Period 8 Part 1 Flashcards
provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G. I.s) as well as one-year of unemployment compensation. It also provided loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses.
Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill)
many countries around the globe, notably those of Europe, Asia, North America, and Australasia experienced a baby boom. By the end of the decade, about 32 million babies had been born, compared with 24 million in the lean 1930s. In 1954, annual births first topped four million and did not drop below that figure until 1965, when four out of ten Americans were under the age of twenty
Baby Boom
New York suburb where postwar builders pioneered the techniques of mass home construction
Levittown
Region, south and southwestern U.S. It is characterized by a warm climate, rapid population growth since 1970, and relatively conservative voting patterns. Comprising 15 states, it extends from Virginia and Florida in the southeast through Nevada in the southwest, and includes southern California.
Sunbelt
A United States federal law that greatly restricts the activities and power of labor unions. The Act, still largely in effect, was sponsored by Senator Robert Taft and Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr. U.S. President Harry S. Truman described the act as a “slave-labor bill” and vetoed it, adding that it would “conflict with important principles of our democratic society”. The Senate followed the House of Representatives in overriding Truman’s veto on June 23, 1947, establishing the act as a law. The Taft-Hartley Act amended the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA, also known as the Wagner Act), which Congress had passed in 1935.
Taft-Hartley Act
a US political party, composed chiefly of dissident Democrats, that nominated Henry Wallace for president in 1948 and supported the nationalization of key industries, advocated social reforms, and opposed the Cold War
Progressive Party
Splinter party of the Democrats who aimed to protect states’ rights and the southern way of life from the expanding federal government; supporters of racial segregation, the party formed after delegates walked out of the Democratic convention when Truman endorsed the Civil Rights card.
States-Rights party (Dixiecrats)
Truman’s policy of social improvement, which included support for increasing welfare, slum clearance, and civil rights. Most of his Fair Deal bills were shot down, save his initiative to expand unemployment benefits.
Fair Deal
important part of the United Nations; has to maintain international peace and security; takes care of the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action
Security Council
Winston Churchill reviewed the international response to Russian aggression and declared an “iron curtain” had descended across Eastern Europe, referring to the rise of communism there as satellite nations under the USSR
Iron Curtain
U.S. diplomat and historian. Among the most influential Americans in the Foreign Service in the 20th century he served from 1927 in various diplomatic posts in Europe. He sent his Long Telegram (1946), which with his 1947 Foreign Policy article (published under the pseudonym X) was pivotal in the establishment of the cold war U.S. policy of Soviet containment. In 1947 he became chairman of the policy-planning staff of the Dept. of State, and contributed to the development of the Marshall Plan . He also was influential in the development of what became the Central Intelligence Agency’s clandestine service.
George Kennan
Refers to the foreign policy strategy of the U.S. in the early years of the Cold War in which it attempted to stop what it called the domino effect of nations moving politically towards Soviet Union-based communism, rather than European-American-based democracy.
Containment Policy
Truman wanted to prevent the spread of communism. He wanted it “contained”. The first implementation was $400 million given to aid Greece and Turkey to prevent a communist takeover.
Truman Doctrine
American sponsored effort that provided funds for the economic relief and recovery of Western Europe
Marshall Plan
carried supplies to the people in West Berlin
Berlin Airlift
a military alliance for defending all members from outside attack (by Communists)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
a 58-page formerly-classified report issued by the United States National Security Council; top secret; shaped U.S. foreign policy in the Cold War for the next 20 years
NSC-68
American military commander in Korea fired by President Harry Truman
Douglas MacArthur
Ld the Communist Party of China (CPC) against the Kuomintang (KMT) in the Chinese Civil War, allowing the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Caused many Chinese deaths
Mao Zedong
occurring between June 25, 1950 and a ceasefire on July 27, 1953, was a civil war between the states of North Korea and South Korea that were created out of the post-World War II Soviet and American occupation zones in Korea, with large-scale participation by other countries. The principal support on the side of the North Korean communists was the People’s Republic of China, with limited assistance by Soviet combat advisors, military pilots, and weapons. South Korea was supported by United Nations (UN) forces, principally from the United States, although many other nations also contributed personnel.
