Period 8 Vocab

Cold War: A geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union from the late 1940s to early 1990s, marked by ideological conflict, arms races, and proxy wars without direct military confrontation between the superpowers.

Yalta Conference: A 1945 meeting between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin to discuss the postwar world, including plans for dividing Germany and establishing the United Nations.

Harry Truman: 33rd U.S. President; led the country through the end of WWII and the start of the Cold War, known for the Truman Doctrine and containment policy.

Chiang Kai-shek / Mao Zedong: Chinese leaders during the Chinese Civil War; Chiang led the Nationalists, Mao led the Communists who ultimately established the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Containment: U.S. foreign policy strategy to stop the spread of communism by providing economic, military, and diplomatic support to threatened nations.

Iron Curtain: A term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and the capitalist West.

Truman Doctrine: A 1947 policy pledging U.S. support to countries resisting communism, first applied to Greece and Turkey.

Marshall Plan: U.S. program of economic aid to rebuild European economies after WWII to prevent the spread of communism.

National Security Act of 1947: Reorganized the U.S. military and intelligence services, creating the Department of Defense, CIA, and National Security Council.

Berlin Airlift: U.S. and British operation that flew food and supplies into West Berlin after the Soviet blockade in 1948–1949.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): A 1949 military alliance of Western nations to counter Soviet power in Europe.

NSC-68: A 1950 policy paper recommending massive military buildup to counter the Soviet threat during the Cold War.

GI Bill of Rights: Provided WWII veterans with benefits including college tuition, low-interest home loans, and unemployment insurance.

Taft-Hartley Act: A 1947 law that restricted the power of labor unions and allowed states to pass right-to-work laws.

Dixiecrats: Southern Democrats who split from the party in 1948 over civil rights issues, nominating Strom Thurmond for president.

22nd Amendment: Limits the U.S. president to two terms in office.

Korean War: 1950–1953 conflict between communist North Korea (with Chinese and Soviet support) and South Korea (with UN and U.S. support), ending in an armistice at the 38th parallel.

Douglas MacArthur: U.S. general in charge of UN forces during the Korean War; fired by Truman for insubordination.

HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee): Congressional committee that investigated suspected communist activity in the U.S., especially in Hollywood.

The Rosenbergs: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were American civilians executed in 1953 for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviets.

Joseph McCarthy / McCarthyism: Senator who led aggressive anti-communist investigations; McCarthyism refers to the practice of making unsubstantiated accusations.

Dwight Eisenhower: 34th President of the U.S.; promoted Moderate Republicanism and warned of the "military-industrial complex."

Baby Boom: A massive increase in U.S. births from 1946–1964, due to post-WWII prosperity and family growth.

Sputnik: The first artificial satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, sparking U.S. fears of falling behind in technology and space.

National Defense and Education Act: 1958 law funding science, math, and foreign language education in response to Sputnik.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration): Created in 1958 to coordinate the U.S. space program and counter Soviet space advances.

Federal Highway Act of 1956: Eisenhower-era legislation that funded the construction of a national interstate highway system.

Levittown: One of the first mass-produced suburban developments, symbolizing the postwar suburban boom.

Suburbs: Residential communities outside urban centers that expanded rapidly during the postwar era.

“Vast Wasteland”: Criticism of the quality of television content in the early 1960s by FCC chairman Newton Minow.

Beat Generation (Beatniks): A group of 1950s writers and artists who rejected mainstream values and celebrated nonconformity and spontaneity.

Elvis Presley: Iconic rock and roll musician of the 1950s, symbolizing youth culture and rebellion.

The Other America: A 1962 book by Michael Harrington highlighting poverty in the U.S., which influenced Johnson's War on Poverty.

Brown v. Board of Education: Landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Earl Warren: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court during major civil rights cases including Brown v. Board.

Thurgood Marshall: NAACP lawyer who argued Brown v. Board and later became the first African American Supreme Court justice.

Little Rock Nine: Group of Black students who integrated Central High School in Arkansas in 1957, facing violent resistance.

