Key Terms

kitchen debate

Televised exchange in 1959 between Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and American vice president Richard Nixon, discussing capitalist consumer culture versus Soviet state planning.

military-industrial complex

Political and economic ties between arms manufacturers, officials, and the U.S. military, leading to pressure for high military spending.

New Frontier

President Kennedy’s domestic policy agenda, promoting initiatives such as the Peace Corps and improving education and healthcare.

Peace Corps

Federal agency established by President Kennedy in 1961 to promote voluntary service by Americans in developing countries.

Alliance for Progress

Program established in 1961 to promote economic and social development in Latin America in response to fears of Soviet influence.

Apollo

NASA's program of manned space flights, known for the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969.

Robert S. McNamara

Secretary of Defense from 1961 to 1968, known for the 'flexible response' doctrine and as chief architect of the Vietnam War.

Dean Rusk

U.S. Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969, influential in shaping foreign policy during the Cold War.

Robert F. Kennedy

Younger brother of John F. Kennedy, U.S. attorney general, and senator, known for his antiwar stance and assassination in 1968.

Berlin Wall

Barrier erected in 1961 to stop the flow of people from East to West Berlin, symbolizing the Cold War divide.

European Economic Community (EEC)

Free-trade zone in Western Europe created by the Treaty of Rome in 1957, precursor to the European Union.

Flexible Response

Cold War military strategy allowing varied responses to communist aggression, unlike the previous reliance solely on nuclear options.

Bay of Pigs invasion

Failed CIA operation in 1961 to overthrow Fidel Castro using Cuban exiles.

Cuban missile crisis

1962 standoff between the U.S. and the Soviet Union over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

George C. Wallace

Segregationist governor of Alabama and a third-party presidential candidate in 1968.

J. Edgar Hoover

Director of the FBI from 1924 to 1972, known for controversial methods during the Cold War.

March on Washington

1963 civil rights demonstration that featured Martin Luther King’s 'I Have a Dream' speech.

Voter Education Project

Initiative by civil rights groups to register the South's disenfranchised black population.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Federal law banning racial discrimination in public facilities and strengthening the fight against segregation.

affirmative action

Program designed to address racial and gender imbalances in jobs and education.

Great Society

President Lyndon Johnson’s agenda aimed at extending prosperity and promoting civil rights.

Barry Morris Goldwater

Republican nominee for president in 1964, known for sparking the conservative movement.

Freedom Summer

Voter registration drive in Mississippi led by civil rights activists.

Mississippi Freedom Democratic party

Political organization challenging Mississippi’s Democratic delegation at the National Convention.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that prohibited discriminatory voting practices.

Malcolm X

Black militant and spokesman for the Nation of Islam, known for his radical views and assassination in 1965.

Black Panther party

Organization formed to protect black rights, indicating a shift towards militancy in the civil rights movement.

Watts Riots

Riots in 1965 following police brutality against a black man in Los Angeles.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Congressional resolution granting President Johnson authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam during the Vietnam War beginning in 1965.

Six-Day War

Military conflict in 1967 resulting in Israeli territorial expansion.

Hawks and doves

Terms describing aggressive versus conservative approaches to foreign and monetary policy.

Eugene McCarthy

Liberal antiwar senator whose campaign energized the youth in the 1968 election.

Hubert Humphrey

Vice President under Johnson known for his advocacy for civil rights.

Hippies

Countercultural movement rejecting societal norms, prominent in the 1960s.

New Left

Political movement focused on civil rights and social justice in the 1960s.

Stonewall Riots

Uprising for gay rights in 1969, marking a turning point in LGBTQ activism.

Cesar Chavez

Labor leader and civil rights activist advocating for farm workers' rights.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Campus organization representing New Left activism.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy to reduce U.S. troops in Vietnam while strengthening South Vietnamese forces.

War Powers Act

Legislation limiting the president's ability to commit troops without congressional approval.

Griswold v. Connecticut

1965 Supreme Court case establishing a right to privacy.

Miranda v. Arizona

Supreme Court case requiring police to inform suspects of their rights.