America Key People Flashcards
A US diplomat who in 1946 wrote a defining analysis which advocated for standing up to communism. This policy became known as containment. Also wrote Long Telegram.
George Kennan
A five star general, fought in WW1 and commanded US Army in Far East in WW2. In command of UN forces in Korea until removed from position by Truman.
Douglas MacArthur
Founded Communist Party of China. Proclaimed a Communist China in October 1949 and then ruled for 27 years.
Mao Zedong
Democrat, early believer in the Truman Doctrine and ‘domino theory’. Appointed as Secretary State and produced NSC-68.
Dean Acheson
Established Republic of China on Taiwan after defeat by Mao. Lack of support from Truman disappointed Taiwan. Ruled as a dictator.
Jiang Jieshi
Vietnamese Communist Revolutionary Leader. Prime Minister and President of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh
British economist, led the British delegation that established the Bretton Woods system. Economy philosopher.
John Maynard Keynes
Leader of Miners’ trade unions who founded Congress of Industrial Organisation. Supported FDR and the ‘New Deal’. After WW2 he led many mine workers’ strikes.
John L Lewis
Senator for Wisconsin. Accusations about widespread communist conspiracies. Led to the coining of ‘McCarthyism’. Eventually censured by Senate in 1954.
Joseph McCarthy
Joined NOI in 1948. Charismatic style made him nationally infamous. Assassinated in 1965 after breaking away from NOI.
Malcolm X
Former Baptist preacher turned politician who represented Harlem in HoR. In 1961 he became Chair of the House Education and Labour Committee which put him in a key position to aid progress of social legislation.
Adam Clayton Powell
A lawyer for the NAACP who won a series of cases before Brown vs Board. LBJ nominated him to Supreme Court in 1967.
Thurgood Marshall
Nominated as Democratic Candidate and failed in 1952 and 56.
Aldai Stevenson
Secretary of State for Eisenhower. Staunch anti-communist, trained lawyer and older brother of Allen Dulles (Director of CIA) and he advocated for brinkmanship.
John Foster Dulles
Early member of the communist party. Leader of party of Stalin’s death. in 1956, delivered ‘Secret Speech’ in which he denounced Stalin’s cult of personality and called for peace with the West.
Nikita Khrushchev
Aerospace engineer, ambivalent member of Nazi party. Surrendered at end of war, transferred to NASA in 1958, led Saturn series.
Werner Von Braun
Director of CIA, but JFK removed him after Bay of Pigs. Commissioned U-2 spy plane. Sat on Warren Commission.
Allen Dulles
Justice of Supreme Court, renowned for residing over a series of liberal decisions.
Earl Warren
Governor of Arkansas and used the Little Rock incident to establish his reputation as segregationist. Epitomised ‘by all lawful means’.
Orval Faubus
Co-wrote the Southern Manifesto and filibustered for over 24 hours in an attempt to derail 1957 Civil Rights Act.
Strom Thurmond
Head of Department of Defence, favoured military intervention.
Robert McNamara
Secretary of State under both Kennedy and Johnson. Involved in foreign policy.
Dean Rusk
JFK’s younger brother. Under Johnson was the Attorney General.
Bobby Kennedy
Deposed Batista in 1959. Over 600 attempts on his life. Turned Cuba into communist country.
Fidel Castro
NAACP Executive Director 55-77. Called for advice by many presidents.
Roy Wilkins
Credited with starting second wave feminism. Published book Feminine Mystique. In 1966 founded NOW.
Betty Friedan
Republican candidate in 1964 election, highly conservative policies led to lowest ever share of votes. Tried to rebuild reputation through opposing increased influence of religious right.
Barry Goldwater
Business-like attitude towards running Vietnam war. Convinced strategy of attrition was working but was undermined by Tet Offensive and replaced.
William Westmoreland
VP under LBJ. Principal author of 1964 Civil Rights Act. Lost to Nixon in 1968.
Hubert Humphrey
General Vo Nguyen Giap
Fought against Japanese then served as leader of the Vietminh in the war against the French. Leader of NVA when civil war broke.
Leader of SNCC. Coined phrase, ‘Black Power’. Prime Minister of Black Panther Party.
Stokely Carmichael
1969 article ‘After Black Power, Women’s Liberation’ linked two movements. Co-founded National Women and Ms. magazine before being outspoken critic of Vietnam war.
Gloria Steinam
Co-founded Black Panthers. Fled to Cuba.
Huey Newton
Evangelist preacher, spriritual advisor to Nixon, Johnson and Eisenhower. Friend of King. Outspoken on issues.
Billy Graham
Working class Mayor of Chicago. Key figure in Democratic party as ally of Johnson. The 1968 Democratic Convention was supposed to highlight his achievements but heavy handed policing earned comparisons to Gestapo.
Richard J Daley
Balanced Nixon ticket well. Initially, seen as Nixon’s enforcer but Nixon grew to resent his self confidence and lack of vision.
Spiro Agnew
Was National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under Nixon. Operated foreign policy based on ideas of realpolitik. Allowed them to pursue detente.
Henry Kissinger
Opposed Keyne’s theories. Economic advisor to Reagan. Thought that controlling economy should be done through controlling amount of money in circulation.
Milton Friedman
Wrote controversial report ‘The Negro Family: The Case for National Action’ which blamed poverty on the breakdown of black family unit. Democratic Senator.
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Dixiecrat who signed the Southern Manifesto but critic of US foreign policy. Opposed McCarthyism and HUAC and in 1966 published ‘The Arrogance of War’ attacking the Vietnam War.
J William Fulbright
First black woman in Congress and first to stand for president. Supported spending on education and healthcare. Co-founded NOW.
Shirley Chisholm
Loyal servant to Nixon. Reorganised the White House. Eventually served 18 months for Watergate.
Harry Robbins ‘Bob’ Haldeman
Failed to address economic woes of USSR leading to stagnation. Reactive foreign policy meant no active role in Vietnam but was forced to negotiate with US after Nixon’s approach to China.
Brezhnev
Director of FBI until 1972. Fiercely anti-communist.
J Edgar Hoover
Investigative journalists for Washington Post. Broke story of Watergate.
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
Chief Domestic Advisor for Nixon. Responsible for initiating the ‘plumbers’ and for keeping information about Watergate. Served 18 months.
John Erlichman
Married Gerald Ford. Approval ratings over 75% for open stance on addiction and pre-marital sex. Supporter of women’s rights and pro-choice. Founded Betty Ford Clinic.
Betty Ford
Advisor to Kennedy and Johnson and anti-communist. Disagreed with aspects of Kissinger’s policies.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
Deputy Secretary of Defence under Johnson. Advocated economic ties with USSR. Successes over Camp David Accords were considerable but resigned under Carter.
Cyrus Vance
Chinese Communist leader. Addressed economic problems caused by Mao’s Great Leap Forward. Pursued policy of opening China up to foreign companies.
Deng Xiaoping
Iranian religious leader who was exiled for his opposition to the Shah, who himself was a puppet of US. Returned to lead revolution against the Shah and instituted theocratic rule in the country.
Ayatolla Khomeini
Baptist minister who worked closely with King. Founded own civil rights group Operation PUSH and stood as candidate for Democratic nomination 1984 1988.
Jesse Jackson
Constitutional lawyer renowned for opposition to feminism. Campaigned against ratification of ERA.
Phyllis Schlafly
First openly gay person to be elected to public office in California. Killed in 1978, became martyr for homosexual community.
Harvey Milk
