APUSH AMSCO Vocab 8.2-8.3

Cold War (8.2)

A geopolitical and ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991, characterized by political tension, military competition, and economic rivalry but without direct military confrontation.

Soviet Union (8.2)

A communist state officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) that existed from 1922 to 1991, led by the Communist Party and a central figure in the Cold War against the US.

Joseph Stalin (8.2)

Leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, responsible for the expansion of communist influence in Eastern Europe and major Cold War tensions with the West.

United Nations (8.2)

An international organization established in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations, replacing the League of Nations.

Satellites (8.2)

Eastern European countries under Soviet influence and control during the Cold War, including Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Winston Churchill (8.2)

The British Prime Minister during World War II and the early Cold War who famously coined the term "Iron Curtain" to describe the division between Western democracies and Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe.

Iron Curtain (8.2)

A symbolic and physical division between the communist-controlled East and the democratic West in Europe during the Cold War.

Containment Policy (8.2)

A US foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of communism by providing economic, military, and diplomatic support to countries resisting Soviet influence.

George Marshall (8.2)

US Secretary of State who developed the Marshall Plan to aid European recovery and prevent the spread of communism after World War II.

Truman Doctrine (8.2)

A US policy announced in 1947 to provide military and economic aid to countries threatened by communism, particularly Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan (8.2)

A US economic aid program that provided over $12 billion to help rebuild European economies after World War II and prevent communist expansion.

Berlin Airlift (8.2)

A US and Allied operation in 1948-1949 that supplied West Berlin with food and supplies after the Soviet Union blocked access to the city.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (8.2)

A military alliance formed in 1949 between the US, Canada, and Western European nations to counter Soviet aggression.

Warsaw Pact (8.2)

A military alliance formed in 1955 between the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states in response to NATO.

National Security Act (8.2)

A 1947 law that restructured the US military and intelligence agencies, creating the Department of Defense, National Security Council (NSC), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Arms Race (8.2)

A Cold War competition between the US and the Soviet Union to develop and stockpile nuclear weapons and military technology.

Douglas MacArthur (8.2)

A US general who led UN forces in the Korean War but was removed by President Truman for insubordination.

Mao Zedong (8.2)

The communist leader of China who established the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

People’s Republic of China (8.2)

A communist nation founded in 1949 after Mao Zedong’s victory in the Chinese Civil War.

38th Parallel (8.2)

The dividing line between North and South Korea before and after the Korean War.

Korean War (8.2)

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 between North Korea (supported by China and the USSR) and South Korea (supported by the US and UN), ending in a stalemate.

John Foster Dulles (8.2)

US Secretary of State under Eisenhower who promoted aggressive anti-communist policies, including brinkmanship and massive retaliation.

Brinkmanship (8.2)

A Cold War strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the brink of war to force the opponent to back down.

Massive Retaliation (8.2)

A US military policy under Eisenhower that emphasized the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent to Soviet aggression.

Korean Armistice (8.2)

The 1953 agreement that ended active fighting in the Korean War, maintaining the division at the 38th parallel.

Nikita Khrushchev (8.2)

Soviet leader after Stalin who pursued de-Stalinization, led during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and promoted peaceful coexistence with the West.

Sputnik (8.2)

The first artificial satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, sparking the Space Race with the US.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (8.2)

A US agency established in 1958 to oversee space exploration and respond to Soviet advancements in space technology.

U-2 Incident (8.2)

A 1960 event in which a US spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, increasing Cold War tensions.

Fidel Castro (8.2)

The communist revolutionary leader of Cuba who took power in 1959 and aligned with the Soviet Union.

Military-Industrial Complex (8.2)

A term used by President Eisenhower warning of the close relationship between the military and defense industries that could influence US foreign policy.

Bay of Pigs (8.2)

A failed 1961 invasion of Cuba by US-backed Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Berlin Wall (8.2)

A physical barrier built in 1961 by the Soviet-controlled East German government to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin.

Cuban Missile Crisis (8.2)

A 1962 Cold War confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union over Soviet missiles in Cuba, nearly leading to nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (8.2)

A 1963 agreement between the US, Soviet Union, and Britain banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater.

Flexible-Response Policy (8.2)

A US military strategy under Kennedy that sought alternatives to nuclear war, including conventional forces and special operations.

Non-Proliferation Treaty (8.2)

A 1968 agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful nuclear technology.

Henry Kissinger (8.2)

A US diplomat and National Security Advisor known for his role in détente, opening relations with China, and negotiating arms control agreements.

Détente (8.2)

A policy of easing Cold War tensions between the US and the Soviet Union during the 1970s.

Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABMs) (8.2)

Missiles designed to intercept and destroy incoming nuclear warheads.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) (8.2)

Negotiations between the US and USSR in the 1970s to limit nuclear weapons and reduce tensions.

Loyalty Review Board (8.3)

A government agency established in 1947 to investigate federal employees for communist ties.

Dennis et al. v. United States (8.3)

A 1951 Supreme Court case that upheld the conviction of Communist Party leaders under the Smith Act, ruling that advocating violent government overthrow was not protected by free speech.

Smith Act (1940) (8.3)

A law making it illegal to advocate the overthrow of the US government by force or to belong to such an organization.

McCarran Internal Security Act (8.3)

A 1950 law requiring communist organizations to register with the government and restricting their activities.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) (8.3)

A congressional committee that investigated suspected communist influences in the US, particularly in Hollywood and government.

Alger Hiss (8.3)

A former State Department official accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury in 1950.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (8.3)

A couple convicted of espionage and executed in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

McCarthyism (8.3)

A period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the US during the early 1950s, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, characterized by accusations without evidence.