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House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
Created in 1938 to investigate Nazis and later communists (employers, normal people etc.). -
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Cold War/ Vietnam
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G.I Bill
Also known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act 1944. A law that provided many benefits for returning WW2 veterans. For example low-cost mortgages and low-interest loans to start businesses, as well as payments for living and going to universities. -
Iron Curtain
Named after Churchill's speech in 1946, a metaphor for the devide between Western Europe and Soviet Bloc. -
Baby Boom Generation
People born after the WW2, around between 1946-1964. After the war economic situation got better and people wanted to start families. There was a big increase in the number of babies born during those years. -
Cold War
The time period between WW2 1947 and the end of USSR in 1991when super powers USA and USSR competed on military forces and economic systems. The biggest thing was the tension between communism and capitalism. -
Truman Doctrine
US policy to contain communism. US gave economic aid to Greece and Turkey and later to any country where the government was non-communist. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
An intergovernmental military treaty founded during the Cold War where the countries in NATO support each others if some of the coutries are attacked militarily. The response for spread of communism. -
Marshall Plan
Marshall's aid plan for rebuilding all the European nations, especially in western Europe, after the destruction of WW2. -
Berlin Airlift
Also known as the Operation Vittles. US & British soldiers dropped supplies into Berlin, because after WW2 when Germany was divided Berlin lay in Soviet zone. USSR closed all the routes, except air, into the city. By Berlin Airlift and the aid USA gave to Germany, those two became allies. -
Beatniks
Beatnik was a media stereotype prevalent throughout the 1950s to mid-1960s. It displayed the superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement. -
Rust Belt and Sun Belt
The migration from rustbelt to sunbelt during 1950s-1970s. The reasons were good weather, cheap land, oil fieldsand military based made new jobs. -
1950s Prosperity
The 1950s was a time when the prosperity and wellbeing rose, after the war many people could afford more things: houses, family, cars... The suburbs were formed when people could afford cars and didn't wabt to live in downtowns. There also was a white flight, that was a migration wave from Europen nations to USA. -
1950s Culture
1950s was the time when prosperity rose. People started to form families, buy houses and cars. Consumerism rose also. Music, movies and sport started to become bigger things. -
McCarthyism
Named after senator Joseph McCarthy who claimed many innocent people being communists, without any evidence McCarthyism was a period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the late 1940s and early 1950s. -
Rock n' Roll
Type of popular music in the 1950s. Includes heavy beat and simple melodies. Especially loved by youth in that time. -
Containment Policy
US policy where USA used many ways to prevent the spred of communism. Many smaller wars were fought under the Containment policy, includin Korea & Vietnam. -
Korean War
The war between North and South Korea, where US backed Southern Korea when fighting against communist North. The war was basically pointless and the outcome was that the Korea was separated into those two individual nations, North and South. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
He was the President of USA from 1953 until 1961. Eisenhower served as a general in the WW2. He created the Interstate HIghway system. He created some of the coups and had his doctrine to state USA's help for countries threatened by Communist nations. -
Rosenberg Trial
HUAC blacklisted people for being spies and communists, many times without a proper proof. Julius Rosenberg was executed for being a spy to Russia and his wife Ethel was executed too, although there was no evidence against her. -
Ray Kroc
He was an AMerican businessman that joined the McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the whole world. -
Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk was an American medical researher who is known for developing the first successful polio vaccine in 1955 as a result of the polio epidemic in the world. -
Interstate Highway Act
The construction of 41,000 miles of the Interstate Highway System. Enacted by President Eisenhower. -
The Space Race
A competition between USA and USSR to show power in spaceflight capability during the Cold War. Around late 1950s to 1970s. USSR launched Sputnik in 1957 and there have been several moon landings by bith of the nations, though USA was the first to do a manned moon landing. -
Domino Theory
The theory oif the spread of communism. When one nation is communist the other nations around it also become communist one after another. Especially during the Vietnam War. -
1960s Culture
The rise of popular culture, as well as civil rights movements and anti-war movements. -
John F. Kennedy
He served as the President of USA from 1961 untill his assassination in 1963. He was responsible of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and was solving the Cuban Missile Crisis. He believed in other ways to solve problems rather than warfare or nuclear weapons. -
Bay of Pigs
It was an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Castro in Cuba, because he was communist. JFK's decision, failed due the poor planning and lack of support among the Cubans. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
October 19-28, 1962. Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba and that deemed a serious threat to US security. The crisis was the closest to war between USA and USSR and the threat of war was big. However Khruschev an JFK agreed a deal at the end to remove missiles from Cuba and Turkey. After that the hotline was also created. -
Miranda v. Arizona
A landmark decision of US Supreme Court. The Court stated that Ernesto Miranda's rights were denied when his rights where not told to him during his arrest. -
Anti-War Movement
A movement against US involvement in Vietnam. Started 1964 and gained more support after it leaked intoo media that government had lied to citizens. -
Great Society
Set of domestic programs by President Johnson in 1964-1965. The goal was to eliminate poverty and racial injustice. Reminded of New Deal. Included acts and programs to help with poverty and racial injustice. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Authorized that President Johnson could take any measures he thought necessary to promote the peace and security in southeast Asia. -
Lyndon B. Johnson
He was the President of USA from 1964 to 1969, taken the position after the assassination of JFK. He was responsible of increasing the number of US soldiers in Vietnam though he knew the war wasn't going to be win. -
Betty Friedan
Friedan was a feminist, writer and activist. She was a leader in the women's movement in the USA. In 1966 she co-founded and was elected a president of National Organization of Women. -
Abbie Hoffman
He was American political and social activist and anarchist. He co-founded the Youth International Party. He was tried for conspiracy and inciting to riot in 1968 of his role in violent protests. -
Tet Offensive 1968
The series of attacks by North Vietnam (North Cong & North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam) towards South Vietnam. Launhed on 1968. Tactical victory for US and South Vietnam by time. -
Roy Benavidez
Benavidez was a member of US Army Special Forces and he reserved the Medal of Honor for his valorous actions in combat in South Vietnam. -
Richard Nixon
The President of USA from 1969 to 1974. Nixon took over after Johnson and had to deal with the difficult situation in Vietnam War. -
Vietnamization
Nixon's policy for ending USA's involvement in the Vietnam War through training South Vietnam's forces and reducing the number of US troops. -
1970s Culture
Movies, TV and music increased and took new forms. Otherwise 70s was a time for economical downturn. Inflation increase, such like unemployment. -
26th Amendment
:Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. -
War Powers Act
A federal law to check President's power to commit USA to an armed conflict without the consent of US Congress. President can send forces into war only by the declaration of war by congress. -
Vietnam War
War between North and South Vietnam. USA joined to back South Vietnamese against communist North Vietnam. Joining the war made some Americans really angry and against the government. The war ended to the Fall of Saigon in 1975, when North took over Saigon, the capitol of South and South gave up. -
1980s Culture
Fashion changed, new music genres were formed, video games, MTV... Forms of culture increased. In 80s you could have been whoever you wanted to be. Everyone wanted to stand out and become rich and famous.
