American initiative enacted to aid Western Europe by providing financial support post-WWII.

Second Red Scare

A period of heightened fears of communist influence in the U.S. from the late 1940s to the late 1950s.

Nostalgia

A sentimental longing for the past, often idealized and viewed positively.

Cult of Personality

A situation where a leader uses mass media to create an idealized image of themselves.

American Memory

The collective understanding and narrative of historical events in America.

Propaganda

Information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or agenda.

Pearl Harbor

The site of the Japanese surprise attack on December 7, 1941, which led the U.S. to enter WWII.

The Atomic Bomb

A nuclear weapon that uses nuclear reactions to generate an explosion; dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

The Battle of Stalingrad

One of the deadliest battles in history, marking a turning point in the Eastern Front of WWII.

Korematsu v. United States

A 1944 Supreme Court case that upheld Japanese internment during WWII.

Heroic Histories

Narratives that portray certain events or figures in a glorified or exaggerated manner.

The Victory Gardens

Gardens planted by civilians during WWII to alleviate food shortages.

Axis Powers

A military alliance during WWII primarily consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Allied Powers

The coalition of countries that opposed the Axis Powers, including the United States, the UK, and the Soviet Union.

Berlin Wall

A barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989, symbolizing the Cold War divide.

Proxy Wars

Conflicts where two opposing countries or parties support combatants in a third country.

The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)

A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated alleged subversive activities.

M.A.D. (Mutually Assured Destruction)

A doctrine of military strategy where full-scale use of nuclear weapons would result in the annihilation of both the attacker and defender.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall.

The Korean War

A conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the USSR, and South Korea, supported by the United Nations, from 1950 to 1953.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Asian Exclusion Acts

Laws that denied Asian immigrants the right to enter the U.S. or become citizens.

Racial Discrimination

Prejudice or discrimination directed against individuals of a different race.

Geopolitical Significance

The strategic impact of geographic factors on politics.

American Eugenics

A social movement aimed at improving the genetic quality of the human population through selective breeding.

Myth of Moral Purity

An idealized narrative that ignores the complexities and moral ambiguities of historical actions.

Civic Responsibility

The responsibilities of a citizen, encompassing both rights and duties in a democracy.