26-28 Flashcards
Containment
Definition: A U.S. foreign policy strategy designed to prevent the spread of communism.
Importance: Proposed by George Kennan, this policy guided U.S. actions for decades and justified involvement in conflicts like Korea and Vietnam.
Marshall Plan
Definition: A U.S. program providing aid to Western European countries to rebuild economies after WWII.
Importance: Helped prevent the spread of communism by stabilizing economies and promoting political stability in Europe.
Berlin Airlift
Definition: A U.S. and British effort to supply West Berlin by air after the Soviet Union blockaded the city in 1948.
Importance: Demonstrated U.S. commitment to defending democracy and resisting Soviet pressure in Europe.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Definition: A military alliance formed in 1949 among the U.S., Canada, and Western European nations.
Importance: Marked a shift in U.S. foreign policy toward collective security and opposition to Soviet aggression.
What were the goals of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War?
Containment of Communism
Main Goal: Prevent the spread of communism beyond where it already existed (especially from the Soviet Union and China).
Based on the idea that if communism spread to one country, neighboring countries might fall too (known as the domino theory).
Support for Allies and Democracies
Provide military and economic aid to countries resisting communism (e.g., Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine).
Strengthen alliances like NATO to create a united front against the Soviet bloc.
What was the Truman Doctrine and how did Americans react to it?
Definition: A policy announced in 1947 to support free peoples resisting communism, initially aiding Greece and Turkey.
Importance: Signaled a shift from isolationism to active involvement in global affairs. Reactions were mixed—many supported anti-communist measures, but others feared entanglement in foreign conflicts.
Mao Zedong
Definition: Communist leader who won the Chinese Civil War and established the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
Importance: His victory alarmed Americans and fueled fears of global communist expansion.
Korean War
Definition: A conflict (1950–1953) between North Korea (supported by China and the USSR) and South Korea (supported by the U.S. and UN).
Importance: First military conflict of the Cold War. Though it ended in a stalemate, it reinforced U.S. commitment to containment.
What global event helped to bring about U.S. involvement in Korea?
The communist invasion of South Korea by the North in 1950, seen as a test of U.S. containment policy.
What goals did the United States achieve by fighting in Korea? What goals did it fail to achieve?
Achieved: Prevented the spread of communism into South Korea.
Failed: Did not reunite Korea under a democratic government and suffered heavy casualties without a decisive victory.
House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC)
Definition: A congressional committee that investigated suspected communist influence in American society.
Importance: Created a climate of suspicion, leading to blacklists and ruined careers in entertainment and government.
McCarthyism
Definition:
McCarthyism refers to the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason especially related to communism without proper evidence. It is named after Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led aggressive investigations during the early 1950s into alleged communist influence in the U.S. government and other institutions.
Importance:
Created a climate of fear and suspicion during the Cold War.
Led to blacklists, ruined careers, and violations of civil liberties..
What actions of Joseph McCarthy worsened the national hysteria about communism?
He accused government officials and others of communist ties without solid evidence, exploiting public fear to gain power.
How did the spy case of the Rosenbergs feed anti-communist sentiment in America?
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviets and executed in 1953. Their case stirred national fear of espionage and increased support for crackdowns on suspected communists.
John Foster Dulles
Definition:
John Foster Dulles was the U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a key architect of American Cold War foreign policy.
Importance:
Strongly anti-communist and believed the U.S. should actively oppose Soviet influence worldwide.
Promoted the policy of brinkmanship—pushing dangerous situations to the edge of war to deter aggression.
Advocated for a powerful nuclear deterrent rather than relying solely on conventional military forces.
Brinkmanship
Definition: The policy of pushing dangerous situations to the brink of war to achieve favorable outcomes.
Importance: Increased tensions between the U.S. and USSR and heightened the risk of nuclear conflict.
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
Definition: A U.S. agency responsible for gathering intelligence and conducting covert operations.
Importance: Played a key role in anti-communist interventions in countries like Iran, Guatemala, and Cuba.
Nikita Khrushchev
Definition: Soviet leader after Stalin, known for both challenging and easing Cold War tensions.
Importance: Involved in key Cold War events such as the U-2 incident and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
U-2 Incident
Definition: A 1960 event in which a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR.
Importance: Ended a brief thaw in U.S.–Soviet relations and embarrassed the U.S. internationally.
By what means did the U.S. government, including the CIA, fight the Cold War around the world?
Through espionage, covert operations, propaganda, and support for anti-communist regimes and rebels.
What technological developments during the 1950s contributed to an arms race that would last for more than 30 years?
Development of hydrogen bombs, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and satellite technology (like Sputnik) intensified the arms race and deepened Cold War rivalries.
Suburb
Definition: A residential area outside a major city, typically composed of single-family homes.
Importance: After WWII, suburbs expanded rapidly as returning veterans sought affordable housing. This symbolized postwar prosperity but also reinforced racial and economic segregation due to discriminatory housing practices.
Dixiecrat
Definition: A breakaway faction of Southern Democrats who opposed civil rights and supported segregation in the 1948 election.
Importance: Highlighted the growing tension within the Democratic Party over race and foreshadowed the political realignment of the South in later decades.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Definition: WWII hero and Republican president elected in 1952.
Importance: Eisenhower’s leadership brought moderate conservatism, infrastructure investment (like the Interstate Highway System), and a strong anti-communist foreign policy.
