Post-War America: Definitions

Definitions

• Demobilization involves disbanding or reducing a nation’s armed forces after a conflict
• The G.I. Bill of Rights is a law that gave benefits to returning World War II veterans, like educational support and housing assistance
• Suburbs are residential areas on the outskirts of cities that expanded after World War II
• Gross National Product (GNP) is the total value of goods and services produced by a nation’s residents over a period
• Social Activism involves efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change
• Sit-ins are nonviolent protests where participants sit and refuse to leave until their demands are met
• Affirmative Action are policies to increase opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups
• Integrate means to bring together people of different racial, religious, or ethnic groups
• Domino Theory is the belief that if one nation falls to communism, nearby countries will follow
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is an area where military forces are not allowed, like the border between North and South Korea
• Guerilla Warfare is irregular warfare using small, mobile groups for surprise attacks
• Napalm is a flammable gel used in warfare, used during the Vietnam War
• Agent Orange is a chemical defoliant used during the Vietnam War, causing long-term health effects
• Vietnamization is the U.S. policy of gradually withdrawing troops and transferring combat duties to South Vietnam
• Paris Peace Accords of 1973 ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
• Doves were people who opposed the Vietnam War and promoted peace
• Hawks were people who supported aggressive military action in Vietnam
• Credibility Gap refers to public skepticism about the truthfulness of government statements during the Vietnam War
• Draft is mandatory military service imposed during conflicts like the Vietnam War
• Conscientious Objectors are people who refuse military service on moral or religious grounds
• War Powers Act is the 1973 law limiting the president’s ability to deploy military forces without congressional approval
• Détente involves easing Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
• Apartheid is institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa
• OPEC is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which regulates oil production and prices
• Panama Canal Treaty are agreements that transferred control of the Panama Canal from the U.S. to Panama
• Camp David Accords is the 1978 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt brokered by the U.S
• Reagan Doctrine references the U.S. policy of supporting anti-communist movements worldwide
• Glasnost is a Soviet policy under Gorbachev promoting openness and transparency
• Perestroika is a Soviet policy under Gorbachev aimed at reforming the economy
• World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization that regulates global trade
• NAFTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement, facilitating trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
• Terrorism involves the use of violence and intimidation for political aims
• Al-Qaeda is a terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 attacks
• Jihad is an Arabic term meaning “struggle,” often used to describe a holy war
• Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist group that ruled Afghanistan and harbored Al-Qaeda
• Migration includes the movement of people from one place to another for economic, political, or social reasons
• Globalization is the increasing interconnection of economies, cultures, and societies worldwide

Factors Contributing to America’s Post-War Prosperity

• The G.I. Bill gave education and home loans
• There was an Economic boom from wartime industrial production
• Consumerism and mass production grew
• The expansion of highways and the automobile industry developed
• Suburbs and infrastructure development increased

Connection Between Suburbs, Highways, Automobiles, and Conformity

• Expansion of highways facilitated suburban growth
• Increased automobile ownership enabled commuting
• Suburbs fostered cultural conformity with similar lifestyles

Post-War Limitations and Who Faced Them

• Women faced workplace discrimination
• African Americans encountered segregation and limited civil rights
• Native Americans faced displacement and poverty

Civil Rights Contributions

• NAACP did legal advocacy for racial equality such as Brown v. Board of Education
• National Urban League promoted economic empowerment for African Americans
• Howard University educated civil rights leaders and legal scholars
• Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) organized Freedom Rides and sit-ins
• Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC), led by Martin Luther King Jr., promoted nonviolent protests
• Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) engaged youth in direct action protests
• Black Panthers advocated for self-defense and community programs

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

• The supreme court case upheld “separate but equal” segregation
• The case legitimized racial segregation until overturned by Brown v. Board of Education

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• The Supreme Court case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson
• School segregation was declared unconstitutional
• The case sparked nationwide civil rights movements

Civil Rights Events

• Freedom Rides challenged segregation on interstate buses
• Montgomery Bus Boycott was sparked by Rosa Parks and ended bus segregation
• Little Rock, Arkansas had federal intervention to integrate schools
• Civil Rights Acts (1957 & 1960) protected voting rights
• Letter from Birmingham Jail was MLK’s defense of nonviolent resistance
• March on Washington (1963) included “I Have a Dream” speech advocating racial equality
• The 24th Amendment banned poll taxes in federal elections

Supreme Court Cases

• Regents of UC v. Bakke upheld affirmative action but banned racial quotas
• Roe v. Wade legalized abortion under the right to privacy
• Gideon v. Wainwright guaranteed legal counsel for defendants
• Swann v. Charlotte approved busing to desegregate schools

Kennedy’s “New Frontier”

• Space exploration initiatives were created
• Civil rights advocacy was promoted
• Economic aid and social welfare programs were created

Johnson vs. Nixon in Vietnam

• Johnson escalated troop involvement
• Nixon advocated “Vietnamization” and troop withdrawal

Effect of Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• This gave the president authority to use military force without a formal declaration of war

Programs Under Johnson’s “Great Society”

• Medicare created healthcare for seniors
• Medicaid created healthcare for low-income individuals
• The Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination

Doves vs. Hawks

• Doves opposed the Vietnam War
• Hawks supported military intervention

Credibility Gap

• Johnson faced public distrust due to misleading information
• Nixon increased skepticism due to secret bombing campaigns

Watergate Scandal

• Nixon’s administration covered up a break-in at the DNC
• This led to Nixon’s resignation and increased public distrust of government