satellite state
independent nation under the control of a more powerful nation
Cold War
Worldwide rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union
iron curtain
Term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the border between the Soviet satellite states and Western Europe.
Truman Doctrine
President Truman's promise to aid nations struggling against communist movements, and it set a new course for American foreign policy.
George Kennan
An American diplomat and a leading authority on the Soviet Union. His article presented a blueprint for the American policy that become known as containment.
containment
Policy that set aim to keep communism contained within its existing borders.
Marshall Plan
On approval, beginning in early 1948, the United States gave about 13 billion in grants and loans to nations in Western Europe.
Berlin airlift
Program in which U.S. and British pilots flew supplies to West Berlin during the Soviet blockade.
NATO
Treaty formed in 1949, that provided the military alliance to counter Soviet expansion.
Warsaw Pact
In 1955, in response to West Germany joining NATO, the Soviet Union created this rival military alliance and its satellite states followed.
Jiang Jieshi
Nationalist leader, , Chinese nationalist leader that was against Mao; supported by the US; loss to Mao, so he and his followers fled to Taiwan
Mao Zedong
Communist leader of China; opposed the nationalists in the Chinese Civil War, was supported by the Soviet Union.
38th parallel
Dividing line between North and South Korea. The Soviets installed Communism in the North Korea, the U.S. aided non communist in South Korea.
Douglas MacArthur
WWII hero; Commanded many UN troops in the Korean War.
limited war
War fought to achieve only specific goals.
SEATO
A defensive alliance aimed at preventing the spread of Communism. Members included Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, France, Britain, and the U.S.
arms race
Contest in which nations compete to build more powerful weapons.
mutually assured destruction
Policy in which the U.S. and the Soviet Union hoped to deter nuclear war by building up enough weapons to destroy one another.
massive retaliation
Policy of threatening to use massive force in response to aggression.
brinkmanship
Belief that only by going to the brink of war could the United States protect itself against communist aggression.
Eisenhower Doctrine
Policy of President Eisenhower that stated that the United States would use force to help any nation threatened by communism.
Red Scare
Fear that communism were working to destroy the American way of life.
Smith Act
Law that made it unlawful to teach or advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government.
HUAC
Congressional committee that investigated possible subversive activities with the U.S.
Hollywood Ten
Group of movie writers, directors, and producers who refused to answer HUAC questions about communist ties.
blacklist
List of persons who were not hired because of suspected communist ties.
Alger Hiss
A former State Department official who was accused of being a Communist spy and was convicted of perjury.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Arrested in the Summer of 1950 and executed in 1953, they were convicted of conspiring to commit espionage by passing plans for the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union.
Joseph McCarthy
Charged that the State Department was infested with communist agents although he held no evidence of his charges.
McCarthyism
Catchword for extreme reckless charges.
Nikita Khrushchev
Emerged as new head of Soviet Union in 1953, following the death of Stalin. Wasn't as suspicious or cruel as Stalin.
nationalize
To place a resource under government control.
Suez crisis
Attempt by France and Great Britain to seize control of the Suez Canal in 1956.
CIA
U.S. intelligence-gathering organization.
NASA
Government agency that coordinates U.S. efforts in space.