APUSH Unit 15
Terms
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- Dennis v. United States
- This was a Supreme Court case involving Eugene Dennis, chairman of the Communist Party where in the end, he was convicted. This was another example of the growing fear of the communists in the U.S.
- Joseph McCarthy
- A Republican Senator known for his blatant accusations of people for being suspected communists creating a "witch-hunt" for communists. He reflected a time where there was a great fear or the Soviets and communism. In addition, he ruined the lives of many innocent Americans.
- Marshall Plan
- A U.S developed plan designed to revive the economies of Europe after the war. It proved vital for the Europeans since it allowed them to rejuvenate their economies.
- National Defense Education Act
- As a result of Sputnik, the U.S passed this act to financially help students for college and schools in math and science. It showed the uncertainty that Americans felt with comparison to the Soviets in respect to education.
- Mao Tse-tung
- was the leader of the communists (CCP) in China during the civil war. He helped established communist rule in China, causing a defeat for the U.S.
- Thomas E. Dewey
- was the Republican candidate in the 1948 presidential election. He was an opponent of Truman during the election.
- CIA
- was/is a agency designed to gather facts about possible threats to the U.S. It provided America with information about the Soviets and other communist nations.
- Ho Chi Min
- was a Vietnamese communists that pushed for an independent Vietnam. He helped rid his country of the French, drawing the U.S into the conflict.
- Kitchen Debate
- was a famous discussion between Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev. It signaled that the U.S acknowledged their setback in technology since Nixon focused on technological luxuries.
- William Levitt
- was an American real estate dealer. His innovations of providing affordable housing popularized the type of planned community building later known as suburbia.
- Fair Deal
- An economic extension of the New Deal proposed by Harry Truman that called for higher minimum wage, housing and full employment. It led only to the Housing Act of 1949 and the Social Security Act of 1950 due to opposition in congress.
- Iron Curtain
- A term made famous by Winston Churchill about Cold War tensions. It described the political and idealogical boundaries that divided Europe after WWII.
- National Securities Act
- As a response to the threat of the Soviets, in order to improve the defense of America. The act created the Department of Defense and the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency.
- Dixiecrats
- Southern Democrats who opposed Truman's position on civil rights. They caused a split in the Democratic party.
- Berlin Blockade
- The blockade was a Soviet attempt to starve out the allies in Berlin in order to gain supremacy. The blockade was a high point in the Cold War, and it led to the Berlin Airlift.
- J. StromThurmond
- The Southern Democrat who ran on the States' Rights ticket who supported the segregation policies He showed that the Democrats were sourly divided due to the issue of blacks and civil rights.
- Sputnik
- was a Russian satellite sent up to space in 1957. The breakthrough of the Soviets destroyed the self-confidence of Americans and initiated the Space Race.
- John Foster Dulles
- He was Secretary of State during the 1950s. He was responsible for developing the policy of Massive Retaliation.
- Truman Doctrine
- A doctrine developed by Truman in accordance with the containment policy that promised economic aid to those fighting communists. The doctrine would later drag the U.S into more conflicts such as Vietnam and Korea.
- Hollywood Ten
- These 10 people from the entertainment industry called before the House Un-American Activities Committee as "unfriendly" witnesses in It was another example of the communist fear growing in the U.S.
- Massive Retaliation
- A foreign policy that called for a build-up of nuclear weapons and means of delivering the,.. This allowed the U.S to keep a strong military while being able to cut funds since nukes need not be paid.
- Fulgencio Batista
- He was a pro-American dictator of Cuba before Castro. His overthrow led to Castro and communists taking over Cuba, who was now friendly to the Soviets.
- Waldorf Statement
- It was a two-page press release issued by Eric Johnson as a response to the Contempt of Congress charges against the Hollywood Ten. This marked the beginning of the Hollywood Blacklist.
- Henry Wallace
- A former Democratic who ran on the New Progressive Party due to his disagreement on Truman's policy with the Soviets. He caused the Democratic party to split even more during the election season.
- Servicemen's Readjustment Act
- A government legislation designed to solve the problem of what the 15 million soldiers would do once they got back home. It allowed all servicemen to have free college education once they returned from the war, and it created the Veterans' Administration allowing them to take out loans.
- National Highway Defense Act
- A government legislation that authorized the construction of 42,000 miles of interstate highways. It allowed for suburban growth, the decay of central cities, and increased America's reliance on cars as well as created jobs.
- Nikita Khrushchev
- was the Soviet Premier from 1953-1964. He dealt with the U.S during the 1950s and early 1960s.
- Fidel Castro
- He was (is) the communist leader of Cuba after the overthrow of Batista. He befriended Khrushchev which made the Cuban situation much more complex since Khrushchev promised to help if attacked.
- NSC-68
- A document that pushed for a large build up of the U.S military. It allowed the U.S to quickly build up its military for the Korean conflict.
- McCarren Internal Security Act
- A congressional legislation that would authorize the president to arrest and detain suspected persons in an internal security crisis. It was a reflection of the fear during the period of anti-communists like McCarthy.
- Jimmy Hoffa
- was president of the International Brotherhood of Teamseters. He was charged and indicted with fraudulent use of the union pension fund by jury tampering. The case showed the worried nature of the United States.
- Panmunjom
- The site where the armistice was signed during the Korean War. It ended hostilities of the Korean conflict.
- NATO
- was a military alliance formed by the U.S, Canada, and several Western European nations. It was designed to protect Europe against a possible invasion from Russia.
- Containment
- A foreign policy developed by diplomat George Kennan that claimed that the only way to stop Russia's expansionist ways was to contain it. It was the basis of US foreign policy after WWII designed to stop the spread of communism.
- Alger Hiss
- was a State Department official accused of spying for the Soviets. The issues he caused reflected the opinions of the Cold War. War Hawks believed that he and communists were infiltrating the country while Peace Doves believed that his conviction was an act against a loyal servant.
- Gamel Abdel Nasser
- He was president of Egypt from 1956-1970. During the Suez Crisis, he nationalized the canal, causing a dispute between him and Israel, France and Britain.
- George Kennan
- He was a young U.S. diplomat. and responsible for developing the policy of "containment"
- Taft-Hartley Act
- It outlawed the "closed" shop, made unions liable for damages that resulted from jurisdictional disputes among themselves, and required union leaders to take a non-Communist oath. The act greatly weakened the power of unions and displayed the worried nature about the communists.
- New Look
- A term used to describe the shift in foreign policy from containment to massive retaliation. This was the new way to look at foreign policy and aimed to roll back communism.
- Dean Acheson
- He was Secretary of State under Harry Truman. It is said that he was more responsible for the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine than those that the two were named for.
- Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
- These two were Soviet spies sent to steal information and technology. They helped the Soviets developed the atomic bomb, and their executions drew sympathy from those tired of the "red-hunts"
- Chiang Kai-shek
- was the leader of the nationalists (KMT) in China during its civil war. He was the leader of the forces opposing communism in China.