Cold War
A period of political tension and military rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, roughly from 1947 to 1991, characterized by ideological conflict and proxy wars.
Truman Doctrine
A U.S. foreign policy established in 1947 to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion by providing military and economic assistance to countries resisting communism.
Marshall Plan
An American initiative enacted in 1948 to provide economic aid to Western European nations to help rebuild their economies after World War II and prevent the spread of communism.
Imperial Presidency
A term describing the expansion of presidential power beyond its constitutional limits, particularly during times of war or national crisis often associated with the Cold War era.
National Security Council (NSC)
A U.S. government body responsible for advising the president on national security and foreign policy matters, particularly during the Cold War.
Berlin Airlift
A military operation conducted from 1948 to 1949 to supply West Berlin with food and fuel after the Soviet Union blocked all ground routes into the city.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
A military alliance formed in 1949 between North American and European countries for mutual defense against aggression particularly from the Soviet Union.
NSC-68
A key U.S. policy paper from 1950 that advocated for a significant increase in military spending to counter the perceived threat of Soviet expansionism.
House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives established in 1938 that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities, particularly during the Red Scare.
Federal Employee Loyalty Program
Initiated in 1947 this program aimed to identify and remove disloyal individuals from federal employment often targeting those suspected of communist affiliations.
McCarthyism
A campaign against alleged communists in the U.S. government and other institutions led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950s characterized by aggressive investigations and accusations.
New Look
A national security policy introduced by the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s that emphasized reliance on nuclear weapons and airpower to deter aggression.
Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)
A military doctrine that assumes that if two opposing sides both possess nuclear weapons neither side will initiate a conflict that could lead to total destruction.
Decolonization
The process by which colonial powers relinquished control over their colonies, particularly after World War II often influenced by Cold War dynamics and superpower competition.
Bandung Conference
A 1955 meeting of Asian and African states held in Bandung, Indonesia aimed at promoting economic and cultural cooperation and opposing colonialism and neocolonialism during the Cold War.
Eisenhower Doctrine
A U.S. policy established in 1957 that aimed to provide military and economic assistance to Middle Eastern countries resisting communist aggression.
Vietcong
A communist guerrilla group in South Vietnam that fought against the U.S.-backed government during the Vietnam War supported by North Vietnam.