Column 1
Prolonged geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union after WWII
Cold War
American diplomat who argued the Soviet Union should be contained
George Kennan
European recovery program that gave economic aid to rebuild Western European economies after WWII
Marshall Plan
Military alliance formed in 1949 to protect Western Europe from Soviet aggression
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Leader of Nationalist China who fled to Taiwan after losing to Communist forces
Chiang Kai-shek
Cold War doctrine that held both superpowers responsible for preventing nuclear war
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
Strategy of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of war to force an opponent to back down
Brinkmanship
Invasion of Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel over control of a major waterway
Suez Crisis (1956)
Widespread fear of communist influence and espionage in the U.S. during the late 1940s and 1950s
Red Scare
U.S. agency created in 1947 to coordinate intelligence and covert operations abroad
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
Congressional committee that investigated alleged communist influence in Hollywood and other areas
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
American couple executed in 1953 for passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
U.S. senator who led aggressive investigations into alleged communist infiltration of the U.S. government in the early 1950s
Joseph McCarthy
Process of reducing the military after World War II
Demobilization
Large increase in births in the U.S. after WWII
Baby Boom
Region of the southern and southwestern United States that experienced rapid growth in the 1950s
Sunbelt
Americans encouraged to buy more products and goods
Rise of Consumerism in the 1950s
Funded the construction of a national highway system
Interstate Highway Act (1956)
Best known as an evangelical Christian preacher
Billy Graham
Became famous as a rock and roll singer
Elvis Presley
U.S. strategy to stop Soviet expansion
Meant protecting Western Europe from communism
Containment
U.S. promised to help any country threatened by Soviet communism
Showed America was committed to fighting communism
Truman Doctrine
Gave money to rebuild Western Europe
Prevented Western Europe from turning communist
Made Western Europe grateful to the U.S.
Marshall Plan
Military alliance to protect Western Europe
Showed U.S. was serious about defending Europe
Increased American power in Europe
NATO
Spied on communists around the world Conducted secret operations to stop communist expansion
Extended U.S. influence globally
CIA