Unit 8 Vocab

Cold War – A period of political and military tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union (1945–1991) without direct warfare.

Soviet Union – A socialist state (1922–1991) consisting of Russia and multiple satellite states, led by the Communist Party.

Joseph Stalin – Leader of the Soviet Union (1924–1953) who played a key role in the Cold War’s early years.

United Nations – An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation among nations.

Security Council – A key body of the UN responsible for maintaining international security, with five permanent members (U.S., USSR, UK, China, France).

World Bank – An international financial institution that provides loans for economic development and reconstruction.

Satellites – Eastern European countries controlled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Winston Churchill – British Prime Minister known for opposing Nazi Germany and later coining the term "Iron Curtain" to describe Soviet expansion.

Containment policy – A U.S. strategy to prevent the spread of communism, promoted by George Kennan.

George Marshall – U.S. General and Secretary of State who created the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after WWII.

Dean Acheson – U.S. Secretary of State (1949–1953) who played a major role in shaping Cold War policies.

George F. Kennan – American diplomat and historian known for advocating the containment policy.

Truman Doctrine – U.S. policy to support countries resisting communism, first applied to Greece and Turkey in 1947.

Marshall Plan – U.S. economic aid program to help rebuild Europe after WWII and prevent communism’s spread.

Berlin Airlift – A U.S.-led effort (1948–1949) to supply West Berlin by air after the Soviet blockade.

West Germany – Democratic, U.S.-backed section of Germany post-WWII.

East Germany – Communist-controlled section of Germany under Soviet influence.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – A military alliance formed in 1949 to counter Soviet expansion.

Warsaw Pact – A military alliance of communist nations led by the USSR, created in response to NATO.

National Security Council (NSC) – U.S. organization advising the president on military and foreign policy.

Arms race – A competition between the U.S. and USSR to develop nuclear weapons and military technology.

NSC-68 – A 1950 U.S. policy document that called for a major expansion of military power to counter the USSR.

Douglas MacArthur – U.S. General in the Pacific during WWII and the Korean War, later dismissed by Truman.

U.S.-Japanese security treaties – Agreements ensuring U.S. military presence in Japan after WWII.

Chiang Kai-shek – Nationalist leader of China who fled to Taiwan after losing to the communists.

Mao Zedong – Communist leader who established the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Taiwan – Island where Chiang Kai-shek established the Republic of China after losing mainland China.

People’s Republic of China – Communist China, established by Mao Zedong in 1949.

38th parallel – The dividing line between North and South Korea before and after the Korean War.

Kim Il Sung – Communist leader of North Korea during the Korean War.

Syngman Rhee – First president of South Korea, supported by the U.S.

Korean War – A conflict (1950–1953) between communist North Korea and U.S.-backed South Korea.

John Foster Dulles – U.S. Secretary of State who promoted aggressive anti-communist policies.

Brinkmanship – A strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war to achieve goals.

Massive retaliation – A U.S. policy threatening full-scale nuclear attack in response to communist aggression.

Korean armistice – 1953 agreement that ended the Korean War, maintaining Korea’s division at the 38th parallel.

Atoms for peace – A U.S. initiative promoting peaceful nuclear energy use.

Open-skies policy – A proposal allowing U.S. and Soviet reconnaissance flights to prevent surprise attacks.

Spirit of Geneva – A 1955 meeting aimed at easing U.S.-Soviet tensions.

Nikita Khrushchev – Soviet leader (1953–1964) who pursued de-Stalinization and peaceful coexistence with the West.

Peaceful coexistence – Khrushchev’s policy of avoiding direct war with the U.S. while competing ideologically.

Hungarian revolt – A 1956 uprising against Soviet rule in Hungary, crushed by Soviet forces.

Sputnik – The first artificial satellite, launched by the USSR in 1957, igniting the space race.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) – U.S. space agency created in response to Sputnik.

U-2 Incident – 1960 event where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR, worsening tensions.

Cuba – Island nation where Fidel Castro established a communist government in 1959.

Fidel Castro – Communist leader of Cuba who aligned with the USSR.

Military-industrial complex – Eisenhower’s warning about the growing influence of the defense industry.

Bay of Pigs – A failed 1961 U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro.

Berlin Wall – A barrier built in 1961 to separate East and West Berlin.

Cuban missile crisis – A 1962 confrontation over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, nearly causing nuclear war.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty – A 1963 agreement prohibiting above-ground nuclear tests.

Flexible-response policy – JFK’s strategy of using conventional forces rather than relying on nuclear weapons.

Non-Proliferation Treaty – A 1968 agreement aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

Henry Kissinger – U.S. diplomat and National Security Advisor who promoted détente.

Détente – A policy of easing Cold War tensions between the U.S. and USSR.

Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABMs) – Defensive missiles designed to intercept incoming nuclear attacks.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) – Agreements between the U.S. and USSR to limit nuclear weapons.