Korean War
Dividing line between North and South Korea first established to separate Soviet and US occupation zones after Japan’s defeat in 1945; the Korean War began in 1950 after North Korean communists crossed the parallel into South Korea.
38th Parallel
Established by Truman, investigated alleged communists holding government jobs for communist sympathizers
Loyalty Review Board
Created on temporary basis to monitor activities of foreign agents. Made a standing committee in 1945. During WWII most investigations involved fascists, following the war the committee focused on communists.
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
A former State Department official who was accused of being a Communist spy and was convicted of perjury. The case was prosecuted by Richard Nixon.
Alger Hiss
Involved Julius and Ethel Rosenberg who were American communists. They were executed for passing nuclear weapons secrets to the USSR.
Rosenberg Case
Term for making ruthless and unfair charges against opponents, such as those leveled by a red-hunting Wisconsin senator in the 1950s
McCarthyism
Eisenhower’s government plan: “conservative when it comes to economics, more Liberal when it comes to social programs “
Modern Republicanism
1956 Congressional action that led to the current interstate highway system, Eisenhower’s legacy
Highway Act; interstate highway system
Eisenhower’s tough-talking secretary of state who wanted to “roll back” communism
John Foster Dulles
A 1956 term used by Secretary of State John Dulles to describe a policy of risking war in order to protect national interests
“brinksmanship”
when the Iranian government did not comply with the massive Western companies controlling the oil in Iran, the CIA devised a rebellion to put Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, a young dictator-like figure, into power as the new shah of Iran. This ultimately led to Iranian bitterness towards America, leading to their revenge decades later.
Iranian overthrow
the leader of Vietnam who continuously became more and more communistic and defeated the French, resulting in his leading the northern section of Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh
theory that if 1 country ‘falls’ to communism, many other countries will then fall too.
Domino theory
regonal defense pact with 8 countries to prevent attack (communism)
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
egypt took over British/French owned Suez Canal, possibly preventing oil trade, after UN / world pressure, Egypt withdrew
Suez Canal crisis
pledged financial and military aid to any country threatended by communism
Eisenhower Doctrine
An economic organization consisting of Arab nations that controls the price of oil and the amount of oil its members produce and sell to other nations. Used its power to change American Mid-West Policy.
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
the communist Soviet premier who replaced Stalin, opposed peace proposals at the Geneva summit conference, and led the Soviets through the Cold War.
Nikita Khrushchev
the first and second satellite to orbit the earth. They were built and launched by the Soviets and shocked the world upon their launch. They caused much tension in America, as Americans became worried that they would become inferior to the Soviets because of this technological advancement. This signified the beginning of the “Space Race.”
Sputnik
after US/SU didn’t agree to “open skies” , US spy plane crashed in Russia, increased tensions
U-2 incident
in eisenhower’s farewell address, he warned against too much militarisation and becoming this
Military-industrial complex
first African American to play in Major League Baseball, marks beginning of Civil Rights movement
Jackie Robinson
a court case involving a young girl who lived right near a white school but had to travel across a railroad to go to the black school she attended that resulted in the unanimous decision that segregating schools was inherently not equal, thereby obligating the integration of schools and completely changing the public school system.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
9 African American students were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in an effort to desegregate the school; Governor Faubus tried to stop the students from attending
Little Rock crisis
old lady who refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger; helped start the Civil Rights Movement and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks
Main Civil Rights Leader. Supported Peaceful protests and Love. Helped to Gain rights for blacks
Martin Luther King, Jr.
founded by MLK Jr., to fight segregation. passive resistance stressed nonviolence and peaceful confrontation.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Involved in the American Civil Rights Movement formed by students whose purpose was coordinate a nonviolent attack on segregation and other forms of racism.
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
“crossover” musical style that rose to dominance in the 1950s, merging rhythm and blues with white bluegrass and coutry; featuring a heavy beat and driving rhythm, rock ‘n’ roll music became a defining feature of 1950s youth culture
Rock and Roll
giant enterprises consisting of firms in unrelated industries
Conglomerates
a United States youth subculture of the 1950s, “druggies”
beatniks