Montgomery Bus Boycott: A year-long boycott of the city bus system in Montgomery, Alabama to protest segregated seating.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Civil rights leader who advocated nonviolent protest and led the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the SCLC.

Jackie Robinson: Broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947, becoming a symbol of integration.

Modern Republicanism: Eisenhower’s political philosophy combining conservative fiscal policies with moderate social programs.

Massive Retaliation: Eisenhower’s Cold War strategy relying on the threat of nuclear force to deter aggression.

Brinkmanship: A strategy of pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war to force the opponent to back down.

Suez Crisis: 1956 international crisis in which Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, prompting a failed military response by Britain, France, and Israel.

OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries): An international oil cartel formed in 1960 to coordinate petroleum policies and prices.

Fidel Castro: Communist revolutionary who overthrew the Cuban government in 1959 and allied Cuba with the Soviet Union.

Nikita Khrushchev: Soviet Premier during part of the Cold War; involved in events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and U-2 Incident.

U-2 Incident: 1960 Cold War event where a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, increasing tensions.

Military Industrial Complex: A term used by Eisenhower to describe the close relationship between the military and defense industries.

John F. Kennedy: 35th President known for his Cold War leadership, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and civil rights advocacy.

Flexible Response: JFK's defense policy that increased non-nuclear military options to respond to communist threats.

Alliance for Progress: JFK's program to provide economic aid to Latin America to counter communism.

Peace Corps: A volunteer program created by JFK to send Americans abroad to assist with education, health, and development.

Bay of Pigs Invasion: Failed 1961 CIA-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro.

Berlin Wall: Barrier constructed by East Germany in 1961 to stop East Berliners from fleeing to the West.

Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962 confrontation between the U.S. and USSR over Soviet missiles in Cuba, narrowly avoiding nuclear war.

Lyndon Johnson: 36th U.S. President; succeeded JFK, known for the Great Society and escalation of the Vietnam War.

Great Society: Johnson's domestic agenda aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice through government programs.

War on Poverty: Johnson's set of programs including job training and education to reduce poverty in America.

Medicare / Medicaid: 1965 programs providing health insurance to the elderly (Medicare) and the poor (Medicaid).

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965: Federal funding for public education as part of Johnson’s War on Poverty.

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): Civil rights organization formed to give younger Blacks a voice in the movement; emphasized grassroots activism.

Sit-Ins: A form of nonviolent protest where demonstrators occupy a space to challenge segregation and discrimination.

James Meredith: First African American student to integrate the University of Mississippi in 1962, supported by federal troops.

March on Washington: 1963 demonstration for civil rights where MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Civil Rights Act of 1964: Landmark legislation that outlawed segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination.

Voting Rights Act of 1965: Banned literacy tests and other discriminatory practices that prevented African Americans from voting.

De facto / De jure Segregation: De facto is segregation by practice or tradition; de jure is segregation enforced by law.

Affirmative Action: Policies to improve opportunities for historically marginalized groups in education and employment.

Black Power: Movement emphasizing racial pride, economic empowerment, and self-determination for Black Americans.

Black Panthers: A militant civil rights group that advocated self-defense and community programs for African Americans.

Malcolm X: Black nationalist and civil rights activist who advocated for Black empowerment and was critical of nonviolent protest strategies.

Vietnam: Southeast Asian country where the U.S. became involved in a long, controversial war to stop communist expansion.

Ho Chi Minh: Leader of North Vietnam and the communist revolution against colonial and U.S. influence.

Viet Cong: Communist insurgents in South Vietnam who fought against the U.S. and South Vietnamese government.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: 1964 Congressional resolution that gave President Johnson authority to escalate U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Tet Offensive: A massive 1968 surprise attack by the Viet Cong on South Vietnamese cities that turned U.S. public opinion against the war.

Credibility Gap: The growing public distrust of the government due to misleading statements about the Vietnam War.

Robert F. Kennedy: Senator and civil rights advocate who was assassinated in 1968 while running for president.

Richard Nixon: 37th U.S. President; known for Vietnamization, détente with China and the USSR, and the Watergate scandal.

Silent Majority: Term used by Nixon to describe Americans who supported his policies but did not publicly protest.