Unit 8A terms 1

1. Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) – A 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles placed in Cuba. It was one of the tensest moments of the Cold War and nearly led to nuclear war before a diplomatic resolution was reached.

2. Bay of Pigs (1961) – A failed invasion of Cuba by CIA-trained Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow Fidel Castro’s communist government. The invasion, approved by President Kennedy, ended in disaster and strengthened Castro’s rule.

3. Taft-Hartley Act (1947) – A U.S. federal law that restricted the power of labor unions, banning certain strikes, allowing the president to intervene in labor disputes, and permitting states to pass "right-to-work" laws.

4. United Nations (UN) (Founded 1945) – An international organization established after World War II to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations. It includes bodies like the Security Council and General Assembly.

5. Berlin Airlift (1948–1949) – A U.S. and British operation to supply food and fuel to West Berlin after the Soviet Union blocked all land routes to the city, attempting to force the Allies out of Berlin.

6. GI Bill (Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, 1944) – A U.S. law that provided benefits to World War II veterans, including tuition assistance for education, low-interest home loans, and unemployment benefits.

7. "Iron Curtain" – A term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.

8. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (Founded 1949) – A military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and several Western European countries to counter Soviet influence and defend against potential aggression.

9. Korean War (1950–1953) – A conflict between communist North Korea (backed by China and the Soviet Union) and capitalist South Korea (supported by the U.S. and UN forces). It ended in an armistice, but no formal peace treaty was signed.

10. Space Race (1950s–1970s) – A Cold War competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to achieve significant milestones in space exploration, including the launch of Sputnik (1957) and the U.S. moon landing (1969).

11. Marshall Plan (1948–1952) – A U.S. program providing economic aid to Western European countries to rebuild after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.

12. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) – A congressional committee that investigated alleged communist influence in the U.S., particularly in Hollywood and government, during the Cold War.

13. Containment – A U.S. foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism, as outlined by George Kennan and applied through measures like the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.

14. Fair Deal (1949) – President Harry Truman’s domestic policy agenda, which aimed to expand social security, improve civil rights, and provide national healthcare, though many of its proposals were blocked by Congress.

15. Rosenberg Case (1951) – The trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, American citizens accused of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

16. Truman Doctrine (1947) – A U.S. policy pledging support to countries resisting communism, particularly Greece and Turkey, as part of the larger containment strategy.

17. Levittown (1947 onward) – A series of mass-produced suburban housing developments in the U.S. that symbolized postwar suburbanization and affordable homeownership.

18. McCarthyism (1950s) – A period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the U.S., led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, marked by accusations, blacklisting, and investigations without proper evidence.

19. Federal Highway Act of 1956 – A law signed by President Eisenhower that funded the construction of the U.S. interstate highway system, improving national transportation and defense infrastructure.

20. National Security Act of 1947 – A U.S. law that reorganized the military and intelligence agencies, creating the Department of Defense, the National Security Council (NSC), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).