1950s Flashcards
Satellite state
independent nation under control of a more powerful one
Cold War
a worldwide rivalry between the U.S and Soviet Union
Iron curtain
coined by Churchill to describe the border between the Soviet satellite states and western Europe
Containment
goal to keep communism within its existing borders
Limited war
a war fought to achieve only specific goals
Mutually assured destruction
U.S/USSR would fire back w/nuclear weapons to destroy the other
Mutually assured destruction
U.S/USSR would fire back w/nuclear weapons to destroy the other
Massive retaliation
policy of threatening to use massive force in response to aggression
Brinkmanship
belief that by going to the brink of war could the U.S protect itself from comm.
Red Scare
fear that communists inside and outside of the U.S were working to destroy American life
Smith Act
Made it unlawful to teach or advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S to cripple the communist party
HUAC
Investigate subversive activities by fascists, Nazis, or communists.
Well-known trials in the movie industry
Why did the Cold War begin?
Stalin did not keep his promise of democracy in East Germany
U.S wanted to contain comm.
What idea and policy did George F. Kennan help create?
Containment, needed support of military, govt. and economy to stop Stalin from expanding
Why was the Atomic Energy Commission created by Truman?
To control peacetime development of atomic science,national security, and prevent future wars
Who opposed the creation of the H-bomb and why?
J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein
Would lead to an arms race
Who was John Foster Dulles and what did he believe in?
Eisenhower’s Secretary of State
Domino Effect
How was Eisenhower similar to Truman?
Communism was the greatest threat to U.S.
How was Eisenhower different than Truman?
Believed that Truman dragged the U.S. into unnecessary conflicts
Who was Khrushchev and how did he impact the Cold War?
Leader after Stalin died
Not as cruel
made reforms in SU.
relieved tensions with the U.S.
Hollywood Ten
group of 10 left wing screenwriters, editors, directors, and authors in Hollywood that were part of the communist party. They did not cooperate with HUAC’s hearings on anti-communist activity and were arrested, then blacklisted
Hollywood Ten
group of 10 left wing screenwriters, editors, directors, and authors in Hollywood that were part of the communist party. They did not cooperate with HUAC’s hearings on anti-communist activity and were arrested, then blacklisted
How was J. Robert Oppenheimer impacted by the Red Scare?
His wife and brother were in the Comm. Party, so he was fired and revoked of his security clearance
Truman Doctrine
A promise to help countries fight comm. movements/takeover.
New U.S. foreign policy
1st countries we helped Greece and Turkey
Marshall Plan
US came up with to revive war-torn economies of Europe.
offered $13 billion in aid to western and Southern Europe.
Berlin Airlift
Stalin blocked off west Germany from water, roads, and highway
U.S./Britain gave them aid by airplanes
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Created a new alliance to counter Soviet expansion and communism
secure peace in Europe promote cooperation among its members
to guard their freedom
Warsaw Pact
Satellite states form an alliance and pledged to defend each other if attacked
38th parallel
The split down Korea
North= USSR/China
South= U.S
MacArthur’s bold counterattack
Go to Inchon, behind weak supply line
Warned by China to stop or enter into war
MacArthur vs. Truman
M wanted to keep going North, T said no.
M sent a letter to the HOR, T fired him.
T received backlash bc M was a war hero to the public
2 things 4 cease-fire in Korea
Death of Stalin
Eisenhower’s threat of nuclear weapons
Red Scare Characteristics
deeper, wider, longer that other fears of communism
not unique to the 1950s, in 1919/20s too
Thought Americans were working 4 comm.
Joseph McCarthy
Wisconsin Senator
In charge of the HUAC trials
Impacted the U.S.: fueled Red Scare, harmed many reputations and jobs
Federal Employee Loyalty Program
FBI investigated possible subversive activities within the United States
3,000 employees fired or resigned
HUAC
FBI investigated subversive activities by fascists, Nazis, and comm.
How were Americans imapacted by HUAC?
Freedom of speech not guaranteed
Americans lost jobs and given bad reps.
What changed for the Koreans after war?
Nothing they were still split North&South
Everything stayed the same
