Cold War Strategies and Key Figures

George Kennan

• Authored the Long Telegram in 1946 from Moscow, highlighting the Soviet Union's unwillingness to be treated as a normal state.
• Advocated for containment of communism as the primary U.S. strategy to thwart Soviet expansion.

Containment Policy

• Formulated to curb the spread of communism.
• Initiated by the Truman Administration and influenced by Kennan's ideas.

Iron Curtain

• Coined by Winston Churchill in a Missouri speech, signifying the ideological divide between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western nations.

Truman Doctrine

• Established by Harry Truman to provide support and aid to countries resisting communism.

Atomic Energy Commission

• Formed in 1946 to manage research and production of atomic energy and weapons.

CIA

• Created to gather intelligence and conduct covert operations outside the U.S.

National Security Council

• Advises the President on matters related to national security and foreign policies.

Marshall Plan

• Initiated by Secretary of State George C. Marshall, this program allocated billions to reconstruct war-torn European economies, proving to be highly effective.

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

• Agreement among 23 Western nations to foster international trade by reducing tariffs, significantly benefiting the U.S. economy.

Douglas MacArthur

• U.S. General and Supreme Commander in Japan until 1948; oversaw Japan’s transition to a democratic government and disarmament.

Berlin Blockade

• Soviet action in 1948-49 barring access to West Berlin, prompting the U.S. and allies to airlift supplies.

NATO

• Military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and ten Western European nations, established for collective defense against Soviet aggression.

Peoples Republic of China

• Established by communists under Mao Zedong; the U.S. refused to recognize this regime, supporting the ousted Nationalist government instead.

Taiwan

• The island where the Nationalist government of China retreated after losing the civil war to communists.

NSC-68

• A 1950 National Security Council document advocating a significant buildup of U.S. military capabilities against global communism.

Korean War

• Initiated by North Korea's invasion of South Korea in 1950; resulted in a prolonged conflict ending in a stalemate, with no formal peace treaty.

38th Parallel

• The dividing line between North and South Korea, established post-World War II.

Cold War

• A prolonged geopolitical tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, characterized by ideological, military, and cultural confrontations without direct warfare.

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)

• Alliance formed among Western nations to collectively confront and combat communism in Asia.

Central Treaty Organization (CENTO)

• Alliance aimed at countering Soviet influence in the Middle East.

Walter Lippmann

• Noted journalist who cautioned against viewing foreign policy as an ideological crusade, arguing for a more pragmatic approach.

Fair Deal

• Domestic policy agenda proposed by Truman to address social welfare, healthcare, housing, and education, enhancing the living standards of Americans post-WWII.

Operation Dixie

• Campaign by labor unions in the South to promote unionization, targeting industries like textiles and agriculture.

GI Bill

• Legislation providing veterans with benefits for education, housing, and business ventures post-WWII.

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)

• Legislation aimed at curbing labor unions' powers; enforced an 80-day cooling-off period for strikes and limited union membership requirements.

Jackie Robinson

• Broke Major League Baseball's color barrier as the first African American player, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

States Rights Democratic Party (Dixiecrats)

• Opposed civil rights and integration, advocating for states' freedoms; nominated Strom Thurmond for presidency.

Hubert Humphrey

• Progressive politician from Minneapolis, significantly influencing the Democratic platform and civil rights movement in 1948.

Strom Thurmond

• Leader of the Dixiecrats, ran for president advocating for states' rights and segregation.

To Secure These Rights

• 1948 report by the Commission on Civil Rights urging the federal government to eliminate segregation and ensure equal rights.

Dixiecrats

• Southern Democrats who formed to oppose civil rights; framed their stance as a protection of state liberties.

Henry A. Wallace

• Liberal former Vice President advocating for social welfare and international peace, supported by leftist factions, including communists.

House Un-American Activities Committee

• Established in 1947, it conducted hearings to investigate communist influences in America, notably targeting Hollywood figures.

Hollywood Ten

• A group of filmmakers who refused to testify about alleged communist ties, resulting in jail terms and blacklisting in Hollywood.

Alger Hiss

• High-ranking State Department official accused by Richard Nixon of espionage; his trial was a significant event in the Red Scare.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg

• Convicted of providing atomic secrets to the Soviets during WWII, resulting in controversial death sentences.

Joseph McCarthy

• Senator notorious for unfounded accusations of communist infiltration in the U.S. government, notably within the State Department.

McCarthyism

• Refers to the era of intense anti-communism led by McCarthy, characterized by baseless accusations and abuses of power.

Army-McCarthy Hearings

• Televised hearings revealing McCarthy's questionable tactics and leading to his eventual discrediting.

J. Edgar Hoover

• FBI Director who exploited anti-communism to expand FBI powers, surveilling numerous Americans, including political dissidents.

McCarran-Walter Act

• 1952 immigration law maintaining quotas and allowing deportation of individuals identified as communists, enacted over Truman's veto.

Operation Wetback

• Government initiative targeting illegal immigration from Mexico, resulting in the deportation of over a million individuals.