McCarthyism
term used to describe McCarthy's anti-Communist smear tactics
Arms Race
the struggle to gain weapons' superiority
Deterrence
the policy of making the military power of the US and its allies so strong that no enemy would attack for fear of retaliation
Brinkmanship
A 1956 term used by Secretary of State John Dulles to describe a policy of risking war in order to protect national interests
ICBM
intercontinental Ballistic Missile
Sputnik
The first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, launched by the Soviets in 1957
U-2 Incident
The incident when an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The U.S. denied the true purpose of the plane at first, but was forced to when the U.S.S.R. produced the living pilot and the largely intact plane to validate their claim of
Satellite Nation
A country dominated politically and economically by another nation, especially by the Soviet Union during the Cold War
Iron Curtain
Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between Communist and non-Communist life
Cold War
The competition that developed after WWII between the US and the SU for power and influence in the world, lasting until the collapse of the SU
Containment
American policy of resisting further expansion of communism around the world
Truman Doctrine
Harry Truman's 1947 speech before a joint session of Congress, calling the United States to take a leadership role in the world, and declaring that the United States would support nations threatened by communism
Marshall Plan
Program of American economic assistance to Western Europe, announced in 1947
Berlin Airlift
moving supplies into West Berlin by American and British planes during a Soviet blockade in 1948-1949
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1949 alliance of nations that agreed to band together in the event of war and to support and protect each nation involved
Collective Security
the principle of mutual military assistance among nations
Warsaw Pact
a military alliance formed in 1955 by the Soviet Union and seven Eastern European countries
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Established in 1938 to investigate disloyalty in the United States
Hollywood Ten
Group of people in the film industry who were jailed for refusing to answer congressional questions regarding Communist influence in Hollywood
Blacklist
list that circulated among employers, beginning in 1947, containing the names of persons who should not be hired
McCarran- Walter Act
Passed by Congress in 1952, this law reaffirmed the quota system that had been established for each country in 1924
38th Parrallel
Latitude line that divided North and South Korea, at approx the midpoint of the penninsula
Korean War
Conflict over the future of the Korean peninsula, fought between 1950 and 1953 and ending in a stalemate
Military-Industrial Complex
The military establishment as it developed links to the corporate and scientific communities, employing 3.5 million Americans by 1960
The SU wanted to rebuild after the war in ways that would..
Protect its own interests
President Truman issued the Truman Doctrine in response to..
Pressure by Communists on Turkey and Greece
What was one goal of the Marshall Plan?
To create stable democracies that could resist communism
Why did the SU try to force the Allies to abandon West Berlin?
To close the escape route to the West
Why did a number of nations join to form NATO in 1949?
To protect themselves from possible Soviet aggression
What was one result of the federal governments hunt for Communists?
Some peoples civil rights were violated
Because of its reliance on aircraft to carry nuclear weapons, the US lagged being the SU in
Missile development
Which event added most to American shock and fear of attack by the Su
The Sputnik launch
What impact did Joseph McCarthy have on American society?
He encouraged a widespread fear of Communism
What was a reason the US became involved in affairs in the Middle East following WWII?
To prevent oil rich Arab nations from falling under Soviets influence
During the Cold War, a major goal of the US policy in Latin America was to..
Protect American financial investments in Latin America