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The Red Scare
Also known as "McCarthyism" the second red scare lead to a US fear of Communism and the Soviet Union. It involved many different acts of painting Soviets and Communists as evil. It was significant as many people were blacklisted as spies, and some communist spies were eve caught. The attitude also helped unite the US against communism. -
Marshall Plan
The US gave funding to European countries to help them rebuild after WWII. The goal was to prevent the Soviet Union from invading them. Overall the plan was successful and prevented the iron curtain from moving. -
NATO
An alliance formed between many European Countries as well as the United States. The alliance was made to provide safety and unity against the growing Soviet Union. NATO helped stop communism from spreading during the Cold War. -
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Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Soviet Union blocked off all travel into the Capitalist run parts of Berlin, in an attempt to have them surrender to the Soviet Union. In response the US and Great Britain began flying supplies into Berlin. The airlift outlasted the Soviets blockade, giving a political win the anti-communists. -
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Korean War
North Korea (Communist, backed by China and the Soviet Union) fought South Korea (Capitalist, backed by the US and UN) over land. Eventually the war came to a stand still and a cease-fire was agreed upon. Korea is still split in two, the north communist and the south capitalist. -
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Dien Bien Phu
A conflict between the French and the Viet Minh. The French severely underestimated the Viet Minh and the fight was decisively won by the Viet Minh. This battle lead to the two countries coming to a peace agreement known as the Geneva Peace Treaty. -
Geneva Peace Accords
A treaty created to end the war between the French and Vietnam. The treaty did end the conflict between the two nations, however it split Vietnam into North and South and set the stage for the US's involvement in Vietnam. -
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The Bay of Pigs
A failed landing operation by exiled Cubans who opposed Cuba's leader Fidel Castro. The operation was secretly funded and organized by the US government. The act of aggression caused attitudes between the US and Cuba to boil. Eventually leading to Castro's approval of Soviet missiles being placed in Cuba, causing the Cuban missile crisis. -
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Cuban Missile Crisis
When the US discovered intercontinental ballistic missiles in Cuba, it triggered a 14 day standoff between the Soviet Union and the US. With both threatening each other, it is the closest the world has been to an all out Nuclear war. In the end, both sides backed down. The Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba and the US moved their missiles out of Turkey. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
In response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the joint resolution gave power to the president to use military force without a formal declaration of war by congress. Without this act, the president would not have been able to send troops into Vietnam. -
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Tet Offensive
Large military strike by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese army. Consisted of many sneak attacks on US military bases and South Vietnamese civilian areas. The attacks were a strategic win for North Vietnam. The attacks shook the confidence of many US soldiers. -
My Lai Massacre
Between 347 and 504 unarmed people were killed by U.S. Army soldiers in the raid of a village known as My Lai. Some women were raped and mutilated. 22 soldiers were charged with the crime but only one was convicted, and he only served 3 years of his life sentence. This event was declared a war crime and caused global outrage against the US's involvement in Vietnam. It is just one example of the US's cover-ups in Vietnam. -
Kent State University Shooting
Students were protesting the expansion of the Vietnam war into Cambodia. The Ohio National Guard shot at protesters, killing 4 and wounding 9 others. The event caused nation-wide outrage and caused the largest student walk-out of the time with 4 million people. Americans began to support the Vietnam war less after the event. -
Pentagon Papers
A report of the US involvement in Vietnam during the war. Was not publicly seen until 1971 when it was released in a New York Times article. It showed that President Johnson had lied to congress and the public throughout the war. Lowered support for the war. -
Paris Peace Accords
An official peace treaty agreed upon by the US, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Caused US to withdraw all of its troops from Vietnam. Fighting in Vietnam continued and without US help South Vietnam would eventually fall. -
War Powers Act
An act that prevents the President from involving the US in violent conflict without the initial approval of congress. It was put in place in order to prevent "another Vietnam". Most presidents try to ignore the act because they believe it unconstitutionally takes away their power. -
Fall of Saigon
The South Vietnam capital city Saigon is captured by the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. It marks the end of the Vietnam war and the beginning of the reunification of North and South Vietnam